Self-Publishing On Kindle: A Budding Author’s Guide to KDP Select

Are you an aspiring author? KDP Select might be the golden opportunity that gets you the audience and income you deserve.

It’s common for writers to dream of getting published one day. Fortunately, becoming an author is no longer a difficult feat to achieve.

Why? 

Because of platforms like Amazon’s KDP Select.

KDP Select is an exclusive Amazon program that gives budding authors a platform to reach more people and earn higher royalties. After all, books that are part of KDP Select are added to the Kindle Unlimited library for the next 90 days. 

Sounds good, right?

Well, before you jump at the chance of joining the KDP Select Program…

Discover what KDP Select could do for you and how exactly could a new author take advantage of this program.

Why Budding Authors Should Use KDP Select

Budding authors could definitely benefit from the features of KDP Select. Here are three good reasons why new authors should take advantage of this Amazon program.

Reason #1 – Ability To Tap Into a Wider Audience

The KDP Select program is available through Kindle Unlimited.

This means your book won’t just be available within the United States and the United Kingdom. Readers from across the globe like those in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, India, and Japan could read it, too!

Reason #2 – High Royalty Fees

Royalty fees for KDP Select vary per country. But rest assured that you’d get at least 35% and up to 70% of your book’s sales price.

Plus, Amazon will still pay you for the number of pages a customer reads for the first time, no matter how long it takes. That’s even if your 90-day enrollment with KDP Select is already up.

And that’s not all!

You can also earn via the KDP Select Global Fund that is set aside for authors in the KDP Select Program. You’ll earn more if there are more people joining Kindle Unlimited. Note that exact earnings vary depending on how long your book is and how many people have read it.

Reason #3 – Free Promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals

KDP Select members can get their books promoted in two ways:

You can opt for a free book promotion where Kindle readers can get your book for free for a limited time.

Or, you can choose the Kindle Countdown Deals that offer a promotional discount for your book while you’re earning royalties.

A Word of Caution

Before moving on to the guide, let me also tell you about the possible disadvantages of taking part in the KDP Select Program. These include the following:

Disadvantage #1 – Amazon’s Exclusivity

One of the biggest advantages of KDP Select could also be its biggest disadvantage.

What do I mean by that?

Well, joining KDP Select means you can’t publish with other companies. This means there’s a limit to the number of readers your book would reach for as long as you are enrolled in the program.

Disadvantage #2 – Inability to Hit Bestseller Lists

Amazon’s exclusivity also prevents you from hitting other bestselling lists.

So, if you dream of being awarded as a bestselling author by several organizations, KDP Select might not be for you.

Disadvantage #3 – Long payment wait time

You would have to wait for 60 days after the end of the month sales for your royalties to become available to you. 

That’s why if you’re going to depend on your royalties for living expenses, I suggest you keep an emergency fund. Particularly for the first two months of your membership on KDP Select.

How To Get Started with KDP Select

If you’ve made up your mind to join KDP Select, here are the steps to follow.

  1. Write an Interesting Book

If you’re planning to join KDP Select, the first thing you have to do is to write a book. You can’t be an author without one!

  1. Enrol in KDP Select

Go to the website: https://kdp.amazon.com/.

Sign up for an Amazon account (if you don’t have one already). Then, go to the Marketing Page and enrol your eBook.

  1. Put in the Details

This is a crucial part of your KDP Select journey. You must be able to input the following information before publishing your book:

  • Your Book File in epub format
  • A cool and attractive book cover in jpeg or tiff format
  • Relevant Keywords and Categories that will make it easier for your potential readers to find your book
  1. Set Your Price

After uploading your book, its cover, and inputting all the necessary details about your work, you need to deal with pricing.

The most important thing you need to consider when pricing your book is this:

Amazon gives a 70% royalty rate for books with prices ranging from $2.99 to $9.99. And anything outside that range will yield a royalty rate of 35%.

So, think about your pricing really carefully.

  1. Publish and Monitor Your Progress

Now is the moment of truth! 

Before clicking the publish button, allow yourself to check everything one last time to make sure nothing is amiss. And then…

Publish your book!

Once that’s done, you can monitor your sales and how many people ordered your book by going to your Sales Dashboard.

But remember, it will take a while before your book catches anyone’s attention. So, just sit back, relax, and wait for Amazon to work its magic!

Or better yet…

  1. Write another eBook

To increase your chances of earning through the KDP Select program, why not write another possible bestseller?

Maybe you could write about the sequel to the first book you wrote…

You could write a biography or your own autobiography…

Or perhaps you could finally write about the hobby you’ve been doing for the longest time.

Whatever that is, I am certain it would be another smash hit!

Kickstart Your Kindle Publishing Business

Joining KDP Select might just be one of the best decisions you could ever make as a budding author. It will allow you to tap a wide audience while letting you earn higher royalties.

But to tell you the truth, this is just one part of building a successful Amazon KDP business.

If you want to maximize your earning potential through Kindle Publishing, simply join my upcoming webinar.

Let me help you start your Kindle Publishing business from scratch.

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