Have you just finished working on your book? Whether you’re a first-time author or a seasoned one, wrapping up your book is a milestone that deserves to be celebrated. Book writing may seem like a piece of cake for many, but only authors truly understand the effort and dedication it takes to pen a book down.

While you may think that the toughest part is over, what follows next can be tough to navigate. Publishing isn’t as simple as it seems, especially if you’re a first-timer. Usually, authors are caught up with choosing their publishing route and then wonder how much to publish a book on Amazon or other platforms.

If you’re someone who’s going for self-publishing and needs help with how much does it cost to self publish on Amazon, we’ve got your back. Here’s all you need to know about it.

What Options Can Authors Select from for Publishing?

Before we dive into the details of how much does it cost to self publish a book on Amazon, here are the two publishing options authors can pick from:

1. Traditional Publishing
2. Self Publishing

Let’s understand them both in detail.

1.    Traditional Publishing

Traditional publishing has been the general route authors have opted for since books came into existence. In this route, authors look for a publisher or publishing house to publish their books. As a result, these experts print, publish, and distribute it on various channels.

The problem with traditional publishing is these experts get the publishing rights to the book. And the authors will get the royalties from each sale. However, that happens once the book has sold enough copies.

2.    Self Publishing

As the name implies, self publishing is when authors publish their books themselves, so they don’t have to go through the trouble of searching for a publisher for that. They do it on their own on platforms, such as Amazon, that support self publishing.

When authors go about this route, they get the chance to keep most of the proceeds to themselves, making it a highly profitable option for them. To save themselves from the hassle of managing things alone, they just hire self publishing services to streamline things.

Some popular platforms for self publishing books include:

1. Amazon KDP
2. Barnes & Noble Press
3. Apple Books
4. PublishDrive
5. Rakuten Kobo

How Much Does Amazon Charge to Publish a Book?

Amazon self-publishing costs actually depend on the choices you make or the options you choose. As you may know, Amazon is one the largest platforms for self publishers, and it provides interested individuals with two options:

• Kindle Direct Publishing
• Amazon’s Print-on-Demand

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is the platform’s option for authors who want to publish their eBooks, whereas Amazon’s Print-on-Demand (POD) is for those who are publishing paperback books. When choosing KDP, you don’t have to worry about paying any price as publishing eBooks is free. So, authors can allot their prices and earn royalties according to the sales.

However, keep in mind if you avail additional services, such as cover design, book editing, or more, they can add to the costs. On the other hand, if you opt for Amazon’s Print-on-Demand (POD) service, you get the opportunity to present your book to the world without paying any upfront charges. Therefore, when anyone purchases your paperback book, the platform will print it and ship it as per the demand.

The author of the book will then earn royalties based on the book’s list price minus printing costs. One thing to be wary of is that although publishing on Amazon is free, there can be costs associated with extra services, such as professional editing, cover design, book marketing, or other optional services that authors go for to boost their book’s quality and visibility.

What Are the Benefits of Selling Self Published Books on Amazon?

When authors are considering selling self published books on Amazon, they are likely to consider two things: the cost to self publish on Amazon and if doing so is beneficial. While having an idea of how much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon puts things into perspective, knowing there are various benefits of doing so can be eye-opening.

So, here is a list of pros to keep in mind if you’re still pondering over how much is it to publish a book on Amazon.

1.    Simple to Use

One of the biggest benefits of utilizing Amazon to sell your self-published books is the hassle-free process. Amazon is hands down a popular platform for selling your books, but the question that arises is, do self published books sell? Well, they do, but how?

The truth is that using Kindle Direct Publishing is a piece of cake and allows authors to ditch the hassles of traditional publishing. As a result, you don’t have to stress about working with a publishing expert or getting rejected by a publishing house.

All an author needs is their manuscript, a stunning book cover, and, of course, an active internet connection to publish and sell their books.

2.    High Royalties

Currently, everyone can’t stop gushing about the high royalties that Amazon provides, and we can understand why. A first-time, traditionally published author typically gets paid a royalty of roughly 10% of each book sold.

This implies that they will only receive $1 if the book sells for $10. Apart from that, the publishing house determines the royalty rates, which range from 8% to 25%. Considering the amount of work and effort that goes into writing, this isn’t sufficient.

However, considering that Amazon is already one of the largest online marketplaces, its royalties are up to 70%.

3.    Complete Control

Do you want complete control over every aspect of your book publication? Then, self publishing on Amazon is the perfect solution for you. With this route, you can have total control over various aspects of the process, especially the creative bit and costs.

In simpler words, you get to select the book content, cover design, title, and other details because there’s no one to prevent you from taking control; the ball is in your court. Moreover, you can also keep a check on the costs and save yourself from spending a fortune on publication. You can save printing costs and spend on other crucial areas of book production.

4.    Speedy Production

Are you fed up with how lengthy and exhausting traditional publishing can be? Then, you’ll be pleased to know that self-publishing on Amazon is a quick process. Instead of spending a good amount of time dealing with the production with traditional publishing, you can speed up the process with this solution. Plus, you don’t have to stress about the added Amazon self publishing costs. As a result, you don’t have to wait for months for your book to reach the audience.

5.    Expanding Your Audience

It is no secret that Amazon is one of the largest book marketing platforms in the digital world. So, publishing your book through Kindle Direct Publishing implies that your book will be easily accessible to all the users of this platform, which is a huge audience.

Since it’s a global audience in a digital space, it allows authors to publish their books, regardless of their location, while ensuring anyone around the world can read them. You can further target readers and market your book using Amazon Ads.

6.    Audiobook Version

One of the undeniable benefits of using Amazon to sell your self-published books is that you get the opportunity to sell an audiobook version of your books, irrespective of what services you’re using. This can be done with the help of Audible, which is the company’s subsidiary.

Therefore, through this, individuals can sell various versions of the book to a vast audience on just one platform, making it highly convenient for readers.

How to Sell Self Published Books on Amazon?

Are you wondering how to sell your books on Amazon after self publishing them? The entire process of publishing your book on this platform is pretty straightforward, especially if you have the right experts to guide you.

However, there are some tips you can utilize to boost the sales of these books. They are as follows:

1. Optimize Your Book Listing
2. Get a Professional Cover Design
3. Request Reviews
4. Promote Your Book

Let’s discuss these in detail.

1.    Optimize Your Book Listing

Are you creating the book listing on Amazon? Then, don’t forget to pick a title that appeals to the readers and grabs their attention. In addition, focus on drafting a highly compelling book description that gives readers an insight into what your book contains, luring them in to give your book a read.

A brilliant tip to maximize your efforts is to choose keywords that effectively align with the theme, genre, and topic of your book, as it will make it easy for readers to come across your book.

2.    Get a Professional Cover Design

When readers notice a book, they can’t really tell what’s on the inside unless it has a lovely cover wrapped around it. An appealing book cover can do wonders to attract readers and compel them to read your book.

When done right and professionally, it can effectively capture the essence of your book, helping it stand out from the others on the platform. So, make sure you get your book cover designed by a creative and capable expert.

3.    Request Reviews

Reviews can come in handy for establishing trust and credibility amongst potential readers regardless of where you are publishing your book. Whether a reader is reading your book online or purchasing a copy of it, chances are they will go through reviews on trusted platforms like Amazon.

So, get in touch with your readers and request them to leave honest reviews for your book on its Amazon page. You can communicate with them through social media platforms, your author’s website, or by simply dropping them at the end of your book.

4.    Promote Your Book

If you’re not leveraging promotional channels to market your book, you’re missing out. So, start using social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., to share teasers, updates, and engaging posts for your book.

You can also get your author website designed so your readers can learn more about your books as well as you as an author. Consider building an email newsletter to keep your readers informed about new releases, promotions, or exclusive content.

Just keep in mind that establishing a presence for your book on such a popular platform as Amazon will require time, dedication, and consistent effort, so it’s best to remain patient.

Are you ready to self-publish your book? Don’t you think you can handle this on your own? Get the professional help you need from one of the leading firms—Global Ghost Writers.

Global Ghost Writers takes pride in being one of the most esteemed ghostwriting companies in the United States, which specializes in providing self publishing services on some of the most popular platforms, including Amazon.

Besides publishing services, our experienced team of knowledgeable writers, editors, designers, etc., offer writing, editing, proofreading, formatting, illustrations, and other services.

Reach out to us to get your book published without any stress.