What Does “Self Publishing” Actually Mean?

Self publishing means you take charge of turning your finished novel into a book that people can buy. There’s no need for a traditional publishing company. You are the writer, editor, designer, and sometimes even the marketer. That might sound like a lot, but the steps are easier than they seem—especially with Amazon KDP.

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing is one of the most popular platforms for self publishing. It allows you to sell both digital books (eBooks) and printed books (paperbacks). The best part? You can use it for free, and you earn money every time someone buys your book.

Instead of sending your story to dozens of publishers and waiting for a reply, you get to decide when your book is ready. This gives young authors more control and quicker results. Plus, your book can be available to readers around the world within 72 hours of publishing.

There’s no guarantee of fame or fortune, but the learning experience is incredible. You’ll understand how books are made and gain confidence in your writing skills.

If you’re wondering where to start, don’t worry—we’ve got every step covered in the rest of this guide.

Step 1: Finish and Edit Your Novel

Before anything else, you need a completed story. Make sure your novel has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Once you’re done writing, it’s time to edit. Editing means checking for spelling mistakes, grammar problems, and confusing parts of your story.

Don’t try to do this all at once. Take a break after writing your book, then return to it with fresh eyes. You might spot plot holes or awkward sentences more easily. Some writers like to read their work aloud to catch errors.

If you can, ask someone you trust to read your book and give feedback. This might be a family member, friend, or even a teacher. Their suggestions can help you make your book even better.

You could also use free grammar tools like Grammarly to help spot common errors. However, don’t rely on them alone—they aren’t perfect.

Remember, the better your book is before publishing, the more people will enjoy reading it.

Step 2: Format Your Book for Amazon KDP

Amazon has specific rules for how your book should be formatted. This means organising your chapters, margins, line spacing, and font style so your book looks good on any device or in print.

The easiest way to format your novel is to use a free template provided by Amazon. These templates come in Word format and already include everything in the right order.

Make sure your chapter titles are clear and that each new chapter starts on a new page. Use a readable font like Times New Roman or Garamond, and keep font size between 11 and 12pt.

Don’t forget your title page, copyright page, and table of contents. These are all important parts of a professional-looking book.

You can also convert your file into Kindle format using Amazon’s Kindle Create tool, which is free to download and use.

Step 3: Design an Eye-Catching Book Cover

Your cover is the first thing people see, so make it count! A good cover should hint at your story’s genre and tone. For example, a spooky ghost story will look very different from a light-hearted comedy.

You can design your cover using free tools like Canva or Adobe Express. They offer book cover templates sized specifically for Amazon KDP. You can add your title, your name, and pictures that match your story.

Make sure the title is large and easy to read, even as a small thumbnail. You can also hire a professional designer if you want a custom look, but this is optional.

Amazon has its own cover creator tool, but it’s quite basic. Still, it’s a good place to start if you’re not sure what to do.

Whatever method you choose, always double-check your cover dimensions match Amazon’s guidelines.

Step 4: Set Up Your Amazon KDP Account

To publish on Amazon, you need a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account. It’s free to join and connects to your regular Amazon login.

Visit https://kdp.amazon.com and sign in. From there, you’ll be guided through the steps to create your author profile. You’ll also be asked to provide tax and payment information (this step may need a parent or guardian’s help).

Amazon uses this information to pay you royalties—money earned each time your book is sold.

Don’t worry, you only need to enter this once unless your details change. It might look complicated, but Amazon’s step-by-step process makes it quite easy.

Once your account is ready, you’re all set to publish your book!

Step 5: Upload Your Book and Fill in the Details

Now comes the exciting part! From your KDP dashboard, click on “Create a Kindle eBook” or “Create a Paperback.”

You’ll be asked to fill in your book’s title, subtitle (if you have one), author name, and description. Your description is very important—it helps readers decide if they want to buy your book.

Choose keywords that match your story. For example, if your book is about dragons, add “dragon adventure” as a keyword. You can also pick two categories that best describe your book’s genre.

Then, upload your manuscript and your book cover. Amazon will check the files for errors and give you a preview.

Use the preview tool to see how your book will look on Kindle devices and in print. If everything looks right, you can continue to the pricing section.

Step 6: Choose Your Price and Royalty Options

You get to decide how much your book should cost. For eBooks, most prices range from £1.99 to £9.99. Amazon recommends £2.99 as a good starting point.

You also choose your royalty rate—this is the percentage of the sale price you’ll earn. Amazon gives you the option of 35% or 70% royalties for eBooks, depending on your price and the country of sale.

For paperbacks, Amazon prints the book and subtracts the cost of printing before giving you your royalty.

You can set different prices for each country where your book is sold, or just let Amazon do it automatically.

Once you’ve chosen your prices, you’re ready to hit “Publish”!

How Long Does Publishing Take?

Once you click “Publish,” Amazon will review your book. This usually takes between 24 to 72 hours. They check that your content follows the rules and that the files work properly.

You’ll get an email when your book is live. From that point, anyone in the world can buy it from Amazon!

If you spot mistakes after publishing, don’t panic. You can edit your book and upload a new version at any time.

Just make sure to double-check your work before publishing so there are fewer things to fix later.

This is your moment to celebrate—you’re now a published author!

Can You Make Money from Self Publishing?

Yes, but it depends on several things. You’ll need to promote your book so people know it exists. This can include telling friends, sharing it on social media, or even making a book trailer.

Some authors earn pocket money, while others make much more. However, don’t worry too much about money—publishing your book is a big achievement on its own!

With time and experience, you might build an audience who looks forward to your next story.

Just like any job, it takes effort, creativity, and a bit of luck. Keep learning and improving as you go.

Success doesn’t happen overnight—but publishing is the first step!

A Final Thought

Publishing your novel on Amazon is like building your own bookshelf in the world’s biggest library. Your words matter, and they deserve to be read. Now that you know how to self publish, what’s stopping you?

Take your time, follow the steps, and believe in your story. You’ve got this!

What Do You Remember?

• What is Amazon KDP, and why is it useful for authors?
• Why is editing your book so important before publishing?
• What tools can help you design a book cover?
• What do royalties mean in self publishing?
• How long does it take for Amazon to approve your book?

Write your answers in the comment section below.

Related Topics

If you enjoyed learning how to self publish, you might want to explore other topics related to writing and publishing. Learning about storytelling, grammar, and cover design will help you improve even more. Don’t stop here—keep writing!

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-publishing
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle

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