Amazon Kindle: Publish and Make Money

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Maybe you have something to say about politics, or maybe you just want to write the Great American Novel. Both dreams are possible if you self-publish with Amazon Kindle and paperbacks.

It’s simple! The hardest part is actually doing the writing. But with the step-by-step instructions and the will, you could be a published author. Here’s how to do it.

E-Book Sales Are Big

It used to be that if you weren’t published in a hard-covered book, you weren’t a real writer. But those days are gone. In 2019, $983.3 million was generated from e-books. That number soared to $1.1 billion in 2020. E-books are legitimate and they’re read more every day.

Writing the Right Length Book

It all starts with an idea. Perhaps you’ve been tossing one around. It’s time to sit down and write. You don’t need to pen War and Peace. If this is your first time, start with a short book. A short book is around 25,000 words long. This is roughly 100 e-book pages.

A short book is probably all you need if you’re writing your book for business purposes. But you'll probably go longer if you’re writing a novel or a textbook.

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows you to self-publish e-books through Amazon. As the biggest e-book seller in the world, having a book on their premier reader device, the Kindle, puts you at the forefront of people’s mind. You’d have a worldwide platform.

The beauty of KDP is that it goes beyond an e-book. You have the option of publishing a print version. So, your book could be published in e-book and print; you decide.

Publishing with KDP

It all starts with a manuscript and an Amazon account. And it works with a PC or Mac. Once you sign in to KDP, it only takes minutes to upload your book, and you'll be worldwide in 72 hours.

And unlike traditional publishers, with Amazon you own and control your book’s rights.

You simply go to the Kindle Create on Amazon and choose what type of computer you have. Then follow the instructions.

The Kindle Create lets you upload your manuscript for both e-book and print publication. You can choose e-book only or both. Besides the manuscript, you can have an author’s biography and dedication pages. It’s your book.

Formatting for both the e-book and print book is done in the Kindle Create program.

What Does It Cost to Create KDP?

The beauty of e-book publishing with Amazon’s KDP is that it doesn’t cost anything. You download the Kindle Create program and upload your book. And in 72 hours, your book is being sold on Amazon. Amazon keeps a percentage of the sale price.

It does cost, however, to publish a print version. But you won’t need to mortgage the house. So there are no upfront costs, and you don’t have to carry an inventory.

KDP prints your book and subtracts your printing costs from the royalties. You’ll make a little less, but you’ll be published without paying anything outright.

The printing cost depends on ink type and the number of pages.

Percentage of Royalties Made

Amazon pays royalties based on sales. The royalties for e-book sales depend on which countries you are selling your book in. For instance, book sales in the United States will garner 70 percent royalties. That means you earn 70 percent of your book’s list price. Other countries go as low as 35 percent royalties. When you create your book, you will have a choice.

Paperback books have a different royalty structure. A KDP paperback will earn you a flat 60 percent of your list price. But remember, Amazon subtracts printing costs from that 60 percent. So, it’s not an actual earnings number. Still, the printing isn’t coming directly out of your pocket.

But you can see where the e-book could seem more lucrative.

What to Charge for a Book

If you’re considering publishing your manuscript, go on Amazon and check the comps on book pricing. It will give you an idea of what the market will bear.

But a good rule of thumb is $2.99 to $9.99 for an e-book. A paperback can go from $10.99 to $17.99. You'll want to keep your price down if you’re not a known writer. You can always raise your price when your book’s sales start to increase. You are not tied to any one price.

What Makes a KDP Book Sell

Writing and publishing a book is one thing; selling it is another story. Start with an intriguing title. If it’s a nonfiction book, be very clear as to what the book is about. Your subhead should also be succinct. Let the reader know what they’re getting into. Your book should also be well edited. Don’t edit yourself; have someone look it over.

You also want a great cover. The KDP program allows you to upload your book cover design. This is where you might want to make an upfront investment. If you aren’t artistic, you might want to hire a designer. That may cost you anywhere from $300 up. But this isn’t a required investment because you can design your own cover.

Write a great description. What is this book about? Give the reader some information, leaving them hanging, so they need to buy the book.

Amazon will allow you to place your book in a category. For instance, nonfiction, science fiction, etc. There will also be sub-categories. For example, nonfiction is the category, and real estate is the subcategory. You'll also need to enter keywords. These are words that a reader would use to search for a particular subject. Don’t use the same keywords you used in your description.

If you’re a new author, price your book so people will buy and review it. Reviews are vital for a book. The more reviews you have, the more you'll sell the book.

Share Your Knowledge and Experience

Gone are the days of sending a manuscript to publishers just to have rejection letters sent back. Amazon’s KDP makes it easy to self-publish. With no upfront costs, the only real investment is your hard work and time.

And the best part is you can make a little money by imparting your wisdom to the world.

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