Self Publishing On Amazon: Kindle Direct Publishing Review 2021

About this video

This 2021 review assesses Kindle Direct Publishing, which the creator says began in 2007 and publishes ebooks and print books with no upfront cost in exchange for a revenue share. Authors can publish as many books as they wish under as many pen names as they wish, but only under one account. For ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99, the royalty is 70% minus distribution/delivery fees that vary with file size; outside that range it is 35% with no distribution fees. Accepted files include DOC/DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, HTML, RTF, TXT and KPF, with KPF created in the free Kindle Create software but readable only by KDP. He covers the KDP Cover Creator as a low-cost option he would not recommend for a serious business, and lists 13 distribution regions. KDP Select is described as a 90-day, ebook-only exclusivity program: enrolled books earn per page read in Kindle Unlimited, borrows influence Amazon Best Seller Rank, and some regions get 70% and extra promotions. For print, royalties are 60% minus printing costs, with the customer paying for printing on a sale and authors able to buy copies wholesale; Expanded Distribution pays 40% instead of 60% on sales outside Amazon through Ingram Content Group/Lightning Source. He advises using PDF for print interiors, notes white, cream and full-color paper options and a beta standard color option, and explains KDP pays 60 days after the close of each month by direct deposit, wire transfer or check, with different minimum thresholds for wire and checks. His verdict is that KDP is a good place to start, but authors should hire out cover design and formatting if treating it as a business and must market rather than publish and pray.

Key takeaways

• KDP has no upfront publishing cost; ebooks earn 70% minus delivery fees when priced $2.99-$9.99 and 35% outside that range.
• Publish unlimited books and pen names, but only under one KDP account.
• KDP Select is 90-day ebook exclusivity in exchange for Kindle Unlimited page-read pay, Best Seller Rank influence from borrows, and extra promotions.
• Print royalties are 60% minus print costs on Amazon, or 40% through Expanded Distribution; use PDF for print interiors.
• KDP pays 60 days after month-end, and the creator advises hiring professional cover and formatting help and doing your own marketing.

Episode details: published February 3, 2021 · 11:38 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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