Self-publishing: Free Amazon Kindle eBook Self-publishing

Name: Self-publishing: Free Amazon Kindle eBook Self-publishing
Rating: 4.6 (189 reviews)

Self-publishing: Beginner Amazon Kindle eBook self-publishing: Free self-publishing

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Created byBrian Jackson, Writing a Book, Self-publishing an Amazon Book, Book Marketing, Microsoft Word, Grammarly, KDP and ChatGPT AI

Last updated 7/2014

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Correctly format an ebook using Microsoft Word
Publish your ebook on Amazon using the KDP web interface

Course content

8 sections • 55 lectures • 3h 51m total length

Why Self-publish?4:30
A review of traditional publishing vs self-publishing shows that there are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches but that self-publishing wins out in the end when compared with it's older sibling.
An Overview of the Self-Publishing Process2:38
An overview of the self-publishing process from the writing of the manuscript through the money generated through sales on Amazon
Where to Self-publish4:17
Where to self-publish? KDP, Nook Press, Smashwords, CreateSpace, and ACX, in that order.

-or-

Join the Kindle Select program and publish only through KDP, CreateSpace, and ACX.
What this Course Covers2:06
A brief description of the course contents.

Why Use Microsoft Word?1:55
A discussion about why I recommend using Microsoft Word to format your documents and a quick aside look at the Navigation Bar and how to display it.
Displaying Formatting Characters1:05
A brief overview of displaying formatting characters.
Replacing Invalid Characters2:12
Getting rid of tabs and replacing the -- with an em dash.
Formatting the Document Pt. 1: Modifying the Normal and Header 1 Styles5:12
A discussion of how to set styles for the body of your text, chapter headers, bold, italic, and underscored text.
Formatting the Document Pt. 2: Applying the Styles4:03
Learn how to apply our style formatting to the document.
Formatting the Document Pt. 3: Page Layout2:41
Although it's probably trivial, we address the page layout, and although it's definitely not trivial, we focus on page separators.
Formatting the Document Pt 4: Title Pages and Author Notes7:14
An example of using a well formatted document to cut & paste a title page and about the author page into your manuscript (see the Microsoft Word template at the end of this document for an example).
Adding a Table of Contents2:36
Add a Table of Contents to your manuscript.
Some Formatting Tricks5:56
How to format the title page and chapter titles.
Reviewing and Saving Your Work2:55
We review the manuscript formatting process and then save our work for publication.

Enter the KDP Select Program5:06
In this lecture I describe the pros and cons of entering the KDP Select program and conclude with the recommendation that you conduct your own 90 day experiment with the program.
More on KDP Select6:55
In this lecture I provide up-to-date information on my own research and experience regarding the KDP Select Program
KDP Select Status Update: 6/12/20155:25
KDP Select drives a majority of activity, with loans making up about 52.59% of book movement and contributing roughly 44.83% of revenue, indicating loans are a major driver.
KDP Select Status Update: 9/20/20156:24
Analyze August royalties to compare standard sales with Kindle edition normalized pages read under the KDP Select program. See page reads and rentals generate revenue, supporting enrollment in KDP Select.
Choose a Title People Can Find9:30
In this lecture I describe techniques that can be used to define a book title that people are actually searching for.
Where to get Kindle Spy0:53
Instructions for purchasing and installing the Kindle Spy plug-in for the Chrome and Firefox browsers.
Always Specify a Subtitle2:46
In this lecture I explain why you should always consider using a subtitle on your book and further discuss techniques for identifying applicable search keywords.
Always Write a Series4:42
In this lecture I explain why it's preferable to always write short books in a series.
Maintain Your Edition Number1:18
In this lecture I explain how to set your edition number and when and why you should increment it.
Specify an Impressive Publisher3:23
In this lecture I discuss the creation of appropriate fictional publisher names to include on your book description page.
Copywrite Your Book Description8:32
Use tried and true ad copy writing techniques to write a book description that grabs attention, develops first interest then desire and concludes with a call to action.
Enhance Your Book Description with HTML Markup7:48
In this lecture I discuss punching up your book description using HTML markup to include bold and italic text and other formatting elements to make you book description more interesting and effective.
Only Use One Book Contributor: You1:25
In this lecture I explain why it's best to only have one book contributor, which would be you.
Why You Should Write Your Book in English3:04
In this lecture I point out that the majority of the Kindle books sold are in English.
Never Specify an ISBN Number2:02
In this lecture I explain why ISBN numbers just don't matter any more and why you shouldn't waste time or money trying to get one for you eBook.
Enhance Public Domain Work4:06
The work you're publishing is probably not in the public domain, but here I provide a few pointers for those publishing public domain work.
Choose Categories to Become a Bestseller9:34
Choose two deeply nested Kindle categories with low competition to improve visibility, using Kindle Spy to evaluate options and request hidden categories from KDP support.
Specify Age and Grade Ranges for Children's Books2:12
In this lecture I explain the benefits of specifying Age and Grade Ranges for books targeting readers age 18 and below.
When to Release for Preorder1:36
In this lecture I explain why, as a new author, releasing for preorder is a waste of time.
What to Do for a Book Cover4:46
In this lecture I present 3 options for obtaining a book cover: 1) Use the online book creator, 2) Use the GIMP to create a book cover, 3) Purchase a book cover off Fiverr or Elance.
Using the Online Book Cover Creator3:56
Learn to use the online book cover creator to build and customize a cover for Amazon product pages, from image selection and title author entry to previewing and publishing.
Uploading and Reviewing Your Book Interior4:49
In this lecture I explain how to upload your previously formatting book interior and some section you might want to include at the end of your book.
Why You Should Not Enable Digital Rights Management3:03
Choose not to enable digital rights management to avoid alienating readers, since DRM is permanent copy protection that can deter sales; state in the book description that DRM is disabled.

Selecting Your Publishing Territories0:12
I don't have a lot to say here except that you'll probably be specifying All Territories.
Price Your Book to Optimize Revenue18:19
In this lecture I explain why you should set your royalties rate to the maximum of 70% and set your book price to $2.99.
Always Enter the Kindle MatchBook Program1:33
Enroll in the Kindle MatchBook program to offer the ebook for free when a paperback is purchased, boosting goodwill and enhancing your Amazon description.
You Have Little Choice But to Allow Lending of Your Book1:36
Enable kindle lending to receive a 70 percent royalty, as lending lets a purchaser borrow your book for up to 14 days; the option becomes greyed out at 70 percent.

Publishing and Modifying a Book2:57
Navigate the KDP dashboard to manage books from drafts to live listings, edit details and pricing, enroll in KDP Select, and monitor sales.
CreateSpace, Reviews, Free Promotions and Your Next Book9:28
Publish your book on CreateSpace, Amazon's print-on-demand platform, by formatting manuscript and uploading a cover for sale, then use free Kindle Select promotions and reviews to fuel your next book.
Monitoring Sales in KDP2:16
Monitor daily and month-to-date sales in the kdp reports page, review per-book units, refunds, borrows, and price matching, and export data to spreadsheets to track monthly earnings.

Publishing a Book Via KDP Pt. 1: General Information9:08
A review of the initial steps involved in publishing via the KDP web interface.
Using the Book Cover Editor3:56
How to use the Amazon online book cover creator to produce your book cover.
Publishing a Book Via KDP Pt. 2: Uploading and Reviewing4:49
Information on uploading your well formatting Microsoft Word document for publiscation.
Publishing a Book Via KDP Pt. 3: Setting Price, Etc.4:38
A discussion of pricing and the $2.99 sweet spot is provided.
The Description Revisited4:28
Writing your description and formatting it for added impact using HTML markup.
Category and Keywords Revisited4:12
A review chapter in which we emphasize the importance of providing good categories and keywords for your book.
Kindle Select Program4:54
A discussion of the pros and cons of entering the Kindle Select Program.

Requirements

A PC or a Mac
Microsoft Word
A Working Knowledge of Microsoft Word

Description

This course was recently updated with 23 new lectures adding 2 hours of content explaining how to fill in every Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) field while publishing your content in order to optimize your sales on Amazon. This new content takes the course well beyond simply filling in some fields on a web form by explaining how I publish books to maximize profits. Marketing your book should begin well before you publish it, but how you fill in the KDP fields to define your book's Amazon product page will determine whether your book blossoms or withers on the vine.

Who this course is for:

Anyone who would like to self-publish an ebook

Self-publishing: Free Amazon Kindle eBook Self-publishing

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction to Self-publishing4 lectures • 14min

Formatting Your Document Using Microsoft Word10 lectures • 36min

Using KDP to Publish Your Work - 2015 Update2 lectures • 5min

Step 1: Your Book23 lectures • 1hr 43min

Step 2: Rights & Pricing4 lectures • 22min

Step 3: After You Publish3 lectures • 15min

Conclusion2 lectures • 1min

Using KDP to Publish Your Work - Original 2014 Edition7 lectures • 36min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: