Most people who have been in the self-publishing game for a while will tell you the toughest thing to do it in is simply get started. This is true of many new undertakings in life. Naturally, you might have some doubts about the entire affair, and you might be hearing that maybe it’s too difficult to break through the way you envision it. There will always be naysayers and you have to put them out of your mind. The Print On Demand world is stronger today than it ever was and shows no signs of going away anytime soon. Amazon KDP remains an excellent option to get passive income while doing what you love most: writing.

It’s More Than Just Making A Book

However, as with anything, it has certain “negatives”. Most articles will tell you all the positives first and then toss in the “by the way, this could also happen…” part. We do not see these challenges as negative, however, nor as drawbacks. They are simply things that might make the road a little rough sometimes so let’s look at them first.

It is true that selling books on Kindle isn’t all flowers and sunshine. The platform in general also has some challenges so publishing via Amazon KDP is no different. Learning the ins and outs of making a profit with KDP could take some practice. While submitting a book to Amazon only takes a few minutes, writing and listing the book might be a daunting task. This is especially true if you have little writing experience and are unfamiliar with how online marketplaces operate.

If you are a beginner, you will most likely need the assistance of other specialists such as editors, proofreaders, cover designers, photographers, and so on. You may even require Kindle SEO assistance to optimize your listing.

You vs. Every Other KDP Publisher Out There

You are also not the only person out there and competition can be fierce. Amazon is enormous. While this provides self-publishers with access to millions of readers, it also means that you will face stiff competition.

As a self-publisher on KDP, you must understand the necessity of narrowing your focus and become acquainted with the concept of keyword research. Finally, in order to outperform your competitors, you may need to use Amazon Ads in your promotional strategies.

The Limitations of Certain Formats

Also, depending on what you produce, you might not be able to work in every format you initially imagined.

For example, paperbacks are not eligible for pre-orders. When you’re a well-known author, Amazon pre-orders are an amazing approach to generate buzz for your book. Unfortunately, pre-orders for paperback copies are not available on Amazon. Anyone interested in purchasing a physical copy of your book will have to wait until it is published. And in terms of interactive offerings, currently there is not a lot of offer. Authors who produce eBooks have the option of including widgets and other interesting features in their text. Unfortunately, Amazon’s interactive capabilities for eBooks are somewhat restricted in this ability. If you want to engage readers with smart media, Amazon might not be the greatest place to do so.

The Fine Print About the 70% Royalty

When it comes to profit margins, while you can make money from your work through KDP the 70% royalty arrangement is not suitable for everyone. Many self-publishers chose Amazon because of its 70% royalty programs without being aware that there is a criterion they must complete before qualifying. For example, the 70% program is only available for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99. You will not be eligible if you price your book higher (which applies to ebooks).

Finding That One Underserved Niche

High competition on KDP is frequently a source of concern for new publishers. Finding a profitable niche within a high-selling category, creating captivating cover pages, and strategically using keywords in your book’s title, subtitle, and description will help you rise above the noise. There is always a market sector that is underserved, but you won’t have to worry about competition if you can spot it and organize your book launch accordingly.

Challenges – Not Roadblocks to Overcome, but Problems to Solve

None of the things listed above are deal-breakers.

See how easily we can cast aside such doubts? They might be hurdles but none so high that you cannot jump over them with grace; ahead of you lays the good stuff. There was a time when writers would pursue publishing houses in the hopes that one of them would pick up their book. This is no longer an issue thanks to Kindle Direct Publishing.

Amazon KDP provides a straightforward user interface that includes helpful prompts, demonstration videos, forums, support centers, and FAQs. There’s no need to be concerned if you’ve never published a book before. Amazon will walk you through the entire procedure step by step. You can get your book published in a couple of hours.

As a self-publisher, you want your book to be widely available. This is most likely Amazon’s strongest suit. No competition comes close to matching its massive consumer base. You can also choose the areas you want to sell your book with the press of a button. You may even choose which distributors to collaborate with directly from your Kindle dashboard. After you’ve published your book, you can use Amazon Ads to make it visible to readers.

As a Kindle author, you can sell both electronic (eBooks and audiobooks) and physical copies of your book. For publishers, Amazon is virtually a one-stop shop. All you have to do is submit your manuscript, and it will handle the rest, printing and sending your book at your leisure. KDP provides larger royalties than the majority of self-publishing services. On each ebook sale, if you match the criteria we already mentioned, you can earn up to 70% in royalties. Unless you choose to sell your books through Amazon’s Expanded Distribution Network, you will receive a set 60% royalty rate on print books.

Reliable Payment Structure

In terms of when you’ll see real money, Amazon pays you once a month, sixty days after the end of the sales month. For instance, if you sell ten books in January, you’ll be compensated in March. While this results in a lengthy initial wait, things move quickly after that. You may be confident that the payments will be released on time.

On the back-end of your sales, you have powerful analytic access. One of the most significant advantages of publishing a book on Kindle is the ability to track sales statistics and alter your marketing plan accordingly. Amazon KDP provides an easy-to-use dashboard that displays your daily sales, earned royalties, Kindle Unlimited activities, and much more. This information might help you understand what your readers are responding to and how your marketing tactics can be improved to increase sales.

Complete Control, Fast Publishing Time

If you’ve ever approached a traditional publisher, you’re aware of the numerous requests they make before agreeing to publish a book. Everything from the book’s cover to its substance might be contested. As a result, you can’t expect your work to be published unless you completely satisfy them. Amazon KDP addresses these concerns. You have complete creative control over your book as an indie author on Kindle. You may collaborate with reviewers, designers, editors, and others, but you always have the final say. And if you have your manuscript ready, you can publish your book listing in less than 72 hours. Amazon KDP has the book publication process down to a few easy steps that everyone can follow.

So now you see that this will take some work. But that’s good. What in life isn’t worth some effort? But it’s not impossible, it’s not difficult, and it certainly isn’t vanishing. Create your work and get it out there!