Become a Self-Published Author
If you are reading this post, I assume you have already finished your book. Therefor you need to follow at least the first three following tasks in order to publish your book on Amazon.
1. Create Amazon Accounts
· Amazon KDP Account
If you do not have a KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) account, go to https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/ and sign up. This account is your main platform where you publish your books and manage them.
· Amazon Author Central Account
Author Central is a platform where you can share the most up-to-date information about yourself and your books with the readers. Go to https://authorcentral.amazon.com/ and join with your KDP Account. At this page you can add your biography, photos, blog, and videos. Before you join this page, you should have published your first book on your KDP, the above, account. (Image of my page here)https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books
https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/booksLog in to your author central, the above account, and click on the Author Page menu item. It will take you to your Author Page where your books are displayed for sale (Your information automatically appears on your author page about an hour after your author central account is verified) . On this page, you can include your biography, photos, videos, blog feeds and events information. Here, you have a chance to tell your readers about yourself and any other details your book customers might want to know. This page has a link you can share on social media in order to promote your books. The following link is my author page to give you an idea the appearance of this page: www.amazon.com/author/masonbalouchian. (Image of my page here)
2. Paperback Book
· Edit your book
Editing your book is itself a long process. Good writers usually edit their book many times. I have even heard some writer even edit their book close to a hundred times. Whether you edit your book yourself or have a professional do it, you must be satisfied with the content. You may also ask your family and friends read the book and say they feel comfortable with it.
· Format your book
Formatting your book also needs careful attention. You can either do it yourself in MS Word by watching tutorials Youtube or other internet resources or have it professionally done by an expert.
· Design cover
Now, it is time to design your cover. You can have a professional do the job or use Amazon cover creator which is free with very comprehensible tutorial. Follow the following link for tutorial: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201113520#jpeg
· Publish your book
At this stage, you have two files which must be in PDF format; cover design that must fit the template provided by Amazon, and the interior text. These two files are used for publishing your paperback book. Sign in to your KDP account, click the Bookshelf menu, select paperback with plus sign on the left side of your page, and follow the wizard.
3. e-Book, Digital Book
· Edit your book
Editing your book for digital publication would be the same as paperback.
· Format your book
Formatting for e-Book is totally different from that of the paperback. Please watch my tutorial on top of this post:
· Design cover
You can use the same cover you designed for the paperbak, but in JPG format.
· Publish your book
At this stage, you have two files. The interior text file that has been saved as “web filtered html, and a JPG file for the cover. These two files are used for publishing your digital book. Sign in to your KDP account, click the Bookshelf menu, select Kindle eBook with plus sign on the left side of your page, and follow the wizard. After you submit your book, it will take up to 72 hours for approval following which it will appear on your KDP account as live and ready for sale.
4. Promote Your Book
· Author Central Page
Sign in to your Author Central Page after your book is approved which usually happens 72 hours after you submit your book on KDP account. Select Books menu, Add more books link in yellow rectangle on the left side of the page and follow the wizard to add your book. Noww Remember to add both, Paperback and Kindle eBook separately. Now, select Author page menu to add your biography, blogs, events, photos, and videos as well. This is not you author page but the platform where you edit your author page. YOUR AUTHOR PAGE URL IS AVAILABE HERE FOR YOU TO CUT AND PASTE ANYWHERE TO VIEW AND PROMOTE YOUR AUTHOR PAGE.https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books
· Author Page
Cut your Author page URL from Author central and paste it into your browser to view your page. Following I provide an image of my Author Page for your review.
· Voice over video clip
· Voiceless video clip
There are many tutorials available on Youtube or other internet sources for learning how to make a Voice over video clip to promote your book, or you may have it professionally done. Here is an example of Voiceless video clip.