Aspiring writer? Here's how to self-publish a book on Amazon
Publishing a book on Amazon has become an increasingly popular choice for authors across the globe. The process, though simple, can be intimidating for those who are not familiar with it. So, here's a detailed guide on how you can publish your book on Amazon's platform, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). The first step is to set up a KDP account, which is free and easy to create.
Setting up your KDP account
To set up a KDP account, authors can either use their existing Amazon account or create a new one. After logging in, they will see a notification indicating that their account is incomplete. To proceed with book upload, authors have to provide information on their business type (individual or corporation), date of birth, and country of residence. They also need to enter payment details for receiving royalties from sales across all Amazon marketplaces.
Customizing your book page on Amazon
Once your KDP account is ready, you can publish your work as a Kindle ebook, paperback, hardcover, or a Series page. The next step is to customize the book page to attract potential buyers. For this, you will have to provide information about the language of your book, its title and/or subtitle, series inclusion (if any), new edition status (if applicable), author name and other contributors like cover design artist or editor for anthologies.
Crafting a compelling description
A key element of the book page customization process is writing an interesting product description, just like the ones you see on the back of physical books. The first line should be especially interesting as Amazon only shows an abbreviated preview of the blurb, encouraging readers to click "Read more" to view the complete text. Authors can use Amazon's formatting options like bold, italic, bullet lists for visual appeal but are advised against going overboard.
Selecting keywords and categories
Next, you'll have to choose the right keywords and categories for your book. This is important as it helps ensure that your book reaches the right audience. KDP lets authors choose two categories and up to seven keywords that best describe their work. You can even define an age and grade range for your target audience, particularly if you're writing for younger readers.
Uploading your EPUB and book cover files
After choosing keywords and categories, authors have to upload their EPUB and book cover files. The EPUB file should be properly formatted to ensure a smooth reading experience on Kindle devices. The book cover should be professionally designed to attract potential readers. Both these elements play a crucial role in the overall presentation of the book on Amazon's platform.
Setting a price for your book
The penultimate step in the publishing process is setting a price for the book. Amazon recommends pricing e-books between $2.99 and $9.99 (in the US), depending on factors like length, genre, author's reputation among others. This range is suggested as it falls within Amazon's 70% royalty plan, allowing authors to earn more from each sale. However, authors have the flexibility to choose a price outside this range if they prefer.
Publishing your book on Amazon
Finally, you can publish the book. Once you've done all the above steps, you can click on "Publish Your Kindle eBook" to make your work available for purchase on Amazon. It usually takes up to 72 hours for the book to show up in Kindle stores around the world. During this time, Amazon checks the content for compliance with its guidelines before it goes live.
