The Self-Publishing Insider

Want to publish a book on Amazon? Use this tips from the self-publishing experts at Publish Pros

How to Publish a Book on Amazon

Writing a book is an incredible accomplishment, and one that takes an immense amount of time and effort. After all the mental and physical energy required to put your ideas onto the page, trying to understand the ins and outs of publishing a book on Amazon can seem overwhelming. To help make things easier for you, Publish Pros has put together a cheat sheet about how to publish a book on Amazon.

Before you go to Amazon and upload your book, make sure you have a book title and summary written, and a compelling book cover designed. Remember, this is the first impression people will get of your book. Make sure you give them something that draws them in and makes them want to learn more. You will need to upload these before your book can go live on Amazon.

Step #1: Create a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account

In order to publish your book to Amazon, you need to have an account associated with the publishing division. Go to the Kindle Direct Publishing site and log in with your existing Amazon account, or create a new account.

Step #2: Enter your personal and book information into your KDP account

Before you upload your book to KDP, you need to follow the on-screen prompts to add your personal and payment information. Once this is complete, you will be able to create, modify, and manage your book. Make sure your title and book blurb are compelling. Potential readers will only be able to see part of your book summary unless they click to read more, so make sure the part they see draws them in.

You will also need to enter keywords and Amazon categories, so people can search for your book. Think about who would want to read your book and what genres it most fits. These can be changed at any time, so don’t feel too much pressure to pick perfect ones immediately. Try experimenting and seeing which categories and keywords engage more potential readers.

Step #3 Upload your book and associated files

Your book will need to be in .epub format before uploading, so make sure it is saved with this file extension before uploading it to Amazon. You should also make sure the book has been edited and formatted to fit how you’re printing it, whether it’s an ebook, paperback, or hardcover. Having a book with professional-looking formatting that is free from spelling and punctuation errors makes your book appear more professional.

The same logic goes for your book cover. Don’t try to cut corners by creating a sub-par book cover–this is the first thing readers see, and they will notice if it looks like it was made in Microsoft Paint. Make sure it looks professional and like a book you would want to read if you saw it on the shelf.

Step #4 Decide on a price

In a previous blog, we talked in depth about pricing your book for publication. Most e-books are priced between $2.99 and $9.99, with paperbacks and hardcovers costing a bit more. Look at how much books in similar genres cost, and try to price your book accordingly. Pricing it too low might make people think it’s not worth buying; pricing it too high might make people not interested in spending that amount of money.

If you have a manuscript you’d like to self-publish, consider having Publish Pros handle the details for you. We can help you with every aspect of the publishing process, including editing and formatting your book, creating cover art, and everything else you need to publish your book. Contact us today to get more information!