Amazon KDP for Beginners: Where to Start

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and Making Money with Books on Amazon KDP

Amazon KDP gives anyone the opportunity to become an author and earn income from books without needing a traditional publisher, literary agent, or upfront investment. The platform is free to use, and your book can reach millions of readers worldwide.

In 2025, KDP continues to dominate the self-publishing space, accounting for roughly 67% of the market. This guide will help you understand the fundamentals and take your first confident steps toward publishing on Amazon.

What is Amazon KDP? Self-Publishing Explained for 2025

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is Amazon's self-publishing platform. Authors upload manuscripts, and Amazon sells them in its store, paying royalties on each sale.

How the system works

You create a book and upload the files to the platform. Amazon lists the book in the catalog and handles all sales. Printed books are sold using print-on-demand technology: the book is printed only after you order it.

You don't pay for publishing, storage, or shipping. Amazon takes a commission on each sale and pays you royalties.

What books can be published?

Kindle e-books are read on Kindle devices and in apps.
Paperback books are printed on demand.
Hardcover books are a premium format.

Genres and formats: fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, children's books, comics, low-content books (planners, coloring books, magazines).

Real Income Potential: What Beginners Actually Earn on KDP

Income on KDP ranges from zero to six figures per month. Results depend on the niche, quality of the books, marketing, and number of publications.

Realistic Expectations for Beginners

Beginning authors earn an average of $150-300 per month after the first 6-12 months of work. This is with 10-20 books and a basic understanding of marketing.

Experienced publishers with a portfolio of 50-100 books earn $2,000-5,000 monthly. Top authors earn $10,000-50,000 and more.

It's important to understand: most books sell fewer than 100 copies in their entire lifespan. Success requires a systematic approach, not luck.

Income structure

E-book royalties: 35% or 70% of the price (70% for $2.99-$9.99 books).
Royalties for printed books: 60% for books over $9.99, 50% for books under $9.99.
Kindle Unlimited pays out by the page you read (approximately $0.004-0.005 per page).

Amazon KDP for Beginners: 5 Steps to Your First Sales Without Mistakes

A step-by-step plan for beginners that will minimize mistakes and speed up the path to your first sales.

Step 1: Choose a direction

Decide what type of books you want to create:

Low-content books—planners, journals, coloring books. Low barrier to entry, no writing skills required. Ideal for starting out.

Non-fiction—practical guides and self-improvement books—require expertise or research, but enjoy steady demand.

Fiction—novels and short stories—require a writer's talent and time, but they create a loyal audience.

For your first experience, low-content books or short non-fiction guides are recommended.

Step 2: Research the market and choose a niche

Don't create a book on a random topic. Research the market before you begin.

Use Amazon search to analyze your competitors. Look at your BSR (Best Seller Rank)—the lower the number, the better your sales. Read competitor reviews to understand what readers are missing.

Ideal niche: sufficient demand (books with BSR below 100,000), moderate competition (less than 10,000 search results), opportunity to stand out with quality or a unique angle.

Step 3: Create your first book

Don't strive for perfection on the first try. The goal is to go through the entire process and gain experience.

For a low-content book: Use Canva to create the pages and cover. Create a simple planner or journal of 100-120 pages.

For nonfiction: write a short book of 10,000-15,000 words on a topic you understand. Organize the information into practical chapters.

A cover is critical to sales. Study the covers of best-selling books in your niche and create one that's similar in style but unique.

Step 4: Register on KDP and publish

Create an account at kdp.amazon.com . Fill out your tax information (Form W-8BEN for non-US residents) and payment details.

Upload your manuscript and cover. Fill in the book information: title with keywords, a compelling description, 7 keywords, and 2 categories.

Set the price and click "Publish." Your book will appear on Amazon within 24-72 hours.

Step 5: Promote and scale

Publication is just the beginning. Without promotion, a book will remain invisible.

First steps in marketing: ask friends and family for honest reviews, optimize keywords based on search data, consider Amazon Ads for paid promotion.

Scaling: Don't stop at one book. Create new publications, test different niches, and analyze the results.

Essential Toolkit: Must-Have Resources for KDP Success

A basic set of tools for a budding KDP publisher.

Free tools

Canva — low-content book cover and interior design.
Kindle Create – Manuscript formatting from Amazon.
Google Docs - writing and editing text.
Kindle Previewer – checks how a book will display on devices.

Paid tools

Book Bolt ($9.99/month) – niche research, design, puzzle generation.
Publisher Rocket ($199 one-time fee) – Keyword and category analysis.
Grammarly — check grammar and text style.

Beginner Pitfalls: 5 Critical Mistakes New Authors Make

Avoid these mistakes to speed up your path to success.

Mistake 1: Ignoring Market Research

Creating a book without analyzing demand is the main reason for failure. Research the niche before you start working on your book.

Mistake 2: Poor quality cover

The cover is the first thing a buyer sees. An amateurish cover is a turn-off, even if the content is excellent. Invest time or money in professional design.

Error 3: Lack of optimization

Without the right keywords and categories, your book won't appear in search results. Learn Amazon SEO and optimize every element of your listing.

Mistake 4: One book and waiting

A single book rarely generates significant income. KDP is a portfolio business. Plan to create a series of books to generate a stable income.

2025 Platform Updates: What's Changed on Amazon KDP

Latest platform updates you need to know.

Royalty reduction for printed books under $9.99 - now 50% instead of 60%.
Mandatory disclosure of AI content upon publication.
Limit 3 books per day per account.
New EPUB and PDF formats for DRM-free books from January 2026.
Discontinuation of support for the MOBI format.

Stay tuned for Amazon policy updates to adapt your strategy.

Amazon KDP is a real opportunity to build a revenue stream from book creation. The platform is free, the barrier to entry is low, and the growth potential is significant.

Success requires a systematic approach: market research, quality content, continuous optimization, and scaling. Start with a simple project, gain experience, and grow.

The first step is to register at kdp.amazon.com and explore the interface. Your first book could be published in as little as a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Amazon KDP and how can I make money with it?

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is a free self-publishing platform for publishing e-books and print books. Revenue comes from royalties on each sale: 35-70% for e-books and 50-60% for print books. Additional revenue comes from the Kindle Unlimited program, which offers pay-per-page pricing.

What's the best book to start with on Amazon KDP for a beginner?

Beginners are recommended to start with low-content books: planners, journals, or coloring books. They don't require writing skills and can be created in a few hours in Canva. An alternative is a short nonfiction book of 10,000-15,000 words on a topic you're knowledgeable in. The key is to go through the entire publication process.

How long does it take to start making money on KDP?

A realistic timeframe for achieving significant income on Amazon KDP is 6-12 months with consistent work. During this time, you should publish 10-20 books and learn the basics of marketing and optimization. The first sales may appear within the first few weeks, but a stable income requires time and a growing portfolio of books.

Do you need money to start on Amazon KDP?

Getting started with Amazon KDP is completely free. Registration and publishing are free. You can create the cover and interior design in the free Canva. However, investing in paid tools (Book Bolt, Publisher Rocket) and professional covers will speed up results and improve the quality of your books.