How to Make Money on Amazon KDP Without Writing Anything

There's nothing magic about making money online publishing books, though it can feel that way when the royalties start hitting your bank account each month. But you don't have to be Houdini to make that happen.

A magician might never reveal his secrets, but this blog post will show you exactly how to conjure up a fully publishable manuscript and finished published book without writing it yourself. Hint: There are two options for the up-and-coming publisher: Option A) get help from a human or B) get friendly with the technology of the future.

Then there's Option C, the fast track. Discover the quickest way to start making money on Amazon KDP without writing or any previous experience at all. Attend our free webinar to discover the Amazon blueprint that traditional publishers don't want you to know, and take your earnings into your own hands.

Publishing Life vs. The Life of a Writer

As a publisher, you'll oversee the entire publishing process from the initial idea all the way through writing, editing, formatting, and distribution...but that doesn't mean you have to do all these things alone. You simply wield the magic wand and get the final say in what actually gets published.

If you'd like to do 100% of the heavy lifting on your own, that's your prerogative, and no one can stop you (that's the beauty of working for yourself). But if you're looking for the fastest way for those royalty checks to start hitting your account, you'll need some help.

Although every step in the publishing process is equally important, the writing process will be the most intense. Because even the prettiest book cover in the world isn't going to save you from negative reviews or a jeopardized publishing account if the writing is lackluster and confusing.

They say that a jack of all trades is a master of none, and we're not saying it's impossible to be a master publisher and a master writer at the same time, but it would take a lot of resources and time to make money writing books that most people simply don't have in this economy.

To start making money ASAP, outsourcing is the way to go. 

Why Would I Outsource My Writing?

It often surprises people to learn that the majority of your favorite celebrity books were more than likely written by someone else. Now, this doesn't mean your favorite celebrity is a fraud or that you should get the pitchforks ready; it just means that they're busy. Between learning their lines for the latest blockbuster or traveling the world doing press tours, they don't have time to sit down for hours at a time writing books. 

Due to your current life circumstances, this might resonate with you, too (especially if you’ve got kids or a stressful job that takes up most of your time). 

Outsourcing the writing process is a way to buy back your time and set your books up for success. Whether you're looking to publish low-content books like coloring books and workbooks or full-length works of nonfiction, getting help in the writing process is a no-brainer to create more engaging content and perhaps even reach millions of potential readers.

There are people who eat, sleep, and breathe writing. 

So, why not work with them?

What Is a Ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter is simply a professional writer who works for an upfront fee, allowing you to maintain full publishing and licensing rights to your books. Their fee may range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1.5k, but you will never have to worry about sharing the credit for your work or your royalties.

Ghostwriters don't want to deal with having to format, publish, or sell eBooks. They simply enjoy writing books! That's why working together is a win-win for everyone involved.

Some ghostwriters are used to working asynchronously and won't need much direction. Others might work best with several checkpoints and follow-ups. Though you won't be doing the writing, it will be your responsibility to oversee the quality of the work that's being turned in.

It's typically best to set milestones by chapter so that you can provide specific feedback before your ghostwriter moves on to the next section. 

Pro tip: Don't make them wait for feedback! They want to help you publish your books as quickly as possible, but they need your help, too!

Can a Ghostwriter Steal My Book Idea?

Worrying about whether hiring a ghostwriter to write your books on Amazon will come back to burn you is a common fear among first-time publishers, but you can rest easy knowing that there's nothing to worry about here!

Professional ghostwriters adhere to strict codes of ethics and know that confidentiality comes with the territory. Besides, most legal contracts explicitly state that the ownership of the content, including any new ideas that come out of the process, will remain with you as the one who hired the contractor. This is true for no-content books, puzzle books, low-content books, medium-content books, and high-content books.

How to Hire a Ghostwriter or Freelance Writer to Do the Work

The ghostwriting industry has boomed over the last decade thanks to the rise in tech and the ability to work from anywhere in the world as long as you have a computer. There's writing talent hiding in all corners of the world, from Canada to India, and here's how to find them.

Where to Find Ghostwriters and Freelance Writers

There's no shortage of platforms to connect with ghostwriters and freelance writers these days.

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Indeed 
• ZipRecruiter 
• Twitter/X
• LinkedIn

Upwork and Fiverr have contracts built into the platform to protect you as the job poster and the contractors you hire. Payment will be taken care of within the app, and support is available if there are ever any concerns. 

You can also connect to professionals through LinkedIn, but you'll want to make sure you have a good contract in place before a single word of the manuscript is written or before a single dollar is exchanged.

Using AI to Write Your Book for You

Using Artificial Intelligence to create a book is getting increasingly popular, but it isn't quite to the point of writing full manuscripts ready for publication...at least not yet. This will change over the coming years, guaranteed. How do we know? Publishing.com is leading the ethical AI initiative.

To gain Beta access to one of the first AI manuscript writers of its kind, check out our proprietary publishing wizard and be among the first people in the world to give it a try!

This tool is revolutionizing the publishing process by giving self-publishers even more control over their business and products.  

Top AI Picks for Ideation, Outlining, Editing, and Plagiarism Detection

• Publishing.com's manuscript wizard
• ChatGPT
• Grammarly
• Hemmingway
• Turnitin.com

Can I Get in Trouble for Letting Someone Else Write My Book?

There ARE some cases you can get in trouble with the Amazon Kindle Store for letting someone else write your book.

1. Scenario A: Your ghostwriter or AI tool plagiarizes another author, either knowingly or unknowingly.
2. Scenario B: Your ghostwriter or AI tool comes up with erroneously false information, and you don't take the time to fact-check things.

Other than that, there are no hard rules against using AI or ghostwriters for publishing on Amazon. It's perfectly legal and an easy way to make money online as long as you publish books that are high quality and enjoyable for the target audience.

Will My Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Account Get Banned If Someone Else Writes My Book?

As a popular platform for publishers and readers alike, Amazon KDP stands for the best readership experience possible, regardless of who (or what) a book was written by. For this reason, the self-publishing platform allows publishers and authors to utilize ghostwriters or AI-generated and AI-assisted content without any penalty.

The caveat here is that poor-quality content will be penalized, whether through account bans and reduced book sales or a bad reputation. And the best marketing strategies in the world can't fix a bad reputation. 

Keep this in mind as you start your publishing journey!

What Other Parts of the Publishing Process Can I Outsource?

Depending on the time and money you're willing to invest in your Amazon KDP business, you can practically outsource all of the heavy work. Some indie publishing companies these days even handle all the distribution for you, so the only thing on your plate is collecting a paycheck. 

Of course, these partnerships come with heftier upfront costs and might not always pan out in the long run. But if you take the time to vet these partnerships, they can help you maximize your royalty money on Amazon KDP without any hassles at all.

Here's everything you may consider outsourcing from the very first typed word to the very first book sale:

• Finding a profitable niche to publish in
• Searching for keywords relevant to your specific target audience to use in the title
• Creating a book outline optimized for your ideal readership
• Writing the initial draft of the manuscript
• Developmental editing to make sure the manuscript is clear and engaging
• Proofreading and copyediting to make sure the manuscript is free of any typos or grammatical errors
• Designing the front cover, back cover, and interior images
• Formatting the book for publication in paperback/hardcover, eBook, audiobook, and PDF format
• Writing an optimized book description to gain the attention of potential readers and search engines
• Distributing your book to online and brick-and-mortar stores
• Tailoring email marketing and advertising strategies to your particular niche and audience
• Running your social media accounts to connect with a wide audience

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Publishing a book without writing it may seem odd to some, but outsourcing isn't the same thing as being lazy. In many cases, bringing in outside perspectives and other professional opinions is a way to publish higher-quality content, gain more exposure, and make more sales while helping others find engaging and fulfilling work, too.

Not even Superman could do everything. We all have our kryptonite, and there's nothing wrong with getting help from others (which might even involve hiring a self-publishing coach).

Case Studies of Successful Self-Publishers with Varying Degrees of Involvement

Some self-publishers just want their books to cover the grocery bill each month, while others are looking for a new full-time venture that's more profitable than any of the careers or side hustles they've tried in the past. People from all walks of life are making money with Amazon KDP without writing. Every. Single. Day.

Janet Garcia started publishing on Amazon as a way to make money after her husband passed away from cancer. She was able to make thousands of dollars from her first book and even translated it into other languages to get even more exposure.

Tony Scott is a Publishing.com coach who sold over 3,000 copies of his first book on Amazon in just a few months. He now uses that firsthand knowledge and helps others through the publishing process.

Taig O'Shea & Anthony Nwaneri were two pals who were able to quit their full-time jobs and fully support themselves with the same Kindle Direct Publishing methods that all of our students are taught. Their online business continues to generate thousands of dollars every single month.

Roby Brooks is a proud grandma who never thought she'd have her own books on Amazon, let alone make money from them.

Note: Meet these successful self-publishers and see how Amazon Kindle publishing has changed thousands of lives all over the world by visiting our Student Success Hub.

Start Making Passive Income with Amazon Kindle Publishing

So, there you have it. There's not really any magic to publishing on Amazon without writing or starting an online business with Amazon KDP.

But there IS magic in...

• Saying "thank you, next" to the traditional publishing model and self-publishing instead
• Controlling your own schedule and income
• Spending more time with your loved ones without being tied to your phone or email
• Paying for a new car or your kids' college tuition exclusively by selling books online

In this industry, you are in complete control of your career trajectory, how much you want to work, and where you want this path to lead you. We've had coaches and students move halfway across the globe to live out their bucket list dreams, and we've had others who just need a break from working 50+ hours a week for someone else.

Attend our webinar and see how you can get your first book on Amazon ASAP.