Get Published on Kindle – How To

Getting Published for Kindle

Scott Straub

Ebooks are rapidly replacing printed books in today’s digital world. Amazon, and its Kindle, have made it easy for anyone to become a published author and start earning money from each downloaded sale. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program allows aspiring writers to get a foothold in the publishing world without the use of expensive publishing houses. Whether you are writing for pleasure or profit, you can get your writing pieces published in no time by following these steps:

• Register – Every author or user must have their own account. Amazon’s KDP program (kdp.amazon.com) is where to register. If you already have an existing Amazon account, login using your current user name and password. If not, simply click the sign up button to get started. There is no cost to register. Keep in mind, there is a profit-sharing model with Amazon, so be familiar with the rules.
• Write Your Ebook – There are open source (free online) software that can help authors create an outline if needed. Whether fact or fiction, any piece of writing can be turned into an Ebook. While Amazon recommends Ebooks be at least 5000 words, there are many examples of Ebooks with less than 3000 words. The key is to provide great content for readers. Don’t forget to include your book cover, credits, testimonials, and any other graphics. Also, as an author, be familiar with legal issue associated with your writing. A sure way to drown the dreams is by violating plagiarism and reproduction rights. A conversation with an attorney is a wise decision in authorship.
• Upload Your Masterpiece – Expensive software isn’t needed. Amazon accepts Ebooks in many formats. The preferred is Word’s DOC or DOCX; HTML, Mobipocket, ePub, Plain Text (TXT), Rich Text Format (RTF), and Adobe PDF. Under the KDP site, it even provides tools and resources to preview what your Ebook will look like on a Kindle or other formats. This promises uploading a perfect Ebook for readers.
• Get Paid – Once your Ebook is finalized and uploaded, select your price point. You can sell your Ebook for as little as 99 cents. Authors make “royalties” from Amazon in exchange for Amazon selling the Ebook. Author royalties fall under two programs of either 35 or 70 percent. There are benefits and barriers to each. For example the 35 royalty program doesn’t deduct costs for file size of the Ebook, where authors are charged 15 cents per megabyte a reader uploads under the 70 percent program. More can be read on the KDP site under “Getting Paid.”
• Promotion – This is the final and most important piece to making money. Introduce your book to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and blog readers. Consider sending out press releases or providing sample chapters. Include the book title and link in your email signature. Promotion is the bread and butter of your writing success.  Consider the many ways to promote your Ebook and choose two or three methods, and work those methods consistently. A happy following can turn an unknown author into an overnight sensation.

HOW TO PROMOTE AN EBOOK

• Introduce through Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs
• Add the title and link to an email signature
• Write a press release
• Notify people if you update your book
• Provide sample chapters
• Provide a PDF download through other sites that can be sold
• Become a public speaker on the topic