There are many ways to find author success, but if you want creative control and high royalty rates, Amazon book publishing is the way to go.
Amazon book publishing allows you to share your book with the world, reach your target readers, and bring in a large percentage of the royalties. Publishing with Amazon is not a new trend, but it can be a highly successful endeavor.
In fact, Amazon boasts over 32 million published titles. With self-publishing on Amazon bringing in countless success stories, it’s time to provide you with an in-depth guide to publishing with Amazon.
Amazon book publishing: what you’ll learn
- What is Amazon book publishing?
- How do I publish a book on Amazon?
- 1. Prepare your files
- 2. Publish in your desired formats
- 3. Promote your book
- Alternative methods for book promotion
- Is it free to publish a book on Amazon?
- How much money can you make from a book on Amazon?
What is Amazon book publishing?
Amazon book publishing is simply a way to upload your book to Amazon and publish your book for free. Because Amazon has so many tips and tricks for getting noticed by readers, Amazon book publishing increases your chance of success more than simply sharing your book on your author website.
(Of course, if you have millions of website impressions, go for it! But you might still want to upload to Amazon as well.)
Publishing your book via the Amazon platform is a straightforward process that many of our more than 7000 students have walked through. There are so many ways to make money publishing books on Amazon, that it’s a great option for many aspiring authors. So let’s get into it. How exactly does Amazon book publishing work?
How do I publish a book on Amazon?
There are three key steps to Amazon book publishing: preparing your manuscript and cover files, publishing in print and digital formats, and promoting your book to your readers.
Creating your account via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is your first step in this process. You can create your KDP account here. Once you create your account, your three-step, Amazon book publishing process begins!
1. Prepare your files
Preparing your manuscript for publication is foundational to the success of your publishing process. Your preparation should start before you log into your account and upload whatever version of your work-in-progress is easily accessible. What exactly do I mean? Preparation starts early!
Edit your manuscript
Because Amazon book publishing is such a straightforward process, it’s easy to want to leap ahead, upload your book, and promote it. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind exactly what you are promoting: your book, so it has to be right.
Your manuscript is a portal your readers enter to escape reality, find entertainment, or learn about a topic they find interesting. If your book isn’t well written, you are essentially promoting a broken portal that won’t take them anywhere.
Preparing your manuscript starts with writing the best book you know how to, then hiring a professional editor to make the appropriate changes. You may want to consider working with a book coach to ensure your vision for your book manifests on the page.
Engage beta readers
Before taking your book to Amazon, you may want to work with beta readers. Beta readers are simply people who agree to read early versions of your book and offer feedback.
This feedback may include:
- Plot points that caused confusion
- A character that felt unnecessary
- A plot hole you missed (it happens!)
- Specific aspects they loved and want more of
Beta readers help you ensure you write the best story you can for your readers. This type of feedback can launch your book to new heights of success.
Format your manuscript
Once your book is reworked until you are happy with every word and professionally edited, it’s time to move to Amazon book publishing.
Make sure you format your document exactly as you want it to appear in book form. Your front matter (dedication, acknowledgments, table of contents) should appear in the order you want them to. Your back matter (index, about the author) should be complete as well.
It is important to note that when formatting for paperback and hardcover, you will upload two files: a manuscript file and a cover file. Your manuscript file includes front matter, body matter, and back matter. Your cover file will be the outside of your book: the front, back, and spine.
Use these links for additional help formatting your book in the following formats:
After your manuscript files are complete, it’s time to create your cover. You can hire a graphic designer, or use Amazon’s free Cover Creator tool. For inspiration, look at book covers in your genre on Amazon, Pinterest, or Google images.
Tips for choosing your cover
Briefly mentioned above, your cover matters. We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” However, most of us do. Your cover is one of many methods to effectively get your book noticed on Amazon.
Before uploading your book cover, consider these points that should influence your final cover choice:
- Does your cover indicate the genre of your book?
- Does your cover follow standard design rules and formatting?
- Is your title clear?
- Will your target audience gravitate to this cover?
- Did you pay attention to all the details?
You can always share several covers with your social media followers and take a poll for which one your readers like best. Including others in your design process can provide the insight you need to create the best cover possible.
While you can update your cover later on, it’s important to get it right as soon as possible to draw in readers and reach your sales goals. For further help, read how to upload your book to Amazon KDP.
2. Publish in your desired formats
Whew, step one has a lot of preparation to do before you can begin working with Amazon. But trust me, preparation is one of the largest contributing factors to success. Now that you have prepared your files to the best of your ability, it’s time to publish your book in your desired formats.
Print or digital?
Choosing the format for your books is a second crucial aspect of this three-step process. Your choice comes down to knowing your readers, articulating your goals, and leveraging the format that will best help you reach both your audience and these goals.
Some readers only read eBooks, while others prefer to hold a physical book in their hand. You can also choose more than one format, just be sure you know the practical reason behind the choice you make.
Remember that your price point should change depending on the format your readers purchase. For instance, while many authors choose to launch their book at zero or low cost, once you establish yourself, you will likely change your price points.
An eBook will usually sell for less than a paperback, and a paperback will sell for less than a hardcover. Keep this in mind when setting your price points and determining which format to publish.
Enter book details
While every step matters in your Amazon book publishing journey, there are specific aspects of this step that cannot be changed or modified. Pay close attention to every detail you input when completing this step.
Amazon states that, “These details directly correlate with what shows up on the Amazon detail page for your book. You have full control over what is displayed. However, keep in mind that some of these fields can’t be modified once your book is published.”
For an example of which details will show up live for your readers, view J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. While there are details that can be changed, view the details that can’t be modified here. After you enter your book details (title, author, etc.), it’s time to preview your manuscript and book cover.
Review your work
Again, it could be easy to breeze through this preview stage. Instead, take your time, solicit the help of a friend or family member, and ensure that every detail is correct. You don’t want to complete your Amazon book publishing journey only to realize you spelled your name wrong on the cover!
Choose your publishing rights and list price
Now it’s time to choose your rights and the price point of your book. For help choosing your list price, you may want to browse the most popular book genres on Amazon and see the price point of these books. Here is a list of more categories on Amazon for you as well.
Additionally, a simple Internet search will provide you with valuable information about the psychology behind specific price points.
For example, there is a reason many items sell for a dollar amount and $0.99 or $0.98. While it’s just a cent or two difference, purchasing a book for $12.99 feels a lot different than purchasing the same book for $13.00.
Once you choose your publishing rights and set your list price, Amazon will make your eBook available in Kindle Stores.
Good news: With Amazon book publishing, you don’t need to use your basement as a place to house your books. Amazon won’t ship boxes of books to your home for you to sell yourself!
If you choose to publish a paperback and/or hardcover format, Amazon book publishing offers print-on-demand, meaning they will print and ship your books as customers purchase them.
3. Promote your book
Yes, you did it! Your book is live on Amazon and you successfully completed the Amazon book publishing journey…well, not quite. Now it’s time to share your hard work with your readers. They won’t know your book is available unless you tell them, so how are you going to do so?
This is where book promotion comes in. There are many ways to promote your book, both leading up to launch and post-launch.
Here are a few steps Amazon recommends to make use of KDP’s (free!) marketing tools to help readers discover your new book:
- Offer your eBook on Kindle Unlimited by enrolling in KDP Select.
- Create an author page to share information with your readers.
- Create customized ads with Amazon Advertising.
- Use custom images, text, and tables using A+ Content to make your book details page stand out.
- If you’re in the US or UK, be sure to make your paperback available to bookstores, libraries, and other retailers with expanded distribution.
With this cursory look at promotion in mind, let’s look deeper into the specifics of how to make each one happen.
Enroll your book in KDP Select
When you choose the Amazon book publishing path, you gain access to various marketing tools to help your readers discover your book.
KDP Select is a free, ninety-day program only for Kindle eBooks. However, this program helps you reach more readers using the Amazon and Kindle promotions. No matter where you live, if you have an eBook with Amazon, you are eligible.
A few notes: enrolling your Kindle eBook in KDP Select will automatically include it in Kindle Unlimited (KU). At this time, your eBook also becomes eligible for different promotions and deals. For more details, view these free book promotions and Kindle countdown deals (KCD).
Create an author page
Of course, the easier you make it for readers to find you and your book, the higher your sales. Author Central is where you can build your own author page. Use this page to share new details about you and your new book with the millions of readers on Amazon.
There are numerous features within Author Central you can use to your advantage:
- House your books on your author page
- Share your author bio in various languages to reach the most readers
- Check your Amazon rankings
- View your reader reviews
Amazon Central has many features, so be sure to check it out and all it offers. You should also check out Amazon Advantage, which some of our authors are seeing recent success with but which has a bit of a learning curve.
Customize ads
Amazon book publishing also allows you to choose between Sponsored Products ads or Sponsored Brands.
Sponsored Product ads will appear in two places: shopping results and product detail pages. Sponsored Brands allows you to show specific titles you’ve published and even run video ads. Both types of ads direct readers to your detail page, which you created in step two.
Learning all you can about marketing will help you reach the right readers. Amazon book publishing can be extremely effective, particularly when you use ads to your advantage. A word of caution: Using ads can be a dark hole that’s easy to go down if you don’t know what you’re doing so take the time to learn how to use them correctly.
Use A+ Content
A+ Content is another Amazon book publishing feature that recognizes the power of images and text. This feature allows you to personalize your Amazon detail page for your readers. The more information your readers have that’s fine-tuned to them, the more they will consider clicking “buy now” and purchasing your book.
Expanded Distribution
Making your book available is, undoubtedly, a key to bringing in sales. Amazon book publishing’s Expanded Distribution can help you reach even more readers by growing your distribution to bookstores, online retailers, libraries, and even academic institutions.
Note that at this time, Expanded Distribution does not apply to hardcover books. However, as long as you are a KDP author, no matter what country you reside in, you are eligible.
If you choose to make use of Amazon’s Expanded Distribution with your paperback book, your royalty rates will be 40% of your book’s list price (minus printing costs, taxes, and withholding). This is less than the 60% offered if you distribute through Amazon only, but it’s still higher than traditional and some hybrid publishing models.
Do look at the specific requirements for enrolling your book in Expanded Distribution. Because these requirements are set by the distributors, rather than Kindle Direct Publishing itself, while you may be eligible you need to ensure you fit the requirements. You can view requirements here.
Alternative methods for book promotion
The above are methods listed for Amazon book publishing, but this list is not an exhaustive list of marketing efforts. There are just a few more methods to touch on as you prepare to put your book into the world via Amazon.
Book launch team
Creating a book launch team can not only be a fun process but a tremendous help in your marketing efforts. There are many ways to make use of a launch team, but here is a brief overview.
Notify your network that you are creating a team of people to help you promote your book. You can create an application process to draw in the truly committed, or you can make an open call for anyone to join.
A simple way to connect with your launch team is via a private Facebook group or an email campaign (or both). The role of your team members is to read your book, promote your book to build buzz, and review your book.
Launch teams help you bring in reviews, which boost your Amazon’s rankings, and establish social proof that your book is worth reading.
Book tour
If a book tour feels out of reach, just consider author Christopher Paolini who started writing the beloved series Eragon in his teens, and with his parent’s support, he self-published the first edition. His dedication and tenacity to get his book out to the world on his own eventually caught the attention of Alfred A. Knopf Books and the rest is history.
Your book tour doesn’t need to be extensive, but every small choice can aid in your marketing efforts. Don’t forget the power of connecting with readers in person, signing their books, and engaging with your audience in this way.
Is it free to publish a book on Amazon?
Yes, you can publish a book for free on Amazon, but to do it well will take a substantial time investment. The money saved from publishing through Amazon can give you extra money to invest in your marketing efforts.
Marketing is the backbone of sales. Ideally, your marketing will generate buzz, which in turn creates the best kind of marketing out there—word-of-mouth marketing. The more you can get readers talking about your book, the better!
How much money can you make from a book on Amazon?
The amount of money you make on your books depends on your list price. Whatever the percentage of your royalties, that percentage is taken from your list price. Consider this factor when deciding what price point to settle on for your book. Also, remember that your list price can change.
You may start out selling your book for $0.99 and because of the low price point, draw in many sales. Later, you may up your price point (which won’t change your royalty rate but will increase the numerical value of each sale). Forty percent of $0.99 looks a lot different than forty percent of $12.99.
List price drastically impacts the numbers on your Amazon book publishing royalty checks. You may want to do some A/B testing to ensure you sell your book at the best price point. A subtle increase or decrease in your list price can bring a dramatic increase or decrease in your sales.
Some authors make six figures selling books on Amazon, while others struggle to make much income at all. It all comes down to your storytelling and engaging with your readers. Who knows, you could be the next person to make it big with Amazon book publishing!
Amazon book publishing: your next step
Now that you have an in-depth guide to Amazon book publishing, it’s time to take your next step in your author journey. If you are unsure what to do with all the information you just learned, schedule a free Book Publishing Consultation with one of our team members!
This call will provide you with insightful, personalized strategies for your book. With over 7000 students publishing books with us, you could be the next author on Amazon’s bestseller list. Book a call with us today and start your Amazon book publishing journey!
Amazon Book Publishing FAQ
How much does it cost to publish a book through Amazon?
Publishing a book through Amazon is free! But costs may crop up if you opt for professional editing, cover design, or formatting. These services can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the quality and scope of the work.
How do I publish my book on Amazon and get paid?
To publish your book on Amazon, sign up for a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account, upload your manuscript, and set your pricing. Amazon will pay you royalties based on your book’s sales, typically every month.
Can I sell my book on Amazon without a publisher?
Yes, you can sell your book on Amazon without a traditional publisher by using KDP. This platform allows you to self-publish and retain control over your work, while also receiving a larger share of the royalties.
How many pages does a book have to be to publish on Amazon?
There is no minimum page requirement for publishing on Amazon, but the platform recommends at least 24 pages for print books. eBooks can be any length, though most readers expect a substantial amount of content.
How much do authors make per book sold on Amazon?
Authors can earn between 35% to 70% royalties per book sold on Amazon, depending on factors like pricing and the book’s format (eBook or print). The specific royalty rate is set during the publishing process on KDP.
