Do you own the ISBN, or do we?
You choose — and we made it a choice on purpose, because most services hide it. Whoever is the "publisher of record" on an ISBN effectively owns it, and that's not a detail to bury.
| Path | Publisher of record | You own it? |
|---|---|---|
| FlameNet Publications imprint | FlameNet Publications, Inc. (WY nonprofit) | No — held by the imprint |
| Sovereign imprint | You, under your own imprint name | Yes — permanently, fully portable |
If you want to own your ISBN outright and carry it anywhere forever, choose the Sovereign Imprint — you become the publisher of record. If you'd rather publish under our nonprofit imprint for the lowest cost, the imprint holds the ISBN. We tell you which is which before you pay, not after.
Whose name is the Ingram account under? Can you move your book later?
Distribution reaches the world through Ingram, a real global wholesaler. The fair question is whether you're locked to us once you're in.
We never require exclusive distribution. Your book is yours to move. If you publish under your own Sovereign Imprint with your own ISBN, your catalog is fully portable — you can take it to any service or run it yourself. We are a service you choose to keep using because it's fair, not because you're trapped.
What are the fees — one-time, recurring, hidden?
You should be able to see every number before you commit. Here they are.
| What | Cost |
|---|---|
| Publishing — one format (1 ISBN) | $29.99 |
| Publishing — two formats (2 ISBNs) | $54.99 |
| Publishing — three formats (3 ISBNs) | $74.99 |
| Membership | $2.99/mo or $25/yr · waived for verified nonprofits |
| FSBN catalog number | Included — a feature, never a fee |
| Direct-sale commission (FlameNet Direct) | 30% (for-profit) / 20% (verified nonprofit) |
No hidden revision fees. No surprise "distribution maintenance" charges. The publishing fee is for setup of that title; membership is the only recurring cost, and it's optional and modest. If we ever add a fee, it will be stated here first. Series and bulk pricing is by request — just ask.
How do royalties reach you?
Money flow is where trust is won or lost. Here's exactly how it works on each channel.
Through Ingram: your wholesale earnings are paid by Ingram on the account terms for your title — we don't sit between you and your Ingram earnings as a skim. Through FlameNet Direct (our storefront): we collect the sale and pass you your share after the stated commission (you keep 70%, or 80% as a verified nonprofit). Two channels, both with the split named up front, nothing taken quietly.
Do you claim any rights, exclusivity, or licensing control over my work?
This is the one that matters most, and the one predatory services get wrong.
No. We claim no ownership of your work, no copyright, no licensing control, and no exclusivity. You write it, you own it, you keep it. Our role is to help your work reach readers — not to acquire a stake in it. "Creators are sovereign owners of their work" isn't a slogan here; it's the contract.
What FlameNet Distributions is — and what it isn't.
What we are
An author-services company: we help you get ISBNs at a fraction of buying them alone, prepare your metadata correctly, set up distribution through Ingram, and — if you choose — sell directly through our storefront on the fairest terms the industry allows. We're built consent-first and zero-telemetry: we don't track you, sell your data, or run ads.
What we are not
We are not magic exposure. Ingram makes your book orderable worldwide — by bookstores and libraries who want it — but it does not market your book for you, and we won't pretend otherwise. We are not a gatekeeper hoarding special access: ISBNs come from Bowker, distribution runs on Ingram, and a determined, technical author could assemble these pieces themselves.
So what are you paying for?
Done-for-you setup, real savings on ISBNs, clean tooling, guidance on the things authors usually get wrong (wholesale discount, returnability, categories), a higher-margin direct channel, and a company whose ethos is to protect your rights and your readers' privacy. If you'd rather do it all yourself, we'll genuinely respect that — the door is never locked. If you'd rather have it done right, without surveillance or rights-grabs, that's us.