Self Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing KDP
Amazon KDP
Self Publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon KDP) is Amazon’s self‑publishing platform that lets you publish your books directly to Kindle and its apps. It gives writers a simple way to share their work without going through a traditional publisher.
Over the years, self‑publishing has become much more accessible, and KDP has played a big part in that. It’s designed to be easy to use, so you can manage everything yourself, from uploading your manuscript to updating your book after it’s live.
There are plenty of benefits to using KDP. You can publish quickly, make changes whenever you need to, and earn more per sale compared to many traditional deals. Instead of giving up creative control or waiting months (or years) for a publisher’s decision, KDP lets you stay in charge and publish on your own terms.
Why Choose Self Publishing?
Self‑publishing comes with a lot of perks, and one of the biggest is creative control. You keep full ownership of your work, which means you get to decide everything, from the content and cover design to how your book is marketed, without having to follow a publisher’s rules.
It can also be more rewarding financially. Self‑publishing usually offers higher royalty rates, so you earn more from each sale. On top of that, it’s created space for a wider range of voices, including writers from marginalised communities and those working in niche genres.
Readers are becoming more open to self‑published books and often look for these fresh, different stories. If you’re excited to share your work and want to stay in control, self‑publishing can be a great choice.
Is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing just for Ebooks?
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing isn’t just for eBooks.
While KDP started with eBooks, it also lets aspiring authors publish paperback and hardcover books through print‑on‑demand. This means your book is only printed when someone orders it, so there’s no need to pay for large print runs or store inventory.
With KDP, you can:
- Publish eBooks for Kindle devices and apps
- Publish paperbacks
- Publish hardcovers
All formats can be managed from the same KDP dashboard, and you keep control over pricing, updates, and distribution. This makes KDP a flexible option whether you want a digital book, a physical book, or both.
Preparing Your Manuscript for KDP
Manuscript formatting essentials
Getting your formatting right is a big part of publishing successfully on KDP. Good formatting helps your book look clean and professional on Kindle devices and in print, which makes reading more enjoyable for your audience.
At a basic level, this means using a clear font, keeping spacing consistent, and setting margins properly. When everything looks neat and predictable, readers can focus on the story instead of being distracted by layout issues.
The good news is that you don’t have to do all of this manually. There are several tools, both free and paid, that make formatting much easier:
Formatting tools for KDP
- Amazon Kindle Create (Free)
Amazon’s own tool for formatting eBooks and paperbacks. It’s simple to use and designed specifically for KDP.
https://www.amazon.com/kindlecreate - Scrivener (Paid)
Popular with writers for drafting and organising manuscripts, with export options suitable for KDP.
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener - Vellum (Paid, Mac only)
Very user‑friendly and widely used for professional eBook and print formatting.
https://vellum.pub - Reedsy Book Editor (Free)
A browser‑based editor that formats your book to professional standards and exports ready‑to‑upload files.
https://reedsy.com/write-a-book - Atticus (Paid)
Web‑based software that works on any device and supports both eBook and print formatting.
https://www.atticus.io
Before uploading your manuscript, take time to proofread and edit carefully. Beta readers can help catch confusing sections, and a professional editor can polish your writing and fix errors you might miss. A well‑formatted, well‑edited book gives readers a better experience and sets you up for stronger reviews.
Crafting an Engaging Book Descriptions
Your book description is one of the most important parts of your KDP listing. Think of it as the moment where a reader decides whether to keep scrolling or click “buy”. A good description doesn’t need to be long or dramatic, it just needs to make someone curious.
Start with a strong opening line that pulls the reader in straight away. Then give a short, clear idea of what the book is about without giving too much away. It also helps to hint at who the book is for, so readers can quickly tell if it’s their kind of story. Speaking directly to the reader and focusing on what makes your book different can make the description feel more personal and inviting.
It’s also worth thinking about SEO when you’re writing your description. Using a few relevant keywords naturally can help your book show up in Amazon searches. For example, include your genre, themes, or the type of reader your book suits. The key word here is naturally. Don’t cram in keywords just for the sake of it. If the description starts to sound awkward or repetitive, readers will notice, and it can put them off.
A good tip is to look at bestselling books in your genre and see how their descriptions are written. You’re not copying them, just getting a feel for tone, structure, and length.
Above all, write for humans first and the algorithm second. A clear, friendly description that flows well will always do better than one stuffed with keywords. If it sounds like something you’d enjoy reading, you’re on the right track.
Setting up your KDP Account
Step-by-Step Account Creation
Setting up a KDP account is pretty simple and doesn’t take long. You’ll need to enter some basic details, like your name, email address, and payment information, so Amazon knows where to send your royalties.
Once your account is set up, you’ll see the KDP dashboard. It’s designed to be easy to use, and after a bit of clicking around, you’ll get a feel for where everything lives. This is where you’ll upload books, check sales, update details, and manage your titles, so it’s worth spending a few minutes getting comfortable with it.
One important thing to stay on top of is your account information, especially payment and tax details. Keeping everything up to date helps avoid delays with royalty payments and makes sure you can access all the features KDP offers without hiccups. A tidy, well‑maintained account makes the whole publishing process smoother and less stressful.
Choosing Your Book’s Pricing and Royalty Options
KDP gives you two main royalty options for eBooks: 35% and 70%. Choosing the right one means thinking about your pricing, your readers, and how you want your book to perform.
For most authors, the 70% royalty is the popular choice. To qualify, your eBook needs to be priced between £2.39 and £7.99. You’ll earn 70% of the list price, minus a small delivery fee based on file size. This option works well if you want to earn more per sale rather than relying on high volume alone.
The 35% royalty applies if your book is priced outside that range, such as 99p promotions or higher‑priced titles. Some authors use this intentionally, especially for the first book in a series, to attract new readers at a lower price point.
Pricing still matters a lot. Looking at similar books in your genre can help you find a price that feels right to readers. Too high, and people may hesitate. Too low, and your book might be overlooked or undervalued.
What about print books?
Printed books work a bit differently on KDP.
For paperbacks and hardbacks, Amazon first takes its cut, then subtracts the printing cost, and whatever is left is your royalty. This means your page count, trim size, paper type, and whether the book is black and white or colour all affect how much you earn.
In simple terms:
- Paperback royalty: 60% of the list price
- Hardback royalty: 60% of the list price
- From that amount, printing costs are deducted
For example (rough figures):
- If you price a paperback at £9.99
- Amazon takes 40%
- Printing might cost around £2.50–£4.00 depending on the book
- Your final royalty is what remains after print costs
When pricing your print book, it helps to look at similar titles in your genre and aim for a price that feels familiar to readers. Make sure the price covers the printing cost and still leaves you with a profit, as print books work very differently from eBooks. Avoid setting a low price just to match your eBook, as this can quickly eat into your earnings. Before publishing, it’s always worth using Amazon’s royalty calculator so you know exactly what you’ll earn at different price points.
Helpful resources
- Amazon KDP – Royalties Explained
https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200634500 - Amazon KDP – Printing Costs & Royalty Calculator
https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834330 - David Gaughran – Pricing Print Books on Amazon
https://davidgaughran.com/print-on-demand/ - Kindlepreneur – KDP Print Pricing Guide
https://kindlepreneur.com/kdp-print/
Getting pricing right takes a bit of testing, and that’s normal. Aim for a price that feels fair to readers, fits your genre, and makes sense once printing costs are taken into account.
Uploading Your Manuscript and Cover
The Upload Process Explained
Uploading your manuscript and cover to KDP is one of the final steps before your book goes live, and it’s more straightforward than it sounds. KDP walks you through the process step by step, checking along the way that your files meet their requirements.
KDP accepts several file formats, including DOCX, EPUB, and PDF, so you can choose what works best for how you’ve prepared your book. Before you upload anything, it’s worth doing a final check to make sure your formatting is clean and there are no obvious errors. This can save you a lot of back‑and‑forth later.
Once your files are uploaded, KDP’s preview tool lets you see exactly how your book will look on different Kindle devices and in print. Take your time here. Scroll through every chapter, check spacing, headings, page breaks, and your cover. If something looks off, you can fix it and re‑upload before hitting publish.
Finalizing Your Book Details
Once your manuscript and cover are uploaded, the next step is filling out your book’s metadata. This is basically the behind‑the‑scenes information that helps Amazon understand what your book is and who it’s for.
You’ll add things like your title, author name, and book description, along with keywords that help readers find your book when they search. Keywords matter, but they work best when they’re relevant and specific. Think about the phrases a reader might actually type into Amazon to look for a book like yours, and use those naturally rather than trying to cram in everything at once.
Choosing the right categories is just as important. Good categories help your book show up in the right places and reach readers who already enjoy that type of book. If your book fits more than one category, pick the ones that make the most sense rather than the ones that seem the most popular.
What Happens Next?
Amazon reviews your book
KDP runs a review check to make sure your book meets their guidelines. This includes:
- File quality and formatting
- Cover requirements
- Metadata (title, description, keywords, categories)
- Content compliance
This review usually takes up to 72 hours, though it’s often faster. During this time, your book will show as “In Review” in your KDP dashboard.
Your Book goes Live
Once the review is complete, your book becomes available for purchase on the Amazon stores you selected. You’ll see the status change to “Live”.
At first, the product page may look incomplete:
- The cover might take a little time to display properly
- The “Look Inside” feature can take several days to appear
- Search visibility builds gradually
This is normal. Everything settles over the next few days.
Amazon Starts Indexing your Book
Once your book is published, Amazon starts indexing it. This means the system begins to understand where your book fits on the platform. Your chosen keywords and categories start working, but visibility is not immediate. It can take a few days, and sometimes longer, for your book to appear properly in search results and category lists.
If you’ve published a paperback or hardback, you can order author copies at printing cost plus shipping. This is helpful for checking print quality, selling signed copies, or using them at events and giveaways.
Sales and page reads also begin tracking once the book is live. eBook sales will appear in your reports, and paperback and hardback sales start recording as they happen. If your book is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, page reads will begin counting too. Royalties do not show instantly, as reports update with a short delay, and payments are made around 60 days after the end of the month in which the sale occurred.
Publishing does not lock everything in permanently. You can still update your manuscript or cover, edit your description, keywords, and categories, adjust pricing, or pause and unpublish the book if needed. Any updates usually go through another review process and may take a day or two to appear.
