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Last updated on Jun 14, 2023

How to Publish a Book on Amazon in 6 Simple Steps

After much time and effort, you’re finally done writing your book 一 congratulations! Now it’s time to make it available for your audience to buy, starting with publishing it on Amazon. While the process is relatively simple, it can still be stressful to go through it alone. But don't worry: we're here to help!

How to publish a book on Amazon:

1. Start an account on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

2. create a new title and enter your book description, 3. select your keywords and amazon categories, 4. upload your epub and book cover files, 5. set a price between $2.99 and $9.99, 6. publish your book.

The first step is to set up a KDP account, which is quick, free, and easy. Hop over to Kindle Direct Publishing and either sign in with your existing Amazon account or sign up for one. 

Once you’re logged in, you will notice a message at the top saying that your account is incomplete — before you can upload your book, you’ll need to tell Amazon how to fulfill your payments.

Click on Update now and fill in the following information: 

• Business Type, Date of Birth, and Country : tick off ‘Individual’ or ‘Corporation’ depending on whether you’re publishing as an author or a company, then select your birth date and country of residence. 
• Payment information: insert your bank account details for receiving your sweet, sweet royalties from sales across all Amazon marketplaces. For American accounts, you’ll need to provide the account holder's name, number, and routing number 一 the first nine digits on the bottom of your checks. 
• Tax information : complete the quick tax interview to establish your tax identity. 

Once you’ve provided all the information, click “Save” and “Bookshelf” from the top menu to start publishing your book. 

You’ll be asked whether you want to publish a Kindle ebook , paperback , hardcover , or a Series page . This guide will focus on the ebook format, though the process including Print-on-Demand services is pretty similar. 

💡Believe it or not, hardcover printing was introduced to KDP as late as 2021. Find out all about it in our step-by-step guide .

Next, it’s time to customize your book page to make sure Amazon customers will be persuaded to hit “Buy now” when they land on it.  

The KDP dashboard is divided into three sections: Details, Content, and Pricing, which we’ll cover one by one. 

As a first step, you’ll be asked to provide the following information: 

• The language of your book;
• Your book title and/or subtitle;
• Whether it’s part of a series;
• Whether it’s a new edition of an existing book;
• Your author name ( pen names allowed);
• The names of other contributors (e.g. a book illustrator , or the editor if it’s an anthology)

Right after, you’ll need to provide a product description 一 a blurb similar to those on the back of a book . There’s an art to writing a compelling book description , so take your time with it and refine it to the last detail. 

Pro-tip: Want to write a book description that sells? Download this free book description template to get a headstart. 

FREE RESOURCE

Book Description Template

Learn to write a book description that will make readers click “buy.”

Most importantly, make sure your first line is intriguing, since Amazon only shows an abbreviated preview of your blurb, relying on readers to click “Read more” to expand it. Take advantage of Amazon's bold, italic, and bullet list options to make your description is visually appealing — but don't go overboard, of course.

Now that your book is ready to stand out, it’s time to position it on the right shelfs of Amazon’s bookshop. 

Keywords and categories are crucial for boosting your book's chances of success, since they help you ensure that your book is found by the right readers, depending on what they search for. KDP lets you select two categories and up to seven keywords for your book. Select the ones that best describe your book — and remember, you can make changes later, so don’t be afraid to experiment. 

If you want to better understand this topic, read our follow-up guides on Amazon keywords and categories , or enroll in our free course on Amazon algorithms by author and Reedsy co-founder Ricardo Fayet. 

FREE COURSE

Amazon Algorithms for Authors

Learn to optimize your book description, pick categories, and sell more books.

Before moving on to the next section, you’ll be asked if your book is ready for sale or if you wish to make it available for pre-order at a particular date. Once that’s cleared out, it’s time to upload the actual book files. 

In the next tab, you’ll need to upload your book file onto your KDP account. Simply click the friendly yellow “Upload eBook manuscript” button, select the final copy of your EPUB file, and click “OK.”

Amazon will accept a range of file formats, but they strongly recommend having your file formatted as an EPUB , which will also give you better control over what it looks like on Kindle. Slapping a Word document in and trusting Amazon to do the rest never works out well. 

Make sure your formatting is up to standard

Readers can tell who’s professionally formatted their book, and who hasn’t — and cutting corners will come back to bite you. Hiring a typesetter will definitely pay for itself over time, but if you’re on a tight budget, you can use the Reedsy Book Editor to format and export a beautiful ebook for free.

Once you’ve selected your manuscript, you’ll see a message saying it’s processing your book. Do not refresh or click off of this page! Amazon can take a few minutes to upload your book and verify it.

After formatting your book to Amazon’s satisfaction, you’ll see a little green message saying that your manuscript has been uploaded successfully. Take a moment to celebrate, but don’t get too distracted — there are still a few very important steps to go.

Upload an enticing book cover

A book won’t sell without an attractive cover. Your cover designer should have provided you with a JPG or TIFF version of your front cover, sized to Kindle’s suggested resolution of 2,560 x 1,600px. To add it, simply select the option to use a pre-existing cover, and click “Upload your cover file”. 

Like when you upload the book, this process can take a minute. When it’s done, you’ll get another green notification.

After you’ve uploaded the content and cover, you can use the “Ebook Preview” tool to see how it will look page by page. Take a minute to ensure that everything is correct: that the whole cover shows up, that the interior looks the way it does on your computer, etc. 一 if anything is wrong, double-check your files, then upload again.

At the end of this section, you’ll be asked if you have an ISBN number , and who you want to list as “Publisher.” Both pieces of information are optional but worth paying attention to. To upload your ebook, you don’t need an ISBN barcode, Amazon will assign one to your book for free. Nevertheless, we recommend you always buy your own ISBN if you can afford it since you can register your name as the publisher and retain ownership in case you want to “ go wide ” and publish on other retailers in the future.

Do you need an ISBN number?

It'll only take a minute!

Now that you’ve created a strong book page, it's time to price your work correctly to reap the most royalties.

The first thing to know about pricing your book is that Amazon offers a 70% royalty rate on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99, and 35% on anything outside that range.

There will be times when you want to sell a book outside this price range. Perhaps you will sell the first in a series at a lower price to drive sales for the rest of the books. But as a general rule, it’s best to stick to something that will get you that sweet 70%.

As you set your price, Amazon calculates your estimated royalties . It deducts a small “delivery rate” based on the file size of your book and then shows you how much money you’ll make per sale.

You can also expand the pricing section to set different prices for each country you want to sell in. If you genuinely don't care about international sales, you can just set it to auto, but you'll get much better results if you do it manually. Selling internationally can really help boost your sales, so we recommend keeping an eye on your international sales trends and nurturing those that develop. 

Our free course can tell you all you need to know about international pricing. Just sign up here!  

You'll be asked a few other important questions in this section, starting with whether you want to enroll in KDP Select, a program that may help your book reach a wider audience on Amazon.

Decide whether you’ll enroll in KDP Select

To decide, assess the pros and cons of KDP Select : on one hand, it will help you market your ebook through special promotions, on the other hand you’ll renounce exposure to a significant share of the international ebook market. 

For example, is selling box sets through Apple Books or Google Play a big part of your marketing strategy? Or do you want to take advantage of regular price promotions on the platform (and even the occasional “free” weekend for your book)? Whether you choose to enroll will depend on your goals as an author and what kind of business plan you have for your work.

Wondering whether you should give all your ebook distribution rights to Amazon?

Answer these 5 questions to find out!

You’ll also be asked to select the territories for which you hold distribution rights (e.g. worldwide) and your primary market, the country where you expect to sell most of your books (just go with Amazon.com if you’re unsure).

Once you’ve given your answers, get your champagne ready: the time to hit “Publish” has come. 

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! Before rushing in, take a moment to click back through the previous tabs and ensure everything is set up exactly the way you want it 一 you can do that by clicking “Back to Content” on the left. 

Although you can correct a mistake after you’ve published, it’s better to ensure the information is right before you hit that button. If you’re not quite ready, a “Save as Draft” button will allow you to come back and finish later. If everything looks good, there’s nothing left to do but hit “Publish your Kindle ebook”.

Congratulations, you did it! As you see, publishing a book on Amazon isn’t nearly as scary as it seems. Your book will appear on Amazon bookshelves soon 一 it may take up to 72 hours for Amazon.com, and up to five days for country-specific Amazon sites. Now you can focus all your energy on publicity and marketing.

If you want to go deeper into KDP best practices and Amazon algorithms, check out the rest of this guide — next up, we’ll be looking at Amazon’s Algorithms .

10 responses

19/10/2019 – 01:52

Do I need to get a ISBN number if I choose to e-publish?

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

23/10/2019 – 09:46

Most times, the distributor (Amazon, et al) will assign you with their own unique codes. So in short, not really.

12/04/2020 – 23:44

This is helpful, Thank you for this resource.

Stephen James says:

27/05/2020 – 11:22

Is it still possible, likely, or practical to sign with a traditional publisher, through pursuing agents with query letters, after self-publishing with Kindle on Amazon?

03/06/2020 – 10:20

For future books, very practical. For the book you've already self-published: incredibly difficult unless it's been a MASSIVE hit already.

27/05/2020 – 11:24

Assuming I would buy my own ISBN from Bowker, at what point would I insert it into the copyright page?

Bert de Korte says:

30/06/2020 – 14:09

Hi I already self published 2 books in holland trough Bruna. I want to publish them in ebook format at amazon. Is that possible? Already have isbn numbers.thx Albert

Sandra Bailey says:

14/07/2020 – 13:13

If my book is already published and is a Kindle book, how can I update the book with a new section directly through Amazon and republish the book?

28/07/2020 – 10:43

You can do! Here's the relevant help page from KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202176900

Lorie Eubank says:

18/08/2020 – 23:47

If I self published a book several years ago primarily for print purposes for personal use and distribution, can I republish using the KDP format? I have all rights to the book. And I know from the publisher that I would just need to get a new ISBN number

Comments are currently closed.

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The Ultimate Guide To Self-Publishing On Amazon

Writing a book of any kind is a massive achievement. Regardless if you’re writing fiction, non-fiction, biography, a self-help manual, or a how-to guide, completing your work is a big deal.

But what happens when you finish?

What comes after you type the final word, edit the manuscript, and are ready to present your book to the world?

For many writers, traditional publishing is a non-starter. You can languish for years without hearing a single word back on the prospects of your manuscript. But how best to find your audience, even if it’s a niche community of readers.

Enter self-publishing on Amazon, the world’s largest book retailer.

As the digital retail giant got its start selling books online, Amazon knows a thing or two about helping authors find an audience. And they can help you find yours through their Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.

Table of Contents

What is Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)?

KDP allows authors the opportunity to self-publish both eBooks and paperbacks free of charge. The platform features tools that give you near-total control of the publishing process. It does so in an easy-to-navigate user interface that removes much of the guesswork from book publishing.

You can create a product page for each of your books and increase a book’s availability with minimal time and effort. You also retain full rights to each book you publish on KDP.

• Book Series
• Business and Investing
• Children’s Books
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Education and Textbooks
• Literature and Fiction (including journals, novels, and poetry)
• Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense
• Non-Fiction
• Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Teens and Young Adult

Additional formats and genres are available.

What Are The Benefits Of Self-Publishing On Amazon?

Amazon has removed those barriers, circumventing the gatekeepers to allow authors and readers to connect directly.

Of course, when self-publishing, authors perform the heavy lifting of marketing their books themselves. But at least KDP allows you a platform to have your work discovered.

In addition, KDP makes self-publishing seamless and straightforward. New and established authors come to the platform on equal footing and with relatively little experience can quickly have a book live and ready for readers to purchase and download. If you run into a snag, KDP features an extensive list of help features to ensure your self-publishing is as easy as possible.

Beyond getting a book published without facing any barriers, KDP offers an incredibly economical path to publishing your work. We’ll get into specific costs in the next section (hint: there are no direct fees for publishing on KDP). For struggling authors trying to connect with a readership, few options present a better, cheaper solution than KDP.

Finally, KDP benefits those who want flexibility with publishing. Do you want to publish only digital content? KDP allows you to do just that. Want to publish paperback books? You can do that too. Or you can opt for both and reach your target audience through multiple channels.

How Much Does It Cost and What Are The Profits?

However, as one might expect, KDP does take a cut of the proceeds from every book you sell. The commission is processed at the point of sale and assessed via two different royalty plans for eBooks and a single royalty plan for paperback publishing.

For digital publishing, the options include:

• 35% royalty: KDP commission is 65% for books priced under $2.99 or above $9.99
• 70% royalty: KDP commission is 30% for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99

You will also be responsible for a value-added tax or VAT, which over 150 countries charge. As the U.S. does not currently have VAT, your domestic sales are not subject to this added expense. For all foreign sales, you’ll need to apply these formulas:

• Your royalty = 35% royalty rate x (list price – applicable VAT)
• Your royalty = 70% royalty rate x (list price – applicable VAT – delivery costs)

For paperback royalties, you’ll need to account for various printing fees that KDP applies to print and ship your book. At its most basic, though, the paperback royalty plan is as follows:

60% royalty: (list price x 60%) – printing costs

KDP allows you flexibility in pricing. However, depending on the royalty plan you select, you may be locked into a specific price structure.

So no, KDP does not charge you a direct fee for listing and self-publishing through their platform. Their commission ultimately covers the costs of providing you the platform on which to publish.

A final note regarding royalty payment – KDP pays its authors monthly but 60 days after the point of sale. For example, if you earn $500 in royalties in January, you receive payment for those specific royalties in March. $500 in royalties in February payout in April.

8 Steps to Self-Publish Your Book on Amazon

Now let’s jump into the world of self-publishing with KDP, including how to set up your account, crafting the right title and description, select the proper keywords for your book, uploading your manuscript and cover, and pricing your book to sell.

1. Create Your Kindle Direct Publishing Account

To publish your work on KDP, you’ll first require an account. Head to kdp.amazon.com and select “Sign In” if you already have an Amazon account or “Sign Up” if you don’t.

As a first-time KDP user, accept the “Terms of Use,” after which your Author dashboard will appear.

2. Choose a Title and Subtitle

Enter your book’s title and subtitle in the appropriate box.

Next, select the language you want your book published in. Additional options include a series number (if part of a series of books) or an edition number if the book is an updated version of a previously published book.

Now, enter your author name (if you’re writing under a pseudonym, use it here) and any contributors you had when completing the book. This may include co-authors, editors, photographers, illustrators, or any other collaborators who aided in helping you complete the book.

3. Create a Compelling Book Description

Effectively, your KDP book description is the digital inside flap or back cover of your book. So make it count.

Amazon allows a description of up to 4,000 characters – roughly 700 words – and you should spend as much time as necessary writing your book’s pitch to your audience.

Craft a compelling description of what your book is about, one that entices the reader to want to know and read more.

Tips for writing a great description that hooks people:

• Use simple language
• While you’re allowed 4,000 characters (roughly 700 words), ensure your description falls in the 150 to 300 words range – suitable to lure readers in but short enough to read through quickly
• Provide enough compelling detail, so readers know what your book is about, featuring only the books overarching plot or theme
• Utilize words that a reader would use to search for the type of book you’ve written
• Format your description that it’s easy to read, including bold or italic fonts, bulleted lists, and paragraph breaks; avoid walls of text that are difficult to decipher
• To better understand what is involved in writing a great description, look at the bestselling books in your category and takes cues from their copy

Next, define the publishing rights – if you wrote the book, they’re yours – by selecting “I own the copyright.”

4. Select the Amazon Keywords for Your Book

If you want your book to prove successful, pay close attention to your keyword selection. Think about your book’s subject matter and select those keywords representing its themes and ideas and are words readers will use to find it.

Avoid generic keywords and those already covered by your metadata. Focus on the setting, character types or roles, or story tone, or overarching themes.

For example, keywords for one of the Harry Potter books might include “YA,” “wizard,” “teen protagonist,” “coming of age,” or “modern-day Britain.”

Tips for selecting the right keywords

• Use keyword phrases that make sense, terms like “YA dystopian fantasy” are used more often than “fantasy dystopian YA.”
• Test out your keywords by searching them on Amazon before publishing
• Avoid misspelled keywords or those that use subjective, time-sensitive or common terms You can use up to seven keywords or keyword phrases

One helpful tool for choosing keywords to include in both your title and keywords section is Ahrefs . It shows you the search volume for specific keywords on Amazon. You want to make sure that there is sufficient search volume on the keywords you include in your title and the keywords section.

For example, if you search “books like harry potter”, that has a monthly search volume of 200.

5. Choose the Appropriate Amazon Categories

Especially if your book crosses genres, think about which categories your book best fits and where it will attract its target audience. KDP allows you to select two categories based on the Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) code.

After selecting your two BISAC categories, you’ll then enter your book’s readership age. You don’t need to worry about this option unless your book is for young readers, be it children, teens, or young adults.

If you intend your book for a younger audience, you need to select Juvenile as one of your BISAC categories and then enter the appropriate age range.

Next, choose whether you want to immediately publish your book or set up a pre-order.

The pre-order option allows you an opportunity to promote your book ahead of its release date. For this to prove effective, you will need to develop a marketing strategy around your book’s release date.

KDP only allows this option on eBooks, and you can edit or update your manuscript until 72 hours before your book’s release date.

6. Upload Your Manuscript

The most critical step here is enabling Digital Rights Management or DRM, which protects your book from unauthorized distribution. In other words, people cannot freely share or borrow your book without you being paid royalties for it.

Once you select the DRM option, it’s time to upload your manuscript. KDP supports multiple file formats, though the two most recommended are Kindle Create or Kindle Package Format (KPF) and EPUB.

KDP handles its formatting requirements a bit differently than other digital publishers. We recommend their suggested format – KPF – to ensure your eBook is formatted specifically for Fire Tablets and the Kindle App.

EPUB should be your second option as it stands as a universal eBook format compatible with almost every eReader and app.

Formatting is vitally important to your book’s overall success. Done well, your book will look great regardless of the device someone uses to read it.

Always preview your eBook before final publication. This will show how your book will appear on tablets, Kindle eReaders, and smartphones.

7. Upload Your Book Cover

If you create your ebook with Designrr , creating a compelling cover is simple. Just start with one of our professional designs and customize it to match your book. It’s that simple!

After your cover is uploaded, preview your final product.

8. Price Your Book Competitively

Finally, it’s time to price your book. We’ve already touched royalties and what you stand to make from the sale of each book. As a general rule, you will earn more from the 70% royalty option.

KDP offers three options for setting list prices: based on your primary marketplace (the U.S., for example), setting a list price for each marketplace, or KDP pricing support.

We recommend the first option as it automatically converts the list price for other marketplaces.

Overall, pricing books with KDP is an imperfect science. You’ll want to price your book low enough to appeal to as broad an audience as possible while pricing high enough to maximize your profit after KDP takes their commission (or printing expenses in the case of paperback books).

To help guide your pricing strategy, research other books in your segment. Take note of which books are more popular, and their price points, and where overpricing could become a problem.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve written a book, the KDP platform makes it incredibly easy to publish it and sell it on Amazon. It will require time, and plenty of patience, but the only thing more satisfying than writing a book, is having it published. Even better when you can say you did it yourself.

Related Posts:

• 7 Best AI Writing Tools to Craft Your Ultimate eBook

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How To Self-Publish A Book On Amazon (Step By Step Guide)

Amazon self-publishing is a simple option if you’re an indie author looking to publish an eBook or paperback book (through Amazon’s print-on-demand service) with less hassle normally found throughout the publishing industry. It won’t cost you anything directly to publish on KDP, though Amazon does deduct the cost to print your book from your royalties if you’re selling paperback versions.

But if you blindly follow the technical steps to publish your book on Amazon without taking the time to do it right, you’ll end up with a book you won’t be proud of.

You  deserve better than that.

Your  book  deserves better than that.

How Long Does it Take to Publish a Book on Amazon

Some articles promise that if you follow their steps, you can be published by the end of the day. That’s true, I guess. But rushing through it will usually make your book, and thus you, look bad.

So I wrote this guide to accomplish two things:

• Lay out the technical steps to publishing on KDP
• Walk you through the  right  way to do that so that you look as good as possible

Note: Amazon offers two types of publishing options. These steps are specifically for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and not Amazon traditional publishing (Amazon Publishing).

Doing each step the right way might take a few extra hours. In some cases, it might take a few extra days. But it’s worth it to end up with a book you’ll be proud of, and a book that will sell.

I won’t promise that you can be published by the end of the day. Here’s my promise:

If you follow this guide, you’ll end up with an exceptional Amazon listing, a solid marketing plan, and a book you’ll be proud to call your own.

How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP (Amazon Self-Publishing)

Step 1. create an amazon kindle direct publishing (kdp) account.

Visit kdp.amazon.com and choose “Sign in” or “Sign up.”

If you already have an Amazon account, use it to sign into the KDP system. If not, create a new KDP account.

Because it’s your first time signing in with KDP, you’ll need to accept the terms of use.

Once you do that, you’ll see your Amazon Author dashboard.

Step 2. Add a new Kindle ebook (a “new title”)

Since this is your first book on Amazon, you won’t have any titles listed yet. Click the box that says “+ Kindle eBook” to add a new Kindle book.

As you start entering information, choose “Save as Draft” at the bottom of the page if you have to stop in the middle.

Step 3. Set Your Primary Language

Choose your eBook’s primary language (the language in which the book was written).  Learn more about languages supported on Kindle .

Step 4. Enter your book title and subtitle

Your book title is critically important:

Readers start judging your book the instant they see the cover, and the title is the first thing they read.

It has to be magnetic.

So before you choose your book title , read my article on how to do that and watch Chapter 4 of our free publishing course, in which I walk you through the whole process.

Step 5. Enter the Author name

For the Author name, enter the name you want to publish under—the name you’ll use on the book cover.

This can be your own name or a pen name .

If there is more than one Author, enter the other names using the Contributors box.

Step 6. Enter your book description

Amazon lets you enter up to 4,000 characters for your book description. This is the write-up that will appear on your book’s detail page.

Your book description is a sales pitch for readers .

It’s a key part of your book’s marketing materials. Write it carefully. For guidance, read my step-by-step guide to writing a great book description .

Amazon’s description box accepts the old html tags for bold and italics . Use them wisely.

For even more control over your book’s detail page, join Author Central once your book is listed on Amazon.

Step 7. Verify your publishing rights

If you are the Author of the book, choose the radio button that says: “I own the copyright and I hold the necessary publishing rights.”

Under US copyright law , you own the right to your work the moment you first write it in any form.

Step 8. Choose your keywords

Think about these carefully. When you fill in these boxes, what you’re really saying is:

When people enter these words in an Amazon search, I want my book to come up .

They should relate directly to the reader’s pain that your book can solve (hint: reread your book introduction ).

Step 9. Choose two categories for your book

Use the Categories popup box to choose two categories for your book. Use the “+” buttons to drill down as far as you can.

This is another critical marketing decision. It determines where readers will find your book, what other books it’s competing against, and even how hard it is to get a bestselling flag .

For help thinking through these issues, read my post on Amazon categories .

To add more categories to your book listing, contact Amazon through Author Central after your book is published.

Step 10. Choose the right age range (if this applies)

Do not do anything with this box unless your book is for teens or younger readers. If it is, choose each minimum and maximum that applies.

Step 11. Choose your book release option

Unless you already have thousands of people lined up to buy your book, you’ll need a marketing plan before you’re ready to publish. Especially for a non-fiction book.

Book sales are driven by media coverage, book blurbs , advance reviews , email lists, and more. That kind of buzz is a lot easier to generate for a new book, so this is very important:

Do not publish first and figure out the marketing later.

Create your plan for a full book launch before you set a publishing date.

No matter what you choose as your publishing date for now, you can keep entering your book’s info by choosing “Save and Continue.” Just remember to come back to this and set your real date before you publish your book.

There used to be a significant limit on KDP pre-order dates, but now they can be up to a year in advance.

Step 12. Select DRM rights

Make sure you enable DRM.

Digital Rights Management prevents people from copying your book and sending it to other people for free .

Even with DRM turned on, people can still loan the book to friends for a short time through Kindle’s lending system. They just can’t steal it.

Once you publish your book, you can not change the DRM setting.

Step 13. Upload your book

Despite the options provided (like pdf or doc files), turn your eBook into a well-formatted epub file before you upload it.

Always use the current Kindle format so your book will look good in every e-reader .

Formatting a book isn’t easy, but doing a good job is critical if you want your book to look professional. And eBooks need to be formatted a bit differently for Amazon than for any other eBook retailer.

If you have an epub file ready and you want to see how it will look as an Amazon book, upload it here. You can preview it after you load the cover file.

Step 14. Upload your book cover

People do judge books by their covers . Like it or not, this is 100% true, and there’s a ton of marketing research to back it up.

If you want your book to sell, the cover design has to be professional.

Do not design your own book cover . Even something as simple as the cover font can ruin your cover if you don’t know what you’re doing.

If you want to be taken seriously as a published Author, hire a professional cover designer (and listen to them.)

Step 15. Preview your book

Once you’ve uploaded your manuscript and cover, you can preview your book using the Kindle Previewer.

Do not use the “Launch Previewer” button. Instead, click “Preview on your computer” and install the current previewer app for Mac or Windows. Then download and open your book file through the “ MOBI ” link.

Do not rush through your preview. Read and test everything.

Check the cover image. Make sure the navigation works. Try every external link. Look at every single page.

Reading your own book over and over isn’t fun, but that’s the price of DIY publishing.

Why “DIY publishing”? Because you can self-publish a book and still get help.

DIY publishing is doing it completely on your own. I don’t recommend it.

Step 16. ISBN and Publisher

You don’t need an ISBN or a publisher for a Kindle eBook. If you intend to publish only on Amazon , you can leave these blank.

From here, choose “Save and Continue” if you want to keep going. Amazon won’t publish your book until you click “Publish Your Kindle eBook” at the bottom of the next screen.

Step 17. Skip KDP Select for now (You can add it later)

You can always add your book to KDP Select , even after it’s published. But once it’s in the program, you have to leave it there for at least 3 months.

KDP Select enrolls your book in Kindle Unlimited and gives you additional marketing options, like Kindle countdown deals, but the digital version of your book has to be exclusive to Amazon.

Make this decision as part of your overall book marketing plan .

Step 18. Choose your territories

Choose “All territories (worldwide rights)” unless you have a good reason not to.

This will make your book available in all of Amazon’s global territories once you’re ready to publish it.

Step 19. Choose your royalty and pricing

Choose between 35% and 70% for your royalty. For most Authors, the 70% royalty will pay more. That seems obvious, but it does add some pricing limitations as well as a slightly different royalty calculation .

Choose Amazon.com as your primary marketplace, then set the list price. The price in other marketplaces will be set according to exchange rates, but you can set each one manually if you want to.

Step 20. Add the book to matchbook and book lending

These options are up to you, but you’ll have to enroll in book lending if you want the 70% royalty.

Step 21. Save to draft until you’re ready

Choose “Save as Draft” until you’re ready to choose a publishing date and launch your book.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to think through every aspect of your book’s marketing before you publish . That goes beyond your book’s cover, layout, pricing, and marketing plan.

It also includes your Author branding.

The moment your book goes live, you’ll need to set up your Amazon Author page with your Author photo and bio . You’ll also need to add any blurbs to your book’s detail page.

Get those ready now.

Finally, pay attention to your gut. No matter how impatient you’re feeling to see your book on the Kindle store, your gut will tell you if something isn’t ready. If you’re feeling pulled to wait and fix anything, do it.

Step 22. Self-publishing your print book (formerly CreateSpace)

CreateSpace used to be Amazon’s print-on-demand publishing arm, but now print books go through KDP.

You can use the same KDP account to add the print version of your book, but that’s a whole different project.

Your cover needs a spine and a back, and it needs to be in a different format. Interior formatting is completely different and much harder. The pricing is different, depending on both the market and print costs.

Publishing eBooks on your own is hard. DIY print books are much harder.

If you want a print book, I strongly recommend getting some help .

That said, there are a lot of excellent reasons to publish a print book.

• Advance reviewers prefer them
• Most serious media outlets require them
• You can hand them to potential clients
• You can put them in gift bags at speaking engagements
• They can expand your business in ways an eBook just can’t

For many Authors, they’re worth the investment .

If you want a print book, have it ready to go before you publish your eBook so you can include it in your marketing plan.

Other Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Publishing on Amazon

Can you use a traditional publisher after being on amazon.

Yes, so long as you retained the rights to your book. However, it can be difficult for a few reasons. If your book hasn’t produced the kinds of sales a traditional publisher wants to see (usually because you haven’t marketed and promoted your book well), they’re far less likely to be interested unless something unique convinces them it still has great commercial potential.

Amazon Book Publishing Software

Amazon recommends Kindle Create, their free interior formatting tool available for desktop on both Mac and PC. Kindle Create can be used to create novels, essays, memoirs (Reflowable); textbooks, travel books, and cookbooks (Interactive Print Replica); and Comics (Comics with Guided View).

Interactive Print Replicas maintain the look and feel of a print edition but your readers won’t be able to resize text and they may not work on some devices. Be sure to review the full system requirements and supported features for Kindle Create .

Final Thoughts on Amazon and Self-Publishing

Publishing is a skill in its own right, entirely separate from writing.

It’s tempting to rush your manuscript to market, but then you might as well throw away all the hard work you put into writing it.

Publishing a book that looks unprofessional makes you look unprofessional. You’d be better off not publishing at all.

But if you take your time and do it right, publishing that book can be the best thing you ever did—for yourself and for your career.

The Scribe Crew

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How to Create Medium Content Books on Amazon KDP: Guide

Have you ever thought about writing a book but felt overwhelmed by the idea of creating a massive novel? Thankfully, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is not just for lengthy novels and there’s a growing trend for medium content books.

Cookbooks, workbooks, puzzle books, etc. are both manageable for the creators, but also appealing to readers of all backgrounds and interests.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, understanding how to create medium content books on Amazon KDP can open new doors. We’ll explore everything from choosing a topic to publishing and marketing your book. Let’s get started on this exciting journey!

Table of Contents

How to Create Medium Content Books on Amazon KDP

Medium content books are a unique category of publications that include, for example, activity books, math workbooks, puzzle books, and coloring books.

These books are characterized by their interactive content , designed to engage the readers in specific activities.

Unlike traditional novels or detailed non-fiction, they offer a more interactive experience, often targeting specific age groups or educational needs. They are ideal for readers looking for engaging, skill-enhancing, or leisurely activities, making them popular among parents, educators, and individuals seeking personal development or entertainment.

On the other hand, they differ from low content books that are usually just journals or notebooks, by actually having some content and prompts in them to engage the user.

Still, they are one of the most popular book categories on Amazon .

1. Choose the Right Topic for Your Medium Content Book

Choosing the topic for your medium content book begins with choosing your target audience .

Deciding whether your book is intended for children, adults, hobbyists, or learners in a specific field is essential in tailoring your topic to match their interests, needs, and reading habits.

In addition to understanding your audience, it’s important to identify gaps in the market. Look for areas that are in demand but currently lack sufficient resources. This could involve finding a niche that hasn’t been explored in depth or offering a fresh perspective on popular subjects.

Staying updated with current trends and popular themes is also vital. What’s capturing the interest of your target audience right now?

Leveraging your expertise in a particular area can also be beneficial. If you have specialized knowledge or a strong interest in a particular topic, consider creating a book around it. Your passion and expertise will bring authenticity and depth to the content, making it more engaging.

Conducting market research is another key aspect. Tools like Amazon’s Best Sellers lists can provide insights into what types of medium content books are popular. Pay attention to reviews and ratings to understand what readers are enjoying and what they feel is missing.

Finally, don’t shy away from experimenting with various ideas. Sometimes the most compelling topics come from creative combinations of different elements.

The aim is to choose a topic that not only interests you but also meets a need or desire in the market. By thoughtfully selecting a topic that resonates with your audience, your medium content book has a better chance of standing out and capturing the attention of readers.

2. Write and Structure Your Medium Content Book

Creating an engaging medium content book involves a balance between clear writing and effective structuring.

When writing, prioritize clarity. Your language should be simple and concepts well-explained, especially if the book has an educational purpose.

Keep your audience engaged by varying the content. This can include a mix of puzzles, quizzes, interactive challenges, and explanatory text.

Adding visual elements like illustrations, diagrams, and charts can also make complex information more accessible and maintain reader interest. Throughout the book, it’s important to maintain a consistent writing style to create a cohesive reading experience.

The structure of your book is equally crucial. Organize your content logically.

For educational materials, this might mean progressing from simpler to more complex topics. In activity books, vary the difficulty level to keep readers engaged and challenged.

Consider dividing your content into distinct sections or chapters, each focusing on specific topics or activities, to make your book easy to navigate.

Also, including summaries or key points at the end of each section can help with learning, while interactive elements like spaces for reader responses in workbooks can enhance engagement.

Overall, the key is to create a medium content book that is both enjoyable and informative. By focusing on clear, engaging writing and thoughtful structure, your book will not only capture the reader’s interest but also deliver significant value, making their time spent with your book truly worthwhile.

3. Design and Format for Amazon KDP

A well-designed cover and properly formatted content can make a significant difference in attracting and retaining readers.

Designing a Cover

The cover is the first thing potential readers will see, so it needs to grab their attention.

It should reflect the theme and content of your book clearly, so use high-quality images and readable fonts that align with the topic of your book.

The title and any text on the cover should be easily visible, even in thumbnail size, which is how it will appear on Amazon.

If design is not your forte, consider hiring a professional designer or using design software with pre-made templates specifically for book covers.

Canva is a great tool for this job – it is both free and it comes with numerous templates for all sorts of things.

Formatting the Book for Kindle

Formatting your book correctly for Kindle ensures a smooth reading experience.

Amazon KDP accepts several formats, but the most commonly used are Word and ePub. Your book should have a clickable table of contents, and the layout should be clean and easy to navigate.

Ensure that any images or diagrams are of high resolution and correctly aligned. Pay attention to font choice and size, spacing, and paragraph alignment for a professional look.

Tools and Resources

Numerous tools and resources are available to assist you in designing and formatting. Amazon provides its own guide and tools for book formatting, such as Kindle Create, which can simplify the process.

For cover design, tools like Canva offer user-friendly interfaces with specific templates for book covers. Other resources include professional services available on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork , where you can hire experienced book designers and formatters.

4. Publish and Market Your Medium Content Book on Amazon KDP

Publishing and marketing your medium content book on Amazon KDP involves several key steps to ensure your book reaches and resonates with your target audience.

Publishing on Amazon KDP

• Finalize Your Book: Make sure your book is edited, formatted, and has a professional cover design.
• Create an Amazon KDP Account: If you don’t already have one, sign up for an Amazon KDP account.
• Upload Your Book: Log in to your KDP account, go to your dashboard, and choose ‘Create a New Title’. Upload your manuscript and cover design files.
• Set Book Details: Fill in your book title, description, keywords, and author information. These details are crucial as they help readers find your book.
• Choose Rights and Pricing: Select the territories where you hold distribution rights and set your book’s price. Consider enrolling in KDP Select for additional promotional benefits.

Marketing Strategies

Marketing your medium content book effectively is crucial for reaching a wider audience and increasing visibility.

Start by optimizing your Amazon page. A compelling book description, carefully chosen keywords, and appropriate categorization are essential for making your book easily discoverable by potential readers.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer great opportunities to promote your book. Engage with your audience through these channels, create exciting posts about your book, and highlight what makes it unique.

Additionally, consider creating a dedicated website or blog for your book. This can be a platform to share more detailed information, engage with readers, and provide direct links to your Amazon page.

Utilizing Amazon’s promotional tools, such as Kindle Countdown Deals or Free Book Promotions, can also boost your book’s visibility.

Encouraging readers to leave reviews on Amazon is another effective strategy. Positive reviews enhance your book’s credibility and can influence potential buyers.

Collaborating with influencers, bloggers, or educators in your book’s niche can help you tap into new audiences.

Lastly, if you have an email list, use it to inform your subscribers about your book launch and any updates. An integrated approach combining these strategies can significantly elevate your book’s presence in the market.

Mastering how to create medium content books on Amazon KDP involves a blend of creativity, strategy, and understanding your target market. From conceptualizing your book idea to writing, designing, publishing, and marketing, each step is vital in the journey of bringing your medium content book to life.

Navigating through Amazon KDP and utilizing its tools effectively can open up opportunities for your book. Remember, the success of your medium content book lies in how well it resonates with your audience and the uniqueness of the content you offer. Stay true to your vision, and you could see your work thrive in the bustling digital marketplace.

How do I publish a medium content book on KDP?

To publish a medium content book on KDP, finalize your manuscript and cover design, set up a KDP account, upload your files, fill in the book details, choose distribution rights and pricing, and then publish.

What are Amazon Medium content books?

Amazon Medium content books are interactive books like activity books, workbooks, puzzle books, and coloring books, designed for engaging reader participation.

What is an example of a medium content book?

An example of a medium content book is a children’s activity workbook with puzzles, coloring sections, and educational games.

Types of medium content books?

Types of medium content books include activity books, math workbooks, coloring books, puzzle books, and educational workbooks.

Medium content book ideas?

Ideas for medium content books can range from thematic coloring books, brain-teaser puzzle books, language learning workbooks, to DIY craft guides.

Best selling medium content books on Amazon?

Bestselling medium content books on Amazon often include comprehensive educational workbooks, advanced coloring books for adults, and interactive puzzle books for brain training.

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7 Tips On how to write a book description for amazon

If you want to learn how to write a book description for Amazon , you are in the right place! Writing a great Amazon KDP description is key to hooking readers and getting them to buy your book. In this blog post, I will give you 7 tips for writing an attention-grabbing Amazon KDP description that will help sell your book.

If you stick around to the end, I will share a little tool that I use - it has been a game changer for my book publishing business! ?

Don't Make This Mistake...

When it comes to selling books on Amazon, many authors make the mistake of using the book's blurb as their sales description.

While the blurb can be an effective tool for promoting a book, it doesn't always provide the information that potential buyers are looking for.

A well-crafted sales description, on the other hand, can be the difference between a book that sells and one that languishes on the virtual shelf.

When writing a sales description, it's important to focus on what makes your book unique and why potential buyers should take a chance on it.

Tip 1: Keep It Short and Sweet

When it comes to book descriptions, conciseness is key. The Amazon KDP description field is limited to 4000 characters, so you need to make every word count. Get straight to the point, and don’t include any fluff.

Use active and descriptive language to give potential readers a taste of what your book is about. Be sure to mention any awards or accolades your book has received, and highlight any positive reviews.

Ultimately, your goal is to entice readers to give your book a try. With a little effort, you can craft a book description that does just that.

Tip 2: Start With A Bang

The first sentence of your Amazon KDP book description is crucial. You want to grab readers’ attention right away and make them want to keep reading. One way to do this is to start with a strong opening line that gives an overview of the book.

For example, “In a future world where the government controls everything, one woman must fight for her freedom.” This immediately pulls the reader in and makes them want to know more about the story.

It also sets up the rest of the book description, which should expand on the premise and provide more details about the plot. With a strong opening line, you can hook readers and convince them to give your book a chance.

Tip 3: Use Keywords

When potential readers are searching for books on Amazon, they will use keywords. By including relevant keywords in your Amazon KDP book description, you can make sure that your book comes up when they are searching.

Do some research to find out what keywords people are using to search for books like yours, then include those keywords in your book description. This will help potential readers find your book and consider buying it.

In addition, be sure to use keyword-rich tags when uploading your book to Amazon KDP . This will help ensure that your book appears in relevant search results.

By taking these steps, you can make it easier for potential readers to find and purchase your book.

Avoid keyword stuffing, as this will give you the opposite effect. Amazon may flag your book as spam if you stuff too many keywords into the description, which will hurt your chances of selling any copies.

And, likewise, this will put off your potential readers. Use keywords thoughtfully and sparingly to ensure that your Amazon KDP book description is effective.

Tip 4: Use Rich Formatting

Although HTML is limited on Amazon KDP, there are still some ways you can use rich formatting to make your book description stand out.

One of my KDP book description examples and tips for writing:

For example, you can use bold or italics to highlight key points. You can also create bullet points to list key features of your book.

Rich formatting is one of the only ways you can add some flare and originality to your Amazon KDP book description.

Tip 5: Use Images

In addition to rich formatting, you can also use images in your Amazon KDP book description. By default, Amazon adds the front cover and back cover of your book to the description.

You can also add additional images, up to a total of nine. These images could be pictures of the author, illustrations from the book , or anything else that would help sell your book.

Once your book has been approved, contact Amazon and ask them to add images to your book description. Amazon will review the images and decide whether or not to add them.

If you are using Amazon KDP Select, you can also add an image gallery to your book’s landing page.

Tip 6: Include A Call-To-Action

Your book description is your chance to really sell your book to potential readers. While the buy now button is a familiar call-to-action, you want to use your book description to encourage potential readers to take that next step and purchase your book.

To do this, you need to be creative in your language and really make them want to read your book. Use strong verbs and persuasive language to get them excited about your story.

Highlight the key moments and themes of your book that you think will resonate with them. Ultimately, you want to create a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out) so they feel like they need to read your book right now. 

Tip 7: Include Social Proof & Reviews

This is typically something you have to come back and add after your book has been published for a while, but it’s important to include any social proof or reviews in your book description.

This could be things like how many books you’ve sold, awards your book has won, or positive reviews from readers and critics.

Including this information will help build trust with potential readers and make them more likely to purchase your book.

8. Bonus Tip: Use A KDP Book Description Generator

While this is not an official book description generator (it is an AI writer , capable of writing entire books, not just book descriptions...), it is what I use for all of my books.

The best part is that they give you 10,000 words free , so you can keep generating book descriptions and tweaking it to include your keywords and information.

You can try it for free here .

Another option, is the Kindlepreneur book description generator . It is very straightforward to use and gives you the output instantly.

About The Author

Arielle Phoenix

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global selfpublishing .com

• Aug 11, 2023

How to Successfully Publish and Sell Children's Books on Amazon KDP: Tips for Maximum Impact

Updated: Mar 15

Are you eager to dive into the world of self-publishing and create captivating children's picture storybooks? Look no further! In this comprehensive overview, I'll walk you through the steps to successfully publish and sell children's books on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). With careful attention to crucial aspects like niche research, audience understanding, illustrations, multi-platform publishing, and strategic planning, you'll be well-equipped to make a splash in the world of children's literature.

1. niche research: the foundation of success, before embarking on your publishing journey, it's vital to conduct thorough niche research. understanding your target audience and identifying keywords that resonate with potential readers will play a significant role in your book's discoverability. these keywords should be strategically incorporated into your title, subtitle, and backend keywords to ensure your book aligns with reader searches. remember, the right keywords can substantially enhance your book's visibility within amazon's algorithm., 2. know your audience: tailoring content for maximum impact, children's books cater to a wide range of age groups, from toddlers to young readers. it's crucial to define your target audience early on, as it will influence various aspects of your book, such as writing style, book size, cover finish, and color choices. this understanding will guide your decisions and help you create a book that resonates with your specific readership., 3. captivating illustrations: the visual journey, illustrations are the heart and soul of children's picture storybooks. while you can explore ai technology for illustrations, partnering with a skilled illustrator can bring your story to life. consistency in illustrations, where characters maintain their appearance throughout the book, creates a cohesive reading experience that engages young readers. a well-crafted visual narrative can make your book unforgettable and leave a lasting impression., want to view my youtube video about these tips, https://youtu.be/hso-soijav8, 4. multi-platform publishing: expanding your reach, while amazon kdp is a powerful platform, don't limit yourself to it alone. consider publishing your children's book on multiple platforms, including amazon kdp, ingramspark, and other electronic platforms. ingramspark's broad distribution can expose your book to markets that amazon might not reach. take advantage of these platforms to expand your reach and increase your book's accessibility., 5. udemy course: a guiding light in your publishing journey, for those seeking a comprehensive guide to writing, designing, and self-publishing children's books, look no further than the "how to write, design, and self-publish a children's book" course on udemy. this best-selling course equips you with the knowledge and expertise needed to navigate the intricate world of self-publishing. the course covers critical areas such as launch strategies, book design, formatting, keyword optimization, and marketing techniques, ensuring that you're set up for success., 6. intentional planning: the roadmap to success, approach your children's book project with intentionality. create a structured plan that outlines your book's content, style, and overall vision. additionally, formulate a robust launch plan that includes strategies for gathering reviews, utilizing amazon ads, and implementing effective marketing techniques. remember, a well-thought-out launch can significantly impact your book's initial performance and long-term success., 7. evergreen content: timeless appeal, when conceptualizing your children's book, consider crafting content that remains relevant throughout the year. avoid focusing solely on holidays or specific events, as this limits your book's shelf life. creating evergreen content allows your book to cater to readers year-round, maximizing its sales potential., 8. international reach: translations and considerations, if you aspire to reach a global audience, exploring translations could be a viable option. however, be cautious when translating rhyming poems or texts, as maintaining consistency across different languages can be challenging. to truly succeed in international markets, meticulous attention to detail and cultural nuances is imperative., the realm of self-publishing children's books on amazon kdp offers a world of opportunities for creative expression, a positive impact for children and potential for financial success. by conducting thorough niche research, understanding your audience, leveraging captivating illustrations, exploring multi-platform publishing platforms, crafting intentional plans, producing evergreen content, and considering international reach, you'll be well-equipped to embark on this exciting journey., so, if you're ready to unlock the potential of children's literature and tap into the world of amazon kdp publishing, take these tips to heart and watch your stories come to life in the hands of young readers around the globe. and remember, with the right tools and strategies at your disposal, you can achieve not only creative fulfillment but also the financial rewards that come from sharing your imaginative worlds with eager readers., interested in significantly cutting your learning curve by 90% fast-track your knowledge by enrolling in my best-selling course on udemy.com, course: how to write, design, and self-publish a children's book on udemy, direct link: https://bit.ly/romneynelson-childrensbookcourse.

Wishing you all the best for your Self-Publishing

Kind regards,, romney nelson, www.globalselfpublishing.com.

Romney Nelson is an international Best-Selling Author and Best-Selling Course Instructor on Udemy. Romney is the Founder of Global Self-Publishing, where he is committed to empowering individuals with the tools and resources to Self-Publish. www.globalselfpublishing.com

Visit all of romney’s best-selling udemy courses on self-publishing here:, https://www.udemy.com/user/romney-nelson/.

Grab Yourself a FREE Copy of ‘ Self-Publishing on KDP – All the Tools You Need’ : http://bit.ly/42ar7wC

• How to Write a Children's Book
• Children's Books

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How To Self-Publish Short Stories On Amazon KDP

Can you self-publish short stories on Amazon KDP? Yes, you can.

There are many sites online where you can publish your short stories for free. If you are a new writer, it’s a great way to find readers.

However, if you want to earn money from your writing, self-publishing your short stories as a Kindle ebook is the best route.

But before you jump in, you need to make sure that your short story ebook complies with the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) guidelines.

In This Article

Tips to help you self-publish short stories

Short stories are short. True.

But what is the minimum word count for a Kindle ebook?

It’s a question that authors have asked many times.

However, Amazon KDP is quite vague about the answer.

The only mention is on the Guide to Kindle Content Quality page.

You need to scroll way down the page to the heading, Disappointing Content.

In the list, all it states is content that is too short .

However, over the years, many bloggers and publishing advice sites tend to agree that 2,500 words seem to be the minimum.

You can read this article from 2013 to see that it has been a long-asked question.

Self-publish short stories in collections

Is there an easy way to overcome your ebook being rejected by KDP because the content is too short?

Yes, there is.

All you need to do is compile your short stories into a collection.

You should probably aim at a minimum of 5,000 – 7,000 words.

What if you don’t have enough stories to get to 5,000 words?

Well, perhaps it would be best to write a few new stories to boost your word count.

Short Kindle ebooks can sell quite well.

But you always need to offer value to an ebook buyer.

As a rule of thumb, somewhere between 10,000 to 15,000 words is a good target.

A new option from Amazon is Kindle Vella.

It states that episodes must be between 600-5,000 words .

But it is more suited to publishing a book, chapter by chapter.

So unless your short stories are closely interrelated, it is probably not the most promising option.

How to price your ebook

Generally, the price for short ebooks is between $0.99 and $2.99.

A price that is higher than this is not going to be attractive to book buyers.

If you want to make money when self-publishing short stories, you have to offer good value.

It’s always better to sell 100 ebooks at $0.99 than none at $4.99.

Another consideration is Kindle Unlimited (KU). You have the option to enroll in Amazon KDP Select when you publish your ebook.

If you do, you will be paid per KENP page read from KU readers. But as your book is short, you won’t earn much from each read.

Kindle Unlimited Edition Normalized Page count (KENP) pays between $0.004 and $0.005 per page .

If you enroll your ebook for KU, perhaps $1.99 – $2.99 is the sweet spot. KU subscribers may not see value in reading a $0.99 ebook.

What do you need to self-publish your stories?

If you don’t have an account with Amazon KDP, you will need to register.

You can use your existing username and password if you have an Amazon account.

You will need to complete your author or publisher details, how you want Amazon to pay you, and your tax information.

Once your account is set up, you are ready to publish.

There are only two files you need.

1. Your ebook interior

The easiest is a Word document in docx format.

But you can also use Kindle Create to format your ebook. It will prepare a file you can export that you can then upload to KDP.

2. Your ebook cover

There are many online apps where you can create an ebook cover for free.

The best one, in my opinion, is Canva because it gives you more options and a better resolution.

Once you have your cover and interior files prepared, you are almost ready to self-publish your short story Kindle ebook.

Three tasks before you publish

One trap many new authors fall into is not having all the information they need when starting the KDP publishing process.

When you do this, you will be guessing or adding information quickly and with no thought.

There are three things you absolutely must do before your start.

1. Your book description

When your book appears on Amazon, your book description is your first selling point. Make sure you write a book description that will encourage someone to buy your book.

Writing a book description is not a quick and easy task, so take your time and make sure it’s fantastic.

2. Select your categories

You need to select two categories (genres) that are not only suitable for your book but also not highly competitive.

In practice, you should avoid header categories such as romance, science fiction, and poetry. You need to drill down to more specific genres.

3. Select your seven keywords

Your selection of seven keywords is vital in attracting readers to your book from an Amazon search.

A keyword is not one word. You need to use phrases of between three to five words.

For a more detailed explanation, you should read our in-depth article about choosing the best keywords and categories to help you sell your books.

How to promote your short ebook

You might be lucky and get a few sales without promoting your new ebook.

But it is rare, so be prepared to do a little bit of extra work to get your ebook out there and in front of readers.

There are many ways you can promote your book for free in just a few minutes.

You will also have Amazon book promotion tools that you can access through your KDP dashboard.

The expression that the harder you work, the luckier you get is apt for promoting and selling books.

One other point you should think about is starting your book promotion before you publish your book.

If you select the option to set your book to pre-order, it gives you time to start your promotion before your book is available.

There’s nothing to stop you from self-publishing your short stories and trying to make some money from your writing.

Just be aware of your KDP word count , and try to offer good value to readers.

There are thousands of Kindle ebooks of poetry collections published on Amazon.

So there’s no reason you can’t do the same with your short stories.

Related reading: How To Easily Format A Poetry Ebook Before Self-Publishing

About The Author

Derek Haines

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2 thoughts on “how to self-publish short stories on amazon kdp”.

This is an excellent website that is easy to understand for the neophyte KDP writer. I have put together a short novella that I am loading into KDP. The story does not use a Table of Contents.

However, the absence of a TOC creates an error that I have not been able to resolve. I suppose I could install an unnecessary short one. But, I have seen a few short works like “Themes and Variations” by David Sedaris that do not use one, so there must be a way around this issue. Can someone offer a solution? Cheers and Thanks.

Interesting question, Andris.

KDP Help seems to encourage a table of contents, and I can’t find any information about how to publish without one.

But you could try uploading a doc file instead of docx or epub. It’s an old file type, so it might work. No guarantees, though.

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