How Much Do Self-Published Authors Make on Amazon?

1. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for eBooks

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s platform that helps people self publish their eBooks. So, individuals can easily format their eBook with the help of Kindle Create, Amazon’s tool. If your book is already formatted, you can upload the manuscript in formats such as ePub or MOBI.

When using KDP, you have complete control, especially when it comes to setting the price for your eBook. Generally, you can take your pick from two options in terms of royalty—35% royalty and 70% royalty. However, keep in mind that if you choose the 70% royalty option, a certain criterion needs to be met.

Once published, your eBook will easily be available on the platform’s Kindle Store. As a result, millions of individuals from across the globe can access and purchase it. For enrolling your eBook so that readers can borrow and read your book as per their subscription, you have two choices— Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

2. Kindle Direct Publishing Print (KDP Print) for Paperbacks

Kindle Direct Publishing Print (KDP Print) is intended for paperbacks and provides individuals with guidelines and templates that allow them to format paperback manuscripts. You also have the choice to upload a print-ready PDF. Kindle Direct Publishing Print employs print-on-demand technology, which implies that the paperback book will be printed only when someone orders a copy of the book.

The best part of Amazon is that the platform will deal with printing, customer service, and shipping. Just like with KDP for eBooks, you can set the price for your paperback, but the platform will subtract the printing costs and royalties from the list price.

As for royalty options, you can choose from 35% or 60% royalty. KDP Print further makes distribution simple for individuals by providing extended distribution, which makes your paperback accessible to online retailers, bookstores, libraries, etc.

At the end of the day, both KDP and KDP Print will offer you several tools and resources that can effectively assist authors and others in monitoring their sales and keeping track of royalties while making required adjustments to your book.

One thing to be cautious about is that Amazon offers several platforms for self-publishing. However, if you want to ensure the best outcome for your book, you will need to invest in professional services that handle editing, cover designs, formatting, marketing, etc.

How Much Does It Cost to Self Publish a Book on Amazon?

Are you wondering how much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon? Well, since you have already gotten familiar with the choices Amazon offers for interested individuals, you’re likely to have a rough idea.

The truth is that Amazon self-publishing costs fall upon the path an individual takes during the publication phase. As discussed, Amazon provides two opportunities, Kindle Direct Publishing and Kindle Direct Publishing Print, for individuals who desire to publish their books on their own.

With KDP, you can publish your eBooks for free, so you just have to settle on a price and then earn royalties for every sale your book makes. Meanwhile, with KDP Print, you can benefit from the fact that no upfront costs are required, but the printing and shipping costs will be included.

Having said that, added services, such as professional editing, proofreading, cover design, marketing, etc., can boost the cost to self publish on Amazon.

Factors to Consider for Amazon Publishing Services Cost

When you’re managing costs for selling self published books on Amazon, there are a bunch of factors that come into play. They are as follows:

• Ebook Pricing
• Paperback Pricing
• Royalty Rates
• Printing and Distribution Costs

Let’s discuss them.

1. Ebook Pricing

Amazon allows total control over the eBook pricing, which in turn impacts the royalties that are earned. As discussed, individuals can either choose 35% or 70%, but the latter has some specifications, such as setting the list price within a certain range.

2. Paperback Pricing

The paperback pricing also impacts the overall costs of self publishing on Amazon as interested individuals decide the list price, and then the platform will make deductions based on the printing and royalties. The printing cost depends on several factors, such as the total number of pages of the book, ink type, trim size, etc.

3. Royalty Rates

The royalty rate that you opt for will impact the amount you earn for every sale. A higher royalty rate has a couple of requirements that you need to keep in mind when self publishing your book. These requirements include pricing criteria or distribution limitations.

4. Printing and Distribution Costs

When using Kindle Direct Publishing Print, your books will be printed when someone places an order. Put simply, KDP Print utilizes print-on-demand technology. So, the printing costs will be subtracted from the list price, including the royalties. Distribution costs may also add to the expenses if you decide to go for an expanded distribution of paperbacks.

What Are the Steps to Self Publish on Amazon?

Are you wondering: do self published books sell? While there are several channels that open doors for individuals wanting to self publish their books, Amazon is undoubtedly the most popular one. So, it is no secret that books that are published by authors do sell on Amazon.

For all those who want to self publish your books on Amazon, all you need to do is follow these steps, and you’re good to go.

• 1. Prepare Your Manuscript
• 2. Create an Amazon KDP Account
• 3. Add your book details
• 4. Upload Your Manuscript
• 5. Design Your Book Cover
• 6. Set the Book Pricing and Royalties
• 7. Decide the Book Distribution
• 8. Review and Publish
• 9. Promote and Market Your Book

The steps mentioned above can allow you to publish your books on Amazon. However, it’s crucial to be mindful of the fact that just using Amazon as your self publishing platform won’t guarantee your book will sell. As simple as it may seem, selling self published books on Amazon requires extra effort.

What Do Amazon Publishing Services Include?

Over time, Amazon has become a resourceful platform for many individuals. Amazon publishing services provide individuals with wide-ranging resources and tools that assist authors in self publishing their books.

Here is a list of some of the services they provide:

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)

KDP is the platform’s self-publishing platform for eBooks that lets authors upload and publish their eBooks directly to the Kindle Store. As a result, it makes these eBooks available to millions of individuals from across the world.

Paperback Publishing

Amazon doesn’t just cater to individuals who want to publish their eBooks but also offers a platform for those who intend to self publish paperback books. So, you can use Kindle Direct Publishing to format your paperback books and then publish them. The books are then printed each time someone orders a copy of the book.

Print-on-Demand

Amazon publishing services also include a print-on-demand service that makes sure every book in their library is printed and shipped to readers worldwide as soon as they’re ordered. This eliminates the hassle for authors as they don’t need to manage inventory or track distribution logistics.

Royalty Options

With these services, authors can benefit from various royalty options for both eBook and paperback sales. As a result, authors can take their pick and choose their desired royalty rate, but that depends on the pricing and distribution choices they make. For paperbacks, authors can earn royalties based on the list price minus printing costs.

Global Distribution

Make the most of Amazon's extensive distribution network as self-published books are made available to a global audience. This includes access to Amazon's international marketplaces, allowing authors to reach readers worldwide.

Marketing and Promotional Tools

Amazon provides a plethora of marketing and promotional tools to help authors increase the visibility of their books, with options like Kindle Countdown Deals, Kindle Unlimited, and Kindle eBook Advertising.

Author Central

Author Central is a platform where authors can create and manage their author profiles, add editorial reviews, and track sales data for their books.

Kindle Create

Kindle Create is Amazon’s tool that helps authors format their eBooks for publishing on Kindle for free. It offers templates and features to ensure that the eBook is properly formatted and optimized for Kindle devices.

These are just some of the services and tools that Amazon Publishing provides to authors who choose to self-publish. It's a comprehensive platform that empowers them to bring their books to a wide audience.

Are you wondering how to sell self published books on Amazon? Look no further than AMZ Expert Publisher.

AMZ Expert Publisher is one of the top agencies in the industry and is renowned for making self publishing a breeze. Whether you want to publish your books on Amazon or any other platform, we can assist you while ensuring our services are worth every penny you pay.

Apart from offering inclusive publishing services, we also provide professional book writing, editing, cover design, illustrations, proofreading, formatting, and other services.

Get in touch with us for expert assistance with every aspect of presenting your book to the world.

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