All The Help You Need for Kick-Starting Self-Publishing with Amazon

Did you know you can publish your book with Amazon? You get a 70% (eBooks) or a 60% (printed books) royalty rate, unless you decide to sell your books through Amazon's Expanded Distribution Network, in which case you get a 40% share. Amazon's self-publishing feature has proved to be a hit for aspiring authors who always struggled to find the right platform. Now, you don't have to worry about finding a reliable source because Amazon's top-tier services have proven their credibility, and self-publishing with Amazon is a hassle-free, stress-free process. 

Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

In 2007, Amazon heard the readers and created a platform for authors and publishers to publish their books. Originally known as Digital Text Platform, you now know this platform by the name Kindle Direct Publishing. KDP allows you to create a separate product detail page for your book, which you can utilize to capture your reader’s attention. You can use it to publish book series, novels, cookbooks, comics, poetry, journals, textbooks, activity books, and so much more. And hey, unlike traditional publishers, you get all the rights to your book. 

Step-by-Step Guide To Self-Publishing On KDP

Is it your first time publishing a book on KDP? We’re here to help you out. Follow these simple steps to publish your book and start earning royalties.

Step 1: Create An Account

• Open your browser and search KDP’s official website. Here’s the link: https://kdp.amazon.com/
• If you already have an account, sign in; if you don't, sign up for a new one.
• You can use your Amazon account to join KDP, too.
• Accept the terms of use, and you’re ready to get started with your Amazon Author Dashboard.

Step 2: Select the Type of Book

• On your Amazon Author Dashboard, click the box that reads “+ Create.” 
• Select between a Kindle eBook, paperback or a hardcover option, depending on what kind of book you have in mind.
• Once you have done that, it will take you to where you will start to create your book's details.

Step 3: Choose Your Primary Language 

• It’s now time to choose the language in which your book was written, known as primary language.
• You can scroll down on the language bar to choose your language.

Step 4: Enter Title And Subtitle

• When coming up with your title and subtitle, you will need to do some research to ensure you are using keywords that your potential customers on Amazon will be searching, so that your book can be found. This is one of the most important things when creating a book. Here is a chrome extension Keyword Research Tool, to help guide you: Titans Pro - Amazon KDP Keyword Research Tool
• Once you have created a title and subtitle it cannot be changed once you book is live on Amazon.
• Your title also has to be on your book cover when designed. Either on the front or on the spine exactly how it is written here in your title. Your subtitle does not need to be on your cover. 

Step 5: Enter The Author's Name

• Now it’s time to enter the name you wish to see under the book.
• This can be your real name or your pen name.
• You can use the contributor’s box to add the names of others who helped contribute to your book.

Step 6: Add A Description

• Your description is great to tell your readers about your book.
• Things to add which can help to create a good looking description, use your title as your heading in bold, use at least 5 bullet points to give important points about your book (size, pages, type of book, who it's for/ages etc.) and end off with a call to action, such as “Get it now!”

Step 7: Get Publishing Rights

• Select if you own the copyright and necessary publishing rights to this book.
• If you do not, you can select if this is a public domain work.

Step 8: Choose Primary Audience

• Select if it has adult content or not.
• If your book is for younger readers, give an age range; otherwise, you can skip this.

Step 9: Choose Primary Marketplace

• Choose the location where you expect the majority of your book sales.

Step 10: Choose Categories

• Use the categories pop-up boxes to choose 3 categories that your book would fall under and make sense to be in. Example, if your book is a horror fiction for adults, you will want to find the categories which will relate to this type of book. 
• You also need to select if your book is low content book (e.g. journals, notebooks, and planners) and/ or if your book is large print (the font size is larger 16-point font or more).

Step 11: Choose Keywords

• Next up, you want to add keywords related to your book.
• These keywords will help you reach your audience, so research properly before filling in the boxes.

Step 12: Pre Order (Kindle eBook Option)

• Select if you are ready to release your eBook now, or if you want it to go on pre-order and select a release date.

Once you have filled in your book's details page, select save and continue to do to the content page or if you aren't ready to continue select save as draft and you can go to it on your KDP bookshelf later to continue where you left off.

Step 13: Print ISBN

• A Kindle eBook doesn’t need an ISBN or publisher, so you can leave it empty if you wish to publish only on KDP.
• For paperback and hardcover books, KPD will provide a free ISBN which is automatically assigned and added to your books back cover page. You will see it when you preview your book. 
• If you wish to add your own ISBN so that you can also sell it elsewhere you can select that option.

Step 14: Publication Date

• Enter the date on which your book was first published. Leave this blank if you are publishing your book for the first time.

Step 15: Print Options (Paperback & Hardcover Option)

• You will select your ink & paper type, trim size (this will determine the size of your book), bleed settings, and the cover finish (matte or glossy).

Step 16: Upload Manuscript

• If your book is ready and sized according to the options you've selected, upload your book interior as a PDF (recommended).
• Make sure your book is well-formatted and double check for any errors.

Step 17: Add Book Cover 

• You can use the Cover Creator they provide to make your own book cover.
• Or have a designer design your book cover, make sure it is the correct trim size and upload it as a PDF. There is a KPD Cover Calculator to help size your book correctly.

Step 18: AI-Generated Content

• Amazon is collecting information about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in creating content.
• Select if you used AI tools in creating texts, images, and/or translations in your book or not.

Step 13: Book Preview

• Now that everything is added, click “Launch Preview” to go through and verify everything before approving your book.
• You may get an error warning about your books texts/icons to be too close or over the trim lines which will need to be fixed before you can approve your book. They usually give examples of what pages need to be fixed on the left side when looking at your book preview.
• Once your book looks perfect, all printing errors are fixed (re-uploaded correctly) and you are happy with it, select approve.

Once you have completed everything on the content page, select save and continue to go to the rights and pricing page or if you aren't ready to continue select save as draft and you can go to it on your KDP bookshelf later to continue where you left off.

Step 14: Choose Territories

• Selecting all territories means you hold the rights worldwide, to be sold in all marketplaces.
• Selecting individual territories, if you hold the rights only in specific regions then your book will only be available in those territories.

Step 15: Pricing, Royalty, and Distribution

• You can add in your own book price, although Amazon KDP will give you a minimum and maximum price you can enter. The minimum needs to cover their printing costs. Once you have selected a price for your primary marketplace, it will adjust the prices automatically for all other marketplaces based on the price you entered in. You will also see the printing costs and royalties calculated out. 
• Selecting a price you should look at other similar books to yours and see where a good average is, it also depends if you plan to run ads to promote your book on Amazon or not. The higher you could potentially price your book the bigger the margin you may have to spend on ads. You could also go cheaper then others and try get more sales that way, but it could be a race to the bottom and you won't have much, if any, profits to run on ads. You need to see what strategy works best for you.
• You can also select Expanded distribution on certain types of books, this is when Amazon KDP will also make your book available to other outlets to be bought in addition to the Amazon marketplaces already selected. For expanded distribution sales, you will earn a 40% royalty rate.

Step 16: Request a Book Proof

• When you have added in all your prices, you have the option to order a proof copy of your book, if you wish to see how it looks printed before publishing it. This is up to you. 

Step 17: Ready to Publish

• Once you are ready publish your paperback book, it will be submitted for review. This could take up to 72 hours (sometimes more depending on the type of book) before your book goes live on Amazon. If there are rejects about your book, you will receive an email regarding the changes needed, which you will need to fix and them re-upload and re-submit your book to be reviewed again.
• It is important to read and follow their content guidelines so that you don't violate their terms and conditions. 
• Once you book is live, it is a very exciting feeling! Now you can start running ads on Amazon, promote it elsewhere or see what happens organically.

Final Thoughts

Amazon is one of the most widely used and the most trusted sites across the globe. There's no second thought about how Amazon has an audience like no other e-commerce platform. 

So, is it a really good idea for you to go for self-publishing with Amazon? Definitely, yes! More than 310 million customers are waiting for your book on Amazon; just go for it!