This Is What You Need To Know Before Self-Publishing Your Book On Amazon KDP - Low Content Books

Summary

In this informative video, Caroline shares 12 essential tips for aspiring authors considering self-publishing with Amazon KDP. She discusses the competitive nature of the platform, the high royalty rates, and the importance of marketing. Caroline also addresses the misconceptions about success in self-publishing and highlights the potential for earning income or even securing a traditional publishing deal through Amazon KDP, encouraging authors to persevere and view self-publishing as a viable path to achieving their literary goals.

Takeaways

• 📚 Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a platform that allows anyone to self-publish their books on Amazon's marketplace.
• 💪 You will face significant competition on Amazon, with around 4 million books published each year, half of which are self-published.
• 💰 Amazon KDP offers some of the highest royalties in the industry, up to 70% depending on the book's pricing.
• 🌐 There are alternative platforms to Amazon KDP for self-publishing, such as IngramSpark and Lulu, which may be preferable for certain types of books or publishing needs.
• 📖 Self-publishing with Amazon KDP is free and easy due to the print-on-demand service, which eliminates upfront costs and inventory management.
• 🔮 There is no guaranteed formula for success in self-publishing; it requires hard work, patience, consistency, and a strong marketing plan.
• 💸 Many people do not make money from self-publishing on Amazon KDP, often due to lack of marketing or the quality of the book.
• 🏆 Conversely, many authors do successfully earn income from self-publishing on KDP, some even making a full-time living from it.
• 🛍️ You can sell your KDP account if you build a successful business, offering a potential exit strategy for those looking to monetize their efforts.
• 🚫 Amazon KDP has implemented a rule limiting the publication of three books per day to maintain quality and address concerns about AI-generated content.
• 🎨 Creating a high-quality book can be challenging, especially for those without professional design skills, but practice and research can improve your work.
• 🤔 Even a high-quality book may not sell, emphasizing the importance of patience, persistence, and not becoming emotionally attached to a single book's success.
• 📘 Self-publishing on Amazon KDP can lead to a traditional publishing deal, offering a pathway to achieve traditional publishing goals.

Q & A

What is Amazon KDP and what does it offer to authors?

Amazon KDP stands for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. It is a part of Amazon that provides a print-on-demand publishing platform where anyone can self-publish their books and sell them in the Amazon Marketplace.

What is the level of competition like for authors using Amazon KDP?

Authors using Amazon KDP face a high level of competition, with around 4 million books published on Amazon each year, half of which are self-published. However, the large customer base and demand on Amazon can also be seen as an advantage.

How do the royalties from Amazon KDP compare to traditional publishing and other self-publishing platforms?

Amazon KDP offers some of the highest royalties in the publishing industry, up to 70% depending on how the book is priced, which is significantly higher than the 10-15% typically offered by traditional publishers and the 55% from other platforms like Barnes and Noble.

What are some alternatives to Amazon KDP for self-publishing books?

Alternatives to Amazon KDP include platforms like IngramSpark and Lulu. IngramSpark is preferred for getting books into physical bookstores due to lower wholesale rates, while Lulu allows for specialized paper or binding options not available on KDP.

Why is self-publishing with Amazon KDP considered easy and cost-effective?

Self-publishing with Amazon KDP is easy and cost-effective due to the print-on-demand service, which eliminates the need to purchase and store inventory upfront. It is free to create an account and publish a book on KDP, with costs only incurred upon book sales.

What is the reality of success with self-publishing on Amazon KDP?

Success with self-publishing on Amazon KDP is not guaranteed and depends on various factors such as book professionalism, niche, pricing, and marketing efforts. There is no secret to success; it requires hard work, patience, consistency, and a solid marketing plan.

How common is it for authors to make money self-publishing on Amazon KDP?

While some authors do make money self-publishing on Amazon KDP, many do not, often due to lack of marketing, poor book quality, or not putting in the necessary effort. However, there are also many who achieve consistent income through successful self-publishing.

Can an author sell their KDP account if they no longer wish to run the business?

Yes, authors can sell their KDP account, especially if they have built a successful business with consistent monthly income. Online marketplaces exist for selling such businesses, allowing for a potential lump sum sale.

What is the current rule regarding the number of books one can publish per day on Amazon KDP?

Amazon KDP has implemented a rule that limits authors to publishing only three books per day. This was introduced to curb the influx of low-quality books and to manage the impact of AI-generated books on the marketplace.

What challenges do authors face when trying to create a high-quality book on their own?

Creating a high-quality book on one's own can be challenging due to the lack of professional skills in areas like graphic design or illustration. Authors may need to practice, research, and potentially outsource certain aspects of book creation to achieve a professional look.

Can a book's quality alone guarantee its success in sales on Amazon KDP?

No, even a high-quality book may not guarantee sales success. Factors such as marketing, audience engagement, and timing also play significant roles. Authors need to remain patient and persistent, and not become overly attached to a single book's performance.

Is it possible to secure a traditional publishing deal through success on Amazon KDP?

Yes, self-publishing success on Amazon KDP can lead to traditional publishing deals. Publishers may notice popular self-published works and offer deals for book rights or future books, providing authors an alternative path to traditional publishing.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Amazon KDP for Self-Publishing

The video script introduces the topic of Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), a platform for self-publishing books. The speaker, Caroline, expresses her enthusiasm for self-publishing and outlines the purpose of the video: to share 12 important considerations for those considering using KDP. She mentions the high competition in the Amazon marketplace, with around 4 million books published annually, half of which are self-published. Despite the competition, Caroline highlights the benefits of publishing on Amazon due to its large customer base. She also points out the pros and cons of using KDP, emphasizing that it's not all positive and encourages viewers to watch the entire video for a comprehensive understanding of self-publishing with KDP.

05:01

💰 Royalty Rates and Self-Publishing Platforms

Caroline discusses the financial aspect of self-publishing with Amazon KDP, noting that Amazon offers some of the highest royalty rates in the industry, up to 70% depending on the book's pricing. She contrasts this with traditional publishing houses, which typically offer royalties between 10-15%. Additionally, she touches on other self-publishing platforms like Barnes and Noble, which offer up to 55% royalties, and Ingram Spark, which is preferred by bookstores and libraries due to its lower wholesale rates. Caroline also mentions the limitations of KDP, such as the inability to publish certain specialized books or formats, and encourages viewers to consider these factors when choosing a self-publishing platform.

10:01

🚀 The Freedom and Challenges of Self-Publishing

In this section, Caroline highlights the ease and freedom of self-publishing with Amazon KDP, thanks to its print-on-demand model, which eliminates the need for upfront bulk purchases and inventory storage. She emphasizes that there is no cost to create an account or publish a book, and only pays Amazon once a book is sold. Caroline also mentions that there is no secret to success in self-publishing; it requires hard work, patience, consistency, and a good marketing plan. She acknowledges that not everyone will make money self-publishing on KDP, and success can depend on various factors including book professionalism, niche, price, and reviews.

15:03

🤔 The Reality of Self-Publishing Success and Failure

Caroline addresses the reality that not all books on Amazon KDP will sell, and that success in self-publishing can be elusive for many authors. She explains that some authors publish without marketing or promotion, expecting sales without effort, which often leads to no sales at all. However, she also points out that there are many authors who do make money through KDP, either as a side income or a full-time endeavor. Caroline encourages viewers to research successful self-published books on Amazon to understand the potential for income and to see the reality of what is achievable through self-publishing.

💼 Selling Your KDP Business and Publishing Limits

Caroline introduces the concept of selling a successful KDP business, explaining that authors can build up a brand or series of books and then sell the business for a lump sum. She advises that to do this, one must establish a consistent income stream through their books. Additionally, she discusses a new rule by Amazon KDP that limits authors to publishing only three books per day, a measure taken to control the influx of low-quality or AI-generated books into the marketplace. Caroline reassures viewers that focusing on quality over quantity is the key to successful self-publishing.

🎨 The Difficulty of Creating High-Quality Books

The script delves into the challenges of creating high-quality books, especially for those who are not professional designers or illustrators. Caroline acknowledges that while the process of book creation is straightforward, achieving a professional look that can compete with bestsellers is difficult. She suggests outsourcing to professionals for certain aspects like cover design or continuing to practice and improve one's skills. Caroline also advises researching successful books to understand what makes them stand out and incorporating those elements into one's own work.

📉 The Possibility of Unsuccessful Sales Despite Quality

Caroline warns that even a high-quality, professional book may not guarantee sales, emphasizing the importance of patience and persistence. She notes that traditionally published books with marketing budgets can also fail to sell, so self-published authors should not take a lack of sales personally. The key is to publish, market the book, and then move on to the next project without becoming emotionally attached to the outcome.

📝 Achieving a Traditional Publishing Deal Through Self-Publishing

The final point Caroline makes is about the potential for self-published authors to secure a traditional publishing deal through success on Amazon KDP. She shares that many authors have used self-publishing as a stepping stone to traditional publishing, gaining popularity on Amazon and subsequently receiving offers from publishing houses. This approach can be an alternative to the usual method of querying agents and facing rejections, offering authors a chance to get their work noticed in a different way.

👋 Conclusion and Encouragement for Self-Publishing on KDP

In conclusion, Caroline summarizes the key points discussed in the video, aiming to provide a balanced view of the advantages and disadvantages of using Amazon KDP for self-publishing. She hopes the information has been helpful for viewers to decide if self-publishing through KDP is the right path for them. Caroline thanks the viewers for watching and looks forward to their presence in the next video.

Keywords

💡Amazon KDP

Amazon KDP, which stands for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, is the focal point of the video. It is defined as the platform arm of Amazon that offers a print-on-demand service enabling individuals to self-publish their books and sell them in the Amazon marketplace. The video discusses the advantages and challenges of using Amazon KDP for self-publishing, such as the potential for high royalties and the intense competition due to the large number of books published each year.

💡Self-publishing

Self-publishing is the process of authors independently publishing their own books without the need for a traditional publishing house. The video emphasizes that Amazon KDP is a popular platform for self-publishing, allowing authors to retain more control over their work and potentially earn higher royalties. However, it also highlights the lack of a guaranteed formula for success and the necessity for authors to invest in marketing and quality to stand out.

💡Royalties

Royalties in the context of the video refer to the financial compensation authors receive from the sale of their books. Amazon KDP is noted for offering higher royalty rates, up to 70% depending on the book's pricing, compared to traditional publishing houses which typically offer between 10 to 15%. This keyword is crucial as it underscores the financial incentive for authors to choose Amazon KDP for self-publishing.

💡Print on Demand

Print on Demand (POD) is a service model highlighted in the video where books are not printed until a customer orders them, eliminating the need for authors to purchase and store inventory in bulk. This concept is central to Amazon KDP's operation, making self-publishing more accessible and cost-effective for authors.

💡Competition

The term 'competition' is used to describe the challenge of standing out among the millions of books published on Amazon each year. The video mentions that while the competition is fierce, it is also an indicator of the platform's popularity and potential for reaching a large audience.

💡Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is essential for authors who self-publish on Amazon KDP, as discussed in the video. It is a strategy to promote and sell books, which is crucial for success in the competitive marketplace. The absence of a secret to success implies that a well-executed marketing plan is part of the effort required to achieve sales.

💡Low Content Books

Low Content Books are mentioned in the video in the context of the three books per day publishing limit on Amazon KDP. These books, often criticized for their lack of substantial content, were part of the reason for the rule change, aiming to prevent the market from being flooded with low-quality publications.

💡Quality

Quality is a recurring theme in the video, emphasizing the importance of producing a book that is not only readable but also visually appealing and professional. The script mentions that creating a high-quality book, especially for those without professional design skills, can be challenging but is necessary to compete with other bestsellers.

💡Publishing Deal

A publishing deal, as discussed in the video, is a contract with a traditional publishing house. The video suggests that self-publishing on Amazon KDP can lead to such deals if an author's book gains popularity, offering an alternative path to traditional publishing for authors who may have faced rejections.

💡Success

Success in the video is portrayed as the achievement of selling books and possibly earning a living from self-publishing on Amazon KDP. It is noted that success is not guaranteed and varies widely among authors, depending on factors such as marketing efforts, book quality, and niche selection.

💡Professionalism

Professionalism in the context of the video refers to the standards of quality expected in self-published books to compete with traditionally published ones. The script suggests that while creating a book is easy on Amazon KDP, making it look professional requires effort, skill, or the hiring of professionals, which is key to attracting customers.

Highlights

Amazon KDP is a platform for self-publishing books with print on demand, allowing anyone to sell their books in the Amazon Marketplace.

New authors face around 4 million books published on Amazon each year, including both traditionally and self-published works.

Amazon KDP offers up to 70% royalties, significantly higher than traditional publishing houses.

Besides Amazon KDP, authors have other self-publishing platforms like Ingram Spark and Lulu, each with unique offerings.

Self-publishing is cost-effective due to print on demand, with no upfront costs and easy uploading process.

There is no guaranteed formula for success in self-publishing; it requires hard work, patience, and a solid marketing plan.

Many self-published authors on Amazon KDP do not make money, often due to lack of marketing or poor book quality.

Conversely, numerous authors successfully make money self-publishing on Amazon KDP, though they often remain unknown to the public.

Authors can sell their KDP account for a lump sum if they build a successful business and no longer wish to manage it.

Amazon KDP has a rule limiting authors to publishing only three books per day to maintain content quality.

Creating a high-quality book is challenging, especially for those without professional design skills.

Even high-quality self-published books may not sell, requiring authors to be patient and persistent.

Self-publishing on Amazon KDP can lead to a traditional publishing deal, offering an alternative path to traditional publishing.

The video provides a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of using Amazon KDP for self-publishing.

The presenter shares personal insights and experiences with self-publishing, adding credibility to the advice given.

The video aims to help viewers decide if self-publishing with Amazon KDP is the right path for them.

Transcripts

in this video I'm going to share 12

things that you need to know before

using Amazon KDP to self-publish your

books so make sure you watch till the

very end before you hit publish to make

sure KDP and self-publishing is right

for you hi I'm Caroline welcome to my

channel every single week I share videos

all about self-publishing books and

you're watching one of them right now so

thank you so much for taking time out of

your day to join me here it's no sec

secret I am a big fan of self-publishing

books using Amazon KDP that's what this

whole channel is all about and I think

KDP is a really great platform for

anyone from Total beginners to people

who are already experienced in creating

and Publishing books but there are some

things that would be good for you to

know before you take the leap and

Venture into self-publishing books and

using Amazon KDP to do it and and

unfortunately not all of them are great

there are pros and cons to using KDP as

there is with anything in life so I want

to go through some of the things that I

think are really important and useful to

know before going down the path of

self-publishing your own books and so

that is what we are going to go through

today so grab a drink get comfy and

let's get started firstly just a very

quick explanation for if you are

unfamiliar with Amazon KDP and what it

is

Amazon KDP stands for Amazon Kindle

Direct publishing and this is the arm of

Amazon that provides a print on demand

publishing platform where anybody can

self-publish their own books and sell

them in the Amazon Marketplace but what

else do you need to know about Amazon

KDP number one and we're going to be

starting off with a not great one

depending on your perspective and that

is you are going to be up against a huge

amount of competition if you a book on

Amazon if we take a look at some

statistics there are around 4 million

books published to Amazon each year and

that is including both traditionally

published and self-published books but

self-published books make up around half

of that amount but also keep in mind

that not all books are trackable on

Amazon and what I mean by that is that

we usually track books using an ISBN but

there are a lot of books on Amazon that

don't have an ISBN for example Le ebooks

their Kindle books or now some no and

low content books are not published with

an ISBN so the amount of books actually

added to Amazon each year would be

probably a lot higher so yes you will

have a lot of competition no matter what

type of book you publish or in what

Niche but the upside to this is that I

personally think that it's a great idea

to go where the demand is there is a

reason why so many people publish books

on Amazon and that is because they have

an absolutely massive loyal customer

base and there are a lot of people

seeing real success with selling their

books there number two Amazon provides

some of the highest royalties in the

publishing industry now royalties is the

amount of money you receive from the

sale of your book if you get a book deal

with a traditional publisher within a

Publishing House the royalties that they

pay their authors are usually around

around the 10 to 15% Mark there are also

some other self-publishing platforms

Barnes and Noble for example who will

pay up to 55% in royalties but Amazon

KDP will give you up to 70% royalties

depending on how you price your book

which all means that you get to keep

more of the money from the sale of your

book than what you can get through using

other publishing platforms which brings

me on to number three and that is that

Amazon KDP isn't the only place to

self-publish your books there are other

platforms out there if you do not wish

to use Amazon KDP although they aren't

as popular as KDP or have access to such

a large customer base like Amazon has

but you might have specific reasons for

why you do want to publish Elsewhere for

example you might be really focused on

getting your books into actual physical

bookstores which can be easier to do

through a platform like Ingram spark

apparently Amazon char chares a much

higher wholesale rate than Ingram spark

so bookstores and other places like

libraries will usually avoid Amazon to

buy their books wholesale and instead

buy through somewhere like Ingram spark

who has much lower wholesale rates

another example is that maybe you want

to publish a book using some kind of

specialized paper or a specialized book

itself or some sort of special binding

that you can't do through Amazon KDP so

like spiral bound books or a book that

has gold foil printing on its cover you

can't do those sorts of things through

Amazon KDP but you could do them through

a self-publishing print on demand

service like Lulu number four is that

self-publishing is very free and very

easy and that is mostly due to it being

print on demand print on demand is the

type of service where you don't have to

purchase your book upfront in bulk and

store inventory the company that you

work with Will only print and ship your

book once a customer has purchased it it

is totally free to create an account

with Amazon KDP it is totally free to

publish your book with them and you only

pay them anything once you have actually

sold a book the process of uploading

your book is also very easy and they

provide a lot of information and a lot

of help and support articles to help you

get you through that whole process for

the very first time and once you have

done one you'll realize how easy it is

and you'll just get faster at uploading

your books number five is that there is

no secret to success with

self-publishing books on Amazon KDP

people are always looking for the easy

and quick way to make money the trick

the hack the secret to selling more

books or publishing a bestseller but

what is it that makes some books sell

thousands of thousands of dollars every

single month and some sell nothing it

can actually come down to a lot of

things like the professionalism of the

book The Cover and whether it's good

enough to grab the customer's attention

the niche you're in the price of your

book whether you are getting negative or

positive reviews just to name a few

sometimes in the end it is just luck at

the end of the day but there is no

secret no Silver Bullet you just have to

put in the hard work be patient be

consistent and have a fantastic

marketing plan and the truth is now that

we are at number six is that there are a

lot of people who do not end up making

money self-publishing books on Amazon

KDP and again this can be due to a lot

of reasons mostly the same ones as I

just mentioned before and especially if

you just publish one book you don't do

any kind of marketing or promotion you

don't tell anybody about it but you just

publish it and sit back and expect it to

magically sell this will definitely

contribute to your book not selling at

all there are some people out there

though who are not interested in

actually making money from their book

they may have had a lifelong dream to

publish a book and by doing that they're

just ticking something off their bucket

list and that is totally fine and then

there are people out there who do want

to make some money from publishing their

books but they just don't put in time or

the effort needed to make it work or

they just don't even get started at all

the reality is that out of those 4

million plus books that get uploaded to

Amazon every single year not every

single one of them sells but on to

number seven which is that there is also

a lot of people who do make money

self-publishing their books on Amazon

KDP some of these people you hear about

through YouTube maybe through their blog

or through social media but the majority

of people who do make money by using KDP

you never hear about you can see these

books on Amazon simply by doing research

looking for the self-published books if

if that's what you're interested in

researching to get an idea of the

potential income you could possibly make

and look for these books and research

the bestseller ranks which shows us how

popular a book is with Amazon's

customers and how much it could be

selling if you have been skeptical about

Amazon KDP or self-publishing in general

or you think that the only people who

are going to make money from it are the

people that you see here on YouTube or

on social media then I would say get on

to Amazon and have a look around you can

see which books are self-published or

not you can see the bestseller ranks and

the history of the bestseller Rank and

the books s and you will see that there

are so many books on Amazon making

consistent income month after month

self-published by ordinary people like

you and me and these people are making a

side income or a full-time income and

sometimes even more than that through

self-publishing their books on KDP I

myself have shared so many videos on

this channel of different books and

different brands that are

self-publishing books using Amazon KDP

and seeing really great success number

eight for us today is that did you know

you can sell your KDP account let's say

you publish a brand or a series of books

and you do see success with these books

and you just no longer want to run this

business or you might have built up a

KDP business purely to sell it and end

up with a lump Su sum of money and you

can do this there are websites out there

where you can sell online businesses and

I see people every day selling their KDP

businesses some of them for pretty large

amounts of money if this is something

that does interest you then what you

would need to do is you would need to

build it up and establish the business

getting it to the point of creating

consistent income month after month but

once you do this you can have the option

of selling that KDP business if you want

to number nine you can only publish

three books per day this is a fairly

recent rule with Amazon KDP in the past

there was no limit as to how many books

that you could publish in a day or

forever which unfortunately did leave

lead to a lot of really low quality

books being published mainly in the low

content book space and some people saw

it as an opportunity to kind of just

Spam really bad books into the

marketplace in the hopes that if they

had published 5,000 books hopefully a

few of them or a very small percentage

of them would actually sell Amazon

brought in the three book per day rule

though not because of the amount of low

quality low content books that were

being published but actually more around

Ai and the concerns around how many AI

generated books would enter into the

marketplace if there was no limit onto

how many books we can publish

considering the concerns currently

around Ai and in regards to whether

people feel that it steals other

people's work on not Amazon wants to

limit how much this type of book can get

onto Amazon until we understand more

about using AI to create and publish

books this three book per day limit

should not be a problem for though

because it takes time to create good

quality books and this should be your

focus rather than just publishing as

many books as you possibly can

regardless of the quality of them which

brings us on to number 10 which is that

it is actually really hard to create a

good quality book most of us who are

publishing books we probably not graphic

designers or professional illustrators

and a lot of the time we do try to do

everything ourselves due to perhaps bud

budget constraints so just not wanting

to overspend on having a book created

and we try to create them as cheaply as

we can the actual creating of a book is

pretty easy but making it look really

good good enough to be able to compete

with the bestselling books out there

that are professionally made can be

really hard now of course you can

Outsource parts of your book to people

who are Professionals in things like

cover design but if you do want to

create the books yourself the whole book

yourself just keep in mind that your

first book probably isn't going to be

that great or your second but just keep

making them even if you don't end up

publishing them because you're not happy

with the quality of them just keep

making them to practice and get better

research other books and look at what

are they doing to make their books so

professionall looking is it the fonts

they're using on the cover is it the

illustrations or the images inside are

they using some kind of professional

software to create a puzzle book or an

activity book and in addition to just

practicing creating these books try to

incorporate some of those things these

other books are doing to try to make

yours as professional as you possibly

can at the end of the day and this

brings us to number 11 and that is even

if you do make an amazing high quality

professional book it still might not

sell and this is where your patience and

your persistence will really come into

play there are professionally created

traditionally published books who have a

marketing budget behind them to promote

them that still don't sell so it stands

to reason that self-published books

might not sell either sometimes it's

hard not to take this personally

especially when you have put so much

time and effort maybe even money into

having that book created and you

personally think it is one of the most

amazing books out there but you just

need to publish it do not become

emotionally attached to it Market it and

then move on to the next one and just

keep going and this is the last thing

the number 12 thing that you need to

know from this video and that is that

you can get a publishing deal from

self-publishing on Amazon KDP so if

being traditionally published has always

been a dream or a goal of yours but it's

just not happening for you then consider

using self-publishing as a way to get

traditionally published through a

Publishing House there are so many

self-published authors who self-publish

their books on Amazon KDP and then it

sees some success it gets popular on

Amazon and then get offered a publishing

deal for the rights to that particular

book or to future books I have seen this

happen with a lot of fiction authors as

well as children's picture book authors

self-publishing can be a really great

way to get your name out there and get

your work out there and get seen by

those traditional Publishers in a

different way than usual and the usual

way is that you would need to send out a

bunch of query letters to try to land

yourself a literary agent first and then

that agent will then try to sell your

book to a publisher and get you a

publishing deal it can be very timec

consuming and you hear of of most people

getting a lot of re a lot of rejections

and so if that method isn't working for

you maybe just publish your book and in

the meantime while you are waiting for a

publisher to see your work you might

even start to make a decent income from

your self-published book so it would be

a win-win either way so that is some of

the most useful and important things

that I think you need to know about

Amazon KDP before publishing your book I

hope it has helped give you more of an

idea about the pros and cons of of

self-publishing and using Amazon KDP in

particular to decide and work out if it

is the right path for you to take thank

you so much for watching I'll see you in

the next video