As the online marketplace that started by selling solely books, Amazon wants to make it easy for writers to self-publish books with them as well.
Kindle Direct Publishing is the Amazon pogrom that lets people do just that, so you can earn money from works that you’ve created.
How do you sell books on Amazon KDP?
To sell a self-published eBook, hardcover, or paperback on KDP, you need an account and product detail page for the listing. The types of content you can sell on KDP include book series, novels, comics, journals, children’s books, and cookbooks, in both digital and print format.
Amazon’s KDP is one of the most revolutionary services in the literary industry in recent times, and it gives you direct control over your book and sales.
If you’re an author and are looking for the perfect outlet for your content, Kindle Direct Publishing could be the way to go.
What Is Kindle Direct Publishing?
Amazon created Kindle Direct Publishing in 2007 as a platform for authors to self-publish and sell their content.
Today, KDP has published more than two million books and has given authors a way to get their works out into the world without having to go the traditional route of finding a publisher and waiting for success that way.
As an author, you’ll be given all of the tools you need to publish your content as well as market, sell, distribute, and make changes to it. Within the range of features offered by KDP, you’ll be able to do things like promoting a book, starting a book series, requesting print copies, and expanding distribution.
The biggest benefit of publishing a book with KDP versus other publishing houses is that you retain the rights to the work.
You’ll also be able to control all aspects of it including editing and sales, so the entire process will be managed by you as the author.
Who Can Use KDP?
Kindle Direct Publishing is open to anyone who has created content and wants it published and sold.
Authors of books, novels, comics, journals, and more will be able to create both digital and print copies of their content as soon as they make an account with KDP.
The only exception to selling content on KDP is if you don’t have rights to your book, which means you’re legally not allowed to publish it.
There are stipulations about using existing ISBNs that may have been used with previous publishers if your book has been released before, but as long as you follow their rules, it’s still a possibility to publish it with KDP.
The Benefits of Kindle Direct Publishing
As an author, there are lots of ways to try and get your content out there, but none as beneficial as KDP.
These are just some of the benefits that the service comes with if you choose to publish and sell your books through them.
It’s free
You don’t have to pay a thing to get your works published through Kindle Direct Publishing. The only costs come in when you start selling, where Amazon takes a cut of your royalties and might also charge you a fee based on the size of the file that your Kindle book is.
It’s fast
All it takes is between 24 and 48 hours to get your book listed online with KDP which is a lot faster turnaround compared to other publishers. The publishing process is shorter than 5 minutes as well, so there’s a minimal wait time to get started.
It’s safe
You get full control over every aspect of the process, including publishing and selling. Best of all, you retain all rights to your book so it’s not owned by a third-party publisher when you list with KDP.
It’s versatile
Whether you want to print a novel on-demand or create a Kindle file to read your book electronically, it can be done with KDP. You’re not locked into a single publishing format and you can even make adjustments to the book whenever needed for greater flexibility.
It’s lucrative
You have the ability to earn up to 70% of every sale in royalties when you go with KDP.
Comparing this to what other publishers charge, it’s a great way to earn money with your talents without having to give it all away.
How to Create an eBook on KDP
Kindle Direct Publishing has made it as easy as possible for an author to create a book with them, and once you’ve made an account you just follow a few steps.
Firstly, you need to enter all of the book’s details which will ultimately be used on your book’s Amazon detail page, including ISBN, author name, title, page count, and more.
From there, you upload the manuscript for your book to Amazon’s KDP. You’ll be able to preview how the book will look to those who purchase it and make any changes needed. If you want to offer different print options, like hardback and paperback, this should be done before uploading the manuscript.
Finally, the Rights and Pricing section will need to be completed, which includes all of the important information about what the book will cost and what royalty rate you will receive from Amazon.
You’ll also have to agree to KDP’s Terms and Conditions, so take the time to read through these before accepting. Once done, your book will be listed on Amazon’s catalog in less than 48 hours.
The Process of Selling With Amazon KDP
After your book has been listed for sale and customers have started purchasing it, you’ll then be able to receive royalties.
A royalty is like a commission percentage that you receive each time a sale is made, and depending on the price of the book this can vary between 35% and 70%.
If you want to be eligible to earn 70% royalties on e-books, your book must meet certain price requirements, have a list price that’s 20% less than the physical book, and be for sale in areas where you hold author rights.
Those with the 35% royalty option have fewer obligations but must still meet certain pricing requirements to be eligible for this level of commission.
KDP makes payments to its authors each month, with payment options including checks, wire payments, and direct deposits. For new authors, you must wait around 60 days from the end of the month from which the sale was made for your first payment.
There are minimum thresholds for each payment option, so your book must have earned enough royalties to quality each month.
For example, a wire payment on Amazon.com needs to be at least $100USD for it to qualify, otherwise, the amount will be carried over into the following month. Once your book starts to gain popularity though, reaching this amount isn’t hard.
Your Books, Your Way
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing has been a gamechanger for the world of literary works and it’s a modern way to get authors’ work out there.
If you want to take full control of the writing, publishing, marketing, distributing, and selling of your written content, creating an account with KDP is a smart move.
Related Questions
Selling books on Amazon is slightly different when you’re writing them yourself, but it’s a rewarding process that can propel your career as an author.
If you still have questions about the KDP service and how it works, read on for the answers to some FAQs that can help you out.
How Much Money Can You Make Selling a Book on Kindle?
Selling a self-published book on Amazon can earn you royalties, and these are calculated at a percentage rate dependent on the cost of the book.
Cheaper books priced between $0.99 and $2.98 and more expensive ones priced above $9.999 will receive 35% royalties, and those priced in the middle will get a 70% royalty on every sale.
How Often Does Amazon Pay Authors?
Amazon will start paying authors with a Kindle Direct Publishing account after 60 days from the date of your first book sale.
From then, you can expect a regular monthly payment of royalties into your bank account from Amazon to cover the book sales for the 30 days prior.
How Short Can a Kindle Book Be?
There is no minimum or maximum page length that a book must be for it to be sold on Kindle, but there are certain page lengths that might make your book more appealing to purchase.
To ensure your book has a better chance of sellers, stick to the 300-page mark which is the average amount of
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