Learn how to upload books on Amazon and start earning money with this easy step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners looking to self-publish and get paid.
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With tools like Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), self-publishers now have the power to reach millions of readers and earn passive income, all without the need for a traditional publishing deal. If you’ve dreamed of becoming a self-publisher or want to tap into the growing self-publishing industry, this guide is for you.
We’ll walk you through the complete publishing process, from creating a KDP account to setting your royalty rate and promoting your book. Whether you're publishing a Kindle eBook, a print book, or both, this step-by-step guide covers everything.
Note: Ready to uncover how to create your own Amazon self-publishing business — even if you’ve never written a book before? We’ve created a video introduction that walks you through the entire process step-by-step — and shows you exactly why publishing on Amazon is one of the smartest, most beginner-friendly ways to create a publishing business. Click here to watch the video training.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s self-publishing platform. It is designed to help self-publishers publish and distribute books in digital and print formats. Since its inception, KDP has empowered thousands of self-publishers to reach global audiences.
With KDP, you maintain complete control over your work, including pricing and rights. Plus, you can earn up to 70% royalties on Kindle eBook sales. It's a game-changing tool for new and established self-publishers alike.
Getting started with KDP is quick and easy. Here’s how to set up your account in just a few steps:
Visit the Kindle Direct Publishing website and log in with your Amazon credentials. If you don’t have an Amazon account, you must create one.
Fill out your tax information and link your preferred payment method. This will ensure you’ll be paid for your book sales.
Amazon may require additional verification for payment processing or tax compliance. Be sure to double-check your details for accuracy.
Before you upload your masterpiece, you must ensure it’s polished, professionally formatted, and visually appealing. Here’s how:
Even the best ideas need excellent execution. Take the time to write, revise, and edit your manuscript thoroughly. Hire a professional editor or use AI-powered book editing tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid to enhance your writing quality.
Kindle devices require eBooks to be correctly formatted. Thankfully, Amazon provides a free Kindle Create tool to simplify the process. Ensure your book is formatted with the following:
Your book cover is your first impression. It’s what grabs readers’ attention and convinces them to click "Buy Now." Create a high-quality visual that aligns with your book’s genre and tone. If designing isn’t your strength, consider hiring a professional designer or using tools like Canva.
Here comes the exciting part—publishing your book! Follow these steps to bring your Kindle eBook to life.
Click “Create a New Title” in your KDP dashboard. Enter details like your book title, subtitle, and self-publisher name. Double-check for errors, as this information will appear on your Amazon listing.
Writing a strong book description is essential for attracting readers. It should summarize the premise and hook potential buyers. Use persuasive language, keep it concise, and highlight what makes your book unique.
Upload your formatted manuscript and book cover. KDP accepts files such as .mobi, .epub, and .pdf. Before proceeding, use the Previewer tool to check for formatting errors.
Metadata helps Amazon categorize your book, making it easier for readers to find. Optimizing these details can significantly boost your book’s visibility.
Consider what readers might type into Amazon's search bar when looking for a book like yours. Relevant keywords help drive organic traffic to your listing. For example:
Specify your book’s target audience by setting an age range or categories like "Young Adult" or "Non-Fiction." Decide whether to release your book immediately or set a launch date.
KDP offers two royalty options: 35% or 70%, depending on your book's price and distribution settings. The 70% royalty option is only available for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99.
KDP Select gives your book exclusive access to programs like Kindle Unlimited, allowing subscribers to read it for free while you get paid per page read. However, exclusivity may limit your book's distribution on other platforms.
Promoting and advertising your book on Amazon is just as important as writing and publishing it. With millions of titles competing for attention, a smart promotion strategy can help your work stand out and reach the right readers. Fortunately, Amazon offers a variety of tools and programs designed to boost your book’s visibility, from advertising options to special promotional deals.
However, success doesn’t stop with Amazon’s built-in features. Building your self-publisher platform, encouraging reviews, and connecting with readers through social media and email can all play a big role in your book’s growth. Whether you’re launching your first title or looking to breathe new life into an existing one, a thoughtful approach to promotion can make all the difference.
Your Amazon Author Central page is your hub on Amazon, and optimizing it can make a big difference in how readers connect with you and your books. Start by completing your profile with a professional photo and an engaging bio that gives readers a sense of who you are and why you write. Ensure all versions of your books—paperback, hardcover, eBook, and audiobook—are linked to your page so readers can easily find every format you offer.
Setting up a campaign is straightforward: you choose which book formats to advertise, select your targeting and bidding strategy, and set your budget. It’s important to do keyword research beforehand to ensure your ads reach the right audience—tools like Publisher Rocket or Amazon’s search suggestions can help you identify what readers are searching for. Remember, each book format (Kindle, paperback, hardcover) is treated separately, so consider running ads for each one to maximize your reach. Start with a conservative budget and adjust as you learn what works best for your book.
The more positive, authentic reviews your book has, the higher it will rank in Amazon’s search results and recommendations, making it easier for new readers to find you and boosting your chances of long-term success. To encourage more reviews, include a friendly request at the end of your book, inviting readers to share their thoughts online. You can also send Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to gather early feedback and reviews before your book’s official launch.
The KDP dashboard breaks down your sales performance, showing you the units sold, estimated revenue, and royalty earnings for each title. You can view these metrics by day, week, or month, making it easy to spot trends and evaluate the impact of marketing campaigns or promotions. For self-publishers enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, the dashboard also tracks Kindle Edition Normalized Pages (KENP) read, offering insights into how much, a valuable measure of reader engagement.
Beyond sales and royalties, KDP’s analytics let you dig deeper with tools like historical graphs, detailed royalty reports, and even customer reviews. By regularly analyzing this data, you can identify what’s working, adjust your pricing or marketing strategies, and ultimately maximize your earnings. Understanding your dashboard isn’t just about watching numbers grow—it’s about using those insights to make informed decisions and drive your book’s long-term success.
To get started, you’ll need to upload a print-ready file of your manuscript. Amazon provides clear guidelines on formatting to ensure your book looks professional. You’ll also choose your book’s trim size, paper type, and cover finish, giving you complete control over the final product’s appearance. The KDP platform is user-friendly, guiding you step-by-step through the setup, even if you’re new to publishing.
You'll determine your book's price once your files are uploaded and your design preferences are set. Amazon automatically calculates the printing cost based on your specifications and shows you the profit margin for each sale so that you can make informed pricing decisions. After publishing, your print book will be available to millions of readers, and you’ll earn royalties—up to 60% of the list price, minus printing costs—each time a copy is sold.
Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is Amazon’s way of helping you protect your eBook from being copied, shared, or printed without your permission. When you publish through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can enable DRM—by default, it’s turned on. This means your book can only be read on Kindle devices or through the Kindle app, which can help prevent casual sharing.
However, it’s good to know that DRM isn’t a perfect shield. While it does make things harder for people who might want to share your book without permission, determined pirates can still find ways around it with the right software. So, while DRM adds a layer of security, it’s not guaranteed against piracy.
DRM helps keep your book within the Kindle ecosystem, but it’s not a complete solution for piracy. Many self-publishers weigh the pros and cons of enabling DRM, considering both its protection and potential inconvenience for readers. It’s all about finding the best balance for your publishing goals.
Don’t stop at eBooks and print books—expand into audiobooks. Audiobooks saw a massive uptick in popularity during the 2020 pandemic, and they’ve shown no signs of slowing down since. Formatting your book into an audio file opens up your market to a whole new category of customers. There’s no reason not to maximize your potential sales by casting the widest net over interested audiences.
The quality of your audiobook matters. Before recording your narration, take a realistic inventory of your public speaking and audio editing experience and resources. If your content is on an in-demand topic, hiring a voice actor or audio production company could be worth the investment.
In this post, we broke down the Amazon self-publishing process step-by-step. But how can you know if your book topic is in demand? How do you write the best description? After you hit publish, what’s the most effective strategy to market your book?
There’s much more to self-publishing than hitting the “publish” button. There's much behind earning those royalties, from proof of concept and market research to marketing and business management. If you want to get a more in-depth look at these aspects of the business, we’ve put together a video introduction to get you started.
Sign up now and take the first step to uploading your book to Amazon!
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