Publishing a book can be a very exhausting and expensive process, but it doesn’t have to be so.
You can easily publish your book and start making money immediately with the help of Amazon KDP.
What's in this guide?
What is Amazon KDP?
Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a self-publishing platform that allows authors to publish and sell their books in both digital and paperback formats. Publishing on Amazon is free, but authors will have to give up a portion of what they earn from selling their book on Amazon, which can range from 30% to about 75%.
Benefits of Amazon KDP
- Publish your books for free: One of the major benefits of publishing your book on Amazon is that you don’t have to pay a dime to get your book published. This is a relief as publishing fees can be quite expensive.
You can get your book out into the world in both digital and paperback format with no cost at all to you, and at the end of the day, you earn up to 70% royalties on each book sale. - Publish your book quickly: It can take weeks or months to get your book published by publishing companies, but that is not the case on Amazon KDP. You can publish your book on the platform and start earning in a matter of hours or days.
- Control over the pricing and distribution of your books: When you publish your book on Amazon KDP, you have complete freedom to decide how much you want to sell your book.
You also have freedom over the area your book will be published. You can decide to restrict certain places in the world from buying your book. - Access to a Large Audience: Amazon receives millions of visitors every day from all over the world. This means that your book will have the potential to be viewed by a large audience of readers.
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What Kinds of books are published on Amazon KDP
The simple answer is every kind. There is no type of book you can not publish on Amazon KDP. You don’t even have to be an author; people are selling low-content books like journals and making money on Amazon KDP.
Categories of books published on Amazon KDP include:
1. Low-content books
Low-content books are books that have very little or no content at all on the interior pages of the book.
They are repetitive and designed to be filled in by the buyer. Examples include: lined notebooks, journals, diaries, etc.
2. Medium-content books
Medium-content books have minimal content on the interior pages, but still more than low-content books.
They are also designed to be filled in by the buyer, but are not repetitive like low-content books are; the content on each page is unique. Examples include colouring books, activity books, puzzle books, workbooks, etc.
3. High-content books
High-content books include both fiction and non-fiction. They are books that all interior pages are filled with text for the reader to read.
You can choose to publish any category of books you want depending on your skills. Authors typically make high-content books, while non-authors publish mostly low and medium-content books.
It is important to note that the more difficult it is to make the book, the more money you have the potential to make. Low-content books do not need any skill or expertise and can be completed in very little time, but the competition is high, so the income you can generate from that kind of book is limited.
High-content books take time and effort, but more people will be willing to buy them for a high price, and there is less competition.
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How to set up an Amazon KDP account
1. Sign up for an Amazon Account
You will be required to create an Amazon account before you can use Amazon KDP. You can do this by visiting the Amazon website and clicking on the “Sign In” button on the top right corner of the page. Follow the prompts to create a new account, or sign in with an existing one.
2. Sign up for KDP with your Amazon Account
Once you have an Amazon account, you can create an Amazon KDP account by visiting the KDP website and clicking on the “Sign in with Amazon account” button. Then follow the prompts to create a new account.
3. Set up your author profile
After creating your Amazon KDP account, the next step is to set up your author profile. This will include your author name, bio and profile picture.
You will also need to provide your bank details and tax information for details. This can be quite tricky, and it differs for each country. You may not be able to receive money directly into your bank account if you are from certain countries, so you will have to open a Payoneer account to receive payment.
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Writing and publishing your book on Amazon KDP
1. Selecting a niche and target audience
Before opening an account, you may already have a clear view of what you want to write. Whether you do or not, it is important to select a niche and target audience. Make research and figure out what your target audience will want.
This will help you create a book that is both interesting and relevant to your readers.
2. Wring and editing your book
After deciding on what you want to write, the next step is to start writing your book. Take time to write your book well and aim to become the bestseller in your book category. This will help you create the highest quality content that engages your readers.
Once you have finished writing, make sure to edit and proofread your book to ensure that it is error-free. You can take it a step further by employing an editor. Keep in mind that the higher quality your book is, the higher it will rank on Amazon and more people will buy it.
3. Formatting your book for Amazon KDP
Amazon KDP requires specific formatting guidelines for both digital and paperback books, so make sure you know and follow them.
These guidelines include things like page size, margins, and font size, to ensure that your book looks professional and easy to read.
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4. Designing your book cover
You don’t judge a book by its cover, but in Amazon KDP you should. It’s the cover of your book that will attract buyers to your book and determine whether they will buy it or not.
Your content may be great, but buyers may not know that. If your book cover is not attractive enough, buyers will most likely scroll past it.
You can design your cover using Amazon’s free cover creator tool, or hire a professional designer to create a custom cover for you.
5. Uploading your book to Amazon KDP
Once your book has been written, edited, formatted, and a cover has been made, your book is now ready to be published.
Log into your Amazon KDP account and click on ‘Create’ on the front page. You will be redirected to a page where there will be a list of options for the kind of book you want to create. Click one and move to the next step. On the next page, you will create a title and a subtitle for your book, enter your book details and upload the manuscript and cover files. Next, you will need to set the price of your book and choose the distribution options.
You can also choose to enrol your book in Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service that allows readers to read your book for free.
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Promoting Your Book
To maximize sales and earn money from Amazon KDP, you may need to promote your book. This can include creating a book launch plan, using social media to promote your book, and reaching out to book bloggers and reviewers for promotion.
It is also important to regularly monitor your sales and earnings on Amazon KDP. This will help you understand how your book is performing and identify areas for improvement.
Amazon KDP offers several promotional tools to help authors boost book sales, including Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Book Promotions. By participating in these promotions, you can increase the visibility of your book and generate more sales.
Conclusion
Amazon KDP offers an excellent opportunity to make money for both writers and non-writers.
By following the tips outlined in this article, you can increase your chances of success. Remember to focus on producing high-quality content, optimizing your book listing, leveraging promotional tools, and engaging with readers to build a loyal fan base.
With dedication, persistence, and a willingness to learn and adapt, anyone can make profits from Amazon KDP.
