Amazon gives you two main routes: Kindle Direct Publishing for ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks, or Amazon KDP Print for hardcovers and special formats

Most authors use Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon's self-publishing platform. You upload a Word document or PDF, set your price, and Amazon handles printing and shipping when someone orders. You keep 35 to 70 percent of the sale price depending on your pricing tier and whether you use KDP Select, Amazon's exclusive distribution program.

The entire process — from account creation to your book appearing in the Kindle Store — typically takes 24 to 48 hours. You do not need an ISBN for ebooks on KDP, though you will need one if you want to sell print copies outside Amazon. KDP generates a free ISBN for print books if you let Amazon assign one, or you can buy your own from Bowker for around $125.

If you want hardcover options or need more control over the physical book production, Amazon KDP Print offers those features but with a longer setup process and higher per-unit costs. Most first-time authors start with the standard KDP ebook and paperback route.

Key Takeaways

  • You need a KDP account (free to create), a manuscript in Word or PDF format, a cover image at least 1000 by 1600 pixels, and a book description of 100 to 4,000 characters.
  • Ebooks publish within 24 to 48 hours; paperbacks take 5 to 7 business days for Amazon to review and approve before they go live.
  • You set your own price and keep 35 percent royalties on ebooks priced under $2.99, or 70 percent on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99.
  • KDP Select locks your book to Amazon for 90 days at a time but gives you access to Kindle Unlimited, where readers pay a monthly subscription and you earn from pages read.
  • You are responsible for editing, cover design, and formatting — Amazon does not provide these services, though third-party designers and editors are available for hire.

What you need before you start

Your manuscript must be in a format Amazon can read. Word documents (.docx), PDFs, and HTML files all work. Amazon provides a formatting guide, but the basic rule is simple: use a standard font like Times New Roman or Calibri, number your pages, and keep margins between 0.5 and 1 inch. If your formatting is messy, Amazon's converter may produce a poorly formatted ebook.

Your cover image needs to be a JPEG or PNG file at least 1000 by 1600 pixels. For paperbacks, the cover is more complex — it wraps around the book, so you need the front, spine, and back all in one file. Amazon provides a cover calculator tool that tells you the exact spine width based on your page count and paper type. Many authors hire designers on Fiverr or Upwork for $50 to $300 rather than design covers themselves.

Write a book description between 100 and 4,000 characters. This is what appears in the Amazon listing and is your main sales tool. Include the genre, the main character or topic, and why someone should read it. You can edit this after publishing, so do not overthink it on your first draft.

Setting up your KDP account and uploading your book

Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon account, or create one if you do not have one. Click "Create a new title." You will choose between ebook, paperback, or hardcover. For your first book, select ebook and paperback separately — they are two different products in Amazon's system.

Fill in the book title, subtitle (optional), author name, and description. Choose your primary category and up to two subcategories — these determine where your book appears in search results and browsing. If you write romance, pick "Romance" as your primary category and then narrow it further to "Contemporary Romance" or "Historical Romance." More specific categories have less competition.

Upload your manuscript file. Amazon converts it to Kindle format automatically. You can preview how it will look on different devices — phone, tablet, Kindle e-reader — before you publish. If the preview shows formatting problems, download the file, fix it in Word, and upload again. You can do this as many times as you need.

Upload your cover image. For ebooks, this is straightforward — just the front cover. For paperbacks, use Amazon's cover template tool to create a file that includes the front, spine, and back. If you are unsure about dimensions, the calculator handles it.

Pricing and royalty options

Amazon offers two royalty rates for ebooks. At 35 percent, you can price your book anywhere from $0.99 to $200. At 70 percent, you must price between $2.99 and $9.99, and your book must not be available cheaper anywhere else online — not on your own website, not on other retailers, nowhere. This is the KDP Select exclusivity requirement.

Most authors choose 70 percent and accept the exclusivity. The higher royalty rate and access to Kindle Unlimited (where readers subscribe monthly and you earn from pages read) usually outweigh the restriction. If you want to sell on other platforms like Apple Books, Google Play, or Smashwords, you must use the 35 percent rate and stay out of KDP Select.

For paperbacks, you set the list price, and Amazon calculates your royalty by subtracting the printing cost. A 200-page black-and-white paperback costs Amazon roughly $3 to $4 to print, so if you price it at $12.99, you might earn $8 to $9 per sale. The math is transparent in KDP — you see your royalty before you publish.

Publishing your ebook and paperback

Once you have uploaded your manuscript, cover, and description, review everything one more time. Check the preview on multiple devices. Read your description for typos. Confirm your pricing and royalty rate. Then click "Publish your Kindle ebook." Amazon processes it within 24 to 48 hours, and your book appears in the Kindle Store with its own product page and ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number).

For the paperback version, create a separate title in KDP. Upload the same manuscript but use the paperback-specific cover template. Set your list price. Amazon reviews paperback submissions more carefully than ebooks — they check that the file converts properly and that the cover meets their standards. This review usually takes 5 to 7 business days. Once approved, your paperback is live and available for order.

Your ebook and paperback are separate products with separate ASINs and separate sales pages. Some readers will buy the ebook, others the paperback. You can link them together in KDP's dashboard so they appear as related editions, which can help discoverability.

Understanding KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited

KDP Select is a 90-day exclusive agreement. You promise not to sell your ebook anywhere else — not on Apple Books, not on your website, not on Smashwords. In return, you get access to Kindle Unlimited and the ability to run free promotions.

Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service where readers pay $11.99 per month for unlimited ebook downloads. When a Kindle Unlimited subscriber reads your book, you earn a share of a monthly pool. The pool size changes monthly, but in 2024 it is typically $40 to $50 million split among all KU books. If your book is read 100,000 pages in a month and the pool is $50 million, and all KU books combined were read 100 billion pages, you earn roughly $50,000 times (100,000 divided by 100 billion), or about $50.

KDP Select also lets you run free promotions for up to 5 days per 90-day period. You can offer your book free to drive downloads and visibility. Many authors use free promotions to build their audience, then charge for the next book in a series.

You do not have to use KDP Select. If you want to sell on multiple platforms, stay out of it and accept the 35 percent royalty rate instead.

After your book is live: marketing and updates

Publishing your book is the first step, not the last. Amazon's algorithm favors books with sales velocity and reviews. You will need to drive your own traffic — through social media, email lists, book blogs, or paid advertising on Amazon's own ad platform.

You can update your book anytime. If you find a typo after publishing, fix it in your manuscript file, re-upload it, and Amazon processes the update within 24 to 48 hours. The same goes for your cover, description, or price. Changes take effect immediately for new purchases, though existing customers keep their original version.

Track your sales and royalties in the KDP dashboard. You can see how many copies sold each day, which countries your readers are in, and how much you have earned. Royalties are paid monthly to your bank account or Amazon account balance, usually around the 15th of each month for the previous month's sales.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an ISBN to publish on Amazon?

No. KDP generates a free ISBN for paperbacks if you let Amazon assign one. Ebooks do not need an ISBN at all. You only need to buy your own ISBN from Bowker if you want to sell your paperback through bookstores or other retailers outside Amazon.

How much does it cost to publish on Amazon?

It is free to create a KDP account and publish an ebook or paperback. You do not pay Amazon anything upfront. You only earn royalties when someone buys your book. If you hire a cover designer or editor, those are your own costs, not Amazon's.

Can I publish the same book on other platforms like Apple Books?

Yes, but not if you are in KDP Select. If you use KDP Select, your ebook must be exclusive to Amazon for the 90-day term. After that term ends, you can choose not to renew and publish elsewhere. Paperbacks are not affected by KDP Select — you can sell your paperback on Amazon and other retailers at the same time.

How long does it take to make money from my book?

Your book is live within 24 to 48 hours, but sales depend entirely on how much you promote it. Some authors sell their first copy within days; others take weeks or months. There is no may provide timeline. Most successful self-published authors treat marketing as seriously as writing.

What if I want to publish a hardcover?

Use Amazon KDP Print instead of the standard KDP ebook and paperback options. KDP Print supports hardcovers, dust jackets, and special paper types. The setup is more complex and per-unit printing costs are higher, so your royalty per sale is lower. Most authors start with ebook and paperback, then add hardcover later if sales justify it.