Who this is for
Authors deciding who owns ISBN, distribution accounts, and royalties before production begins.
Author Development House
Know who owns what before you publish.
Two development paths. Different ownership models. Same commitment to author growth and long-term clarity.
Short answer
FloodGate Publishing LLC supports two publishing paths: Author-Owned (you control ISBN and distribution accounts) and Publisher-of-Record (FloodGate holds ISBN and manages distribution setup with royalties defined in writing).
What is included
- Side-by-side path comparison
- Production and setup support on either path
- Written terms for Publisher-of-Record royalties
What is not included
- No sales guarantees or promised royalty outcomes on either path
- Path choice does not guarantee manuscript acceptance
Next step
Compare paths here, then submit for free review or ask the Author Guide.
No-guarantee boundary
FloodGate Publishing LLC does not guarantee manuscript acceptance, sales, bestseller status, bookstore placement, media coverage, or promotional results. Payment follows acceptance and scope confirmation only.
Author-Owned Publishing Path
You retain ownership of accounts, ISBN decisions, and direct royalties. FloodGate handles production and setup.
- Author owns or controls ISBN decisions
- Author controls KDP/distribution accounts
- Author receives royalties directly from platforms
- FloodGate provides production, setup support, metadata, website, and launch assets
- Author keeps platform ownership
FloodGate Publisher-of-Record Path
FloodGate holds the ISBN and manages distribution setup. Royalties and terms are defined in writing. Your author identity stays separate.
- FloodGate owns the ISBN
- FloodGate is publisher of record
- FloodGate controls distribution setup
- FloodGate manages metadata and retail setup
- Royalties are handled by written contract
- Author identity remains separate
Important distinction
KDP is the publishing and retail pipe. Author Central is the author identity layer.
KDP lists and sells your book. Author Central is where readers see you — your bio, photo, and author brand on Amazon.
What is an ISBN? · What is Amazon KDP? · What is Author Central? · Do I keep the rights?