Amazon KDP and the Start of My Self-Publishing Journey

The journey to becoming a published author is fulfilling. As with most journeys, there are bumps in the road and decisions to make. The first major decision is whether to pursue traditional publishing or to self-publish. Not only can it take much time to submit queries to literary agents during the traditional publishing process, but there are other factors. I wanted full creative control of my manuscript and book cover, so self-publishing made sense for me.  

Which Self-Publishing Platform to use?

There are many self-publishing platforms to choose from. The following four platforms are among the most popular (Best self-publishing companies to keep an eye on in 2024, n.d.).:

Amazon KDP - https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200620010

Apple Books - https://authors.apple.com

KOBO - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/p/writinglife

Barnes and Noble Press - https://press.barnesandnoble.com/self-publishing-services

I will cover the pros and cons of each service in another blog, but by following the links above, information can be found about each program.

¨     Amazon KDP

To date, I have exclusively published with Amazon KDP. It is a major player in the self-publishing industry, especially for eBooks (McErlaine, 2024). The process to get started is easy, though time-consuming. After setting up an account, I navigated the system to upload my manuscript and book cover. A chart explains royalties so you can set your price and understand how shipping will apply to printed books. Within each account is a dashboard titled ‘Bookshelf’ where all your titles are listed and their status. There is also a section where reports can be pulled and accessed for data. Do make sure to research the pros and cons of purchasing your own International Standard Book Number(ISBN) and decide if you want a custom barcode on printed books.

¨     Paperback and Hardback Manuscript Templates

I mentioned above that uploading my manuscript and book cover was easy. It’s because I took the time to ensure I understood the specifications. KDP has many resources that can help you through this process. The following can be used to access manuscript templates:

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834230.

I was able to copy my existing manuscript and paste it into a template, making the process simple. Before doing this, you must decide what trim size you want. If you need more clarification, research your book genre to get an idea of standard sizes. 

¨     Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins 

While on the topic of trim sizes, here is a link to more information on setting trim size, bleed, and margins: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GVBQ3CMEQW3W2VL6. I found this resource to be of particular help when publishing a children’s novel that involved many illustrations.

¨     Book Cover Calculator and Templates

When designing your book cover, the cover size must align with the trim size. The following link will assist with finding the correct dimensions so the book cover can be sized properly before uploading to KDP: https://kdp.amazon.com/cover-calculator.

I could write all day about the things I have learned. Hopefully, the steps above will get you started.

Stay tuned for more detailed information on the steps above and more valuable information that a self-published author needs to consider. Remember, taking this journey is much more than writing if you do it yourself without hiring professionals. Be prepared to write, edit, design, and market the book, and understand ISBNs, barcodes, SEO, and more. 

References

Best self-publishing companies to keep an eye on in 2024. (n.d.). Publishing.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024, from https://www.publishing.com/blog/best-self-publishing-companies

McErlaine, B. (2024, January). E-Book Publishing in the US. Ibisworld.com. https://my.ibisworld.com/us/en/industry-specialized/od4579/companiAmazon KDP Made the Self-Publishing Journey Easy for Me