Kindle Direct Publishing: How to Self-Publish in 2024

Becoming an author isn’t easy. Not only do you have to write a book worth reading, but you also have to get it published. But in recent years, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has emerged as one of the most accessible solutions for authors to self-publish books.

We take a look at what Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is and how it works, offer a step-by-step guide to publishing your first book, and discuss what type of royalties you can expect to make per sale.

Can you take the leap and become a paid author? And is it worth your time?

We are here to answer your questions.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What is Kindle Direct Publishing?
3. How Does Kindle Direct Publishing Work?
4. How to Publish a Book on Kindle Direct Publishing
5. How to Make Money on Kindle Direct Publishing
6. Kindle Direct Publishing Pros & Cons
7. How Much Does Kindle Direct Publishing Cost?
8. What Do You Get Paid from Kindle Direct Publishing?
9. Final Thoughts for KDP Authors
10. The Bottom Line
11. FAQs
12. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What is Kindle Direct Publishing?
3. How Does Kindle Direct Publishing Work?
Show Full Guide
4. How to Publish a Book on Kindle Direct Publishing
5. How to Make Money on Kindle Direct Publishing
6. Kindle Direct Publishing Pros & Cons
7. How Much Does Kindle Direct Publishing Cost?
8. What Do You Get Paid from Kindle Direct Publishing?
9. Final Thoughts for KDP Authors
10. The Bottom Line
11. FAQs
12. References

What is Kindle Direct Publishing?

How Does Kindle Direct Publishing Work?

An author can sign up for Kindle Direct Publishing by creating a KDP account, formatting their manuscript, designing a book cover, and uploading it to the Kindle Direct Publishing platform.

Once the basic design and format of the book are complete, the author can set its price and royalties. The amount the author makes per sale depends on a range of factors, including the type of book (digital, paperback, hardcover), the list price, and the type of royalty deal selected.

There are a range of royalty deals to choose from, from 35% to 70% on royalties for eBooks, up to 60% royalties on paperback and hardcover books sold via KDP, and — for U.S.-based authors — 50% of what a reader spends on Kindle Vella tokens.

Is your final draft sitting on your desktop, waiting to be read? Then follow our Kindle Direct Publishing step-by-step guide for publishing a book.

How to Publish a Book on Kindle Direct Publishing

1. Create a KDP Account

The first step to begin publishing a book with Kindle Direct Publishing is to create a KDP account. You can do so by visiting the KDP Amazon website and clicking on the Join KDP button. You’ll then need to enter your name, email address, and password to create your KDP login.

2. Format Your Manuscript

Once you’ve created an account and signed in, you can start formatting your manuscript in a word processor. Amazon recommends using Microsoft Word, but you can also use Amazon Create.

Formatting your manuscript includes setting paragraph indentations and line spacing, formatting chapter titles, creating a table of contents, adding front content (title, dedication pages, copyright) and back content (an “about the author” page or bibliography), inserting and formatting images, adding page breaks, and adding footnotes.

You can find more details about how to format your manuscript via the Amazon KDP website, which offers extensive Kindle Direct Publishing guidelines with a manuscript formatting guide.

3. Design Your Book Cover

Now you have your manuscript ready, it’s time to create your book cover. With Kindle Direct Publishing, you can either upload your own cover image or use Amazon’s free Cover Creator tool.

Cover Creator is a good option because it offers templates that you can use and accepts images in multiple formats, including JPG, PNG, and TIF/TIFF. It also allows you to automatically add your book’s ISBN to the barcode area on the back cover.

While the old expression says you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, an author shouldn’t neglect the cover either.

Creating a good cover for your book will be valuable and attract the attention of potential readers.

4. Upload Your Book

Now you have the manuscript and cover design down you can upload your book. After formatting and proofreading your book, you can save it in DOC/DOCX format, go to your Amazon KDP Bookshelf, and upload the file.

Amazon will then review the manuscript, which can take 3-10 business days.

5. Set Your Price and Royalties

With all the basic design elements uploaded and ready to publish, it’s time to set your list price, publishing rights, and royalty plan in the “Royalty and Pricing” section. You can change these at any time.

It’s worth noting that the royalty and payment options available will depend on the format you’re selling your books in. For example, Kindle Direct Publishing offers two main royalty plans for ebooks; 35% and 70%.

While 70% sounds more lucrative, there are extra costs, such as a “delivery fee,” and you must own the copyright on a substantial part of the book. Other factors, like the country you reside in, allowing lending, and participating in promotions, also play a role.

For paperback and hardcover books you can choose your primary marketplace and set a list price for that marketplace. Once you enter a list price, you will be provided with an estimated royalty amount.

Finally, Amazon will offer quick feedback on any quality issues before you publish.

How to Make Money on Kindle Direct Publishing

Of course, getting your book ready is just the tip of the iceberg; you also need to promote it. Promoting your book via social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook is essential for maximizing your reach.

Engaging with other accounts in a relevant industry can go a long way toward getting your name out. This could be as simple as commenting on posts by other authors and creating posts catered to the interests and problems facing your target audience.

If you want to go a step further, you can also use social media posts to run price promotions. For instance, you can share that you’re participating in a promotional event like Stuff Your Kindle Day and offer books for free or at a discounted price for 24 hours.

Finally, you might also want to ask your friends and family to share your posts with their wider networks.

Getting your content shared and reviewed by friends and family can provide you with valuable early momentum and network effects that you can use to start building your readership.

Kindle Direct Publishing Pros & Cons

Kindle Direct Publishing is a great solution for authors who want an entry-point into self-publishing, but it’s not perfect. If you want to attract attention, your book needs to be well-written and actively promoted to your target audience.

Just because it’s available to Kindle users doesn’t mean you’re going to become a bestseller overnight. Before and after release, you’ll need to spend time building and cultivating a community of readers, and building your brand as an author.

Also, bear in mind that you’re going to lose some financial control over your publishing. Amazon will be taking a significant cut from your earnings for you to distribute the book via its platforms, so you need to decide whether or not that’s worth it to you.

Likewise, Kindle Direct Publishing costs like printing and delivery will eat into your earnings. While these aren’t necessarily dealbreakers, they are something to bear in mind when setting your price.

How Much Does Kindle Direct Publishing Cost?

Publishing a book with Kindle Direct Publishing is free, and there is no upfront cost to use the platform. However, certain fees, including delivery and printing fees, are deducted from royalties.

The basic formula for Kindle Direct Publishing’s hardcover and paperback printing cost is fixed cost + (page count * per page cost) = printing cost.

You can view a more comprehensive breakdown of paperback and hardcover printing costs directly on the Amazon website. The prices vary based on the number of pages.

Final Thoughts for KDP Authors

Knowing how to get the most out of your writing will depend on your objective, the genre you’re writing in, and who your target audience is.

That said, the first tip is to write a book that’s actually worth reading. Spend as much time as possible developing and reviewing your manuscript to make sure that it’s spotless.

You might want to consider paying a third-party editor to review your work and using tools like Grammarly or QuillBot to find ways to improve it.

It’s also worth investing in creating a good book cover, which can make your book stand out among other listings. If you’re not comfortable designing your own book cover, consider working with a professional graphic designer or illustrator.

Finally, try to stay consistent with promoting your work. Staying active on social media and being active in relevant communities is critical to picking up readers over time.

The Bottom Line

Kindle Direct Publishing is a great way to get started with publishing your own books. The official help center has plenty of guides on how to self-publish on Amazon, so if you’re unsure about any part of the process, there’s lots of support available.

Although there are some trade-offs, such as losing control over pricing and royalties, KDP is easily one of the most accessible self-publishing solutions for first-time authors.

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