How to upload an eBook to Amazon KDP | Kindle Direct Publishing 2023 Step-by-Step Upload Tutorial

Chapters:
eBook Upload 1:15
Series Data 3:42
Description 5:15
Keywords 6:06
Categories 6:33
Setting Pre-Order 8:01
Upload Manuscript 8:25
Upload Cover 9:50
Enter ISBNs 12:03
KDP Select 12:30
Set Pricing 13:20
Print Upload: 15:27
Print ISBN: 17:15
Color and Paper Type: 17:45
Print Manuscript: 18:15
Print Cover 19:00
Print Pricing: 20:30
FOR THE 2024 KDP UPLOAD TUTORIAL, WATCH HERE: • 2024 Amazon KDP Self-P...
Today I am going to show you show to upload and eBook and a print book to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP which gets your book on Amazon.com.
I’ve done tutorials in the past and it seems the day after I record how it all looks, Amazon changes something about their set up so I’m doing an update for this year.
What other questions do you have about Amazon KDP? I have an entire playlist of videos that you can check out and you can always leave a comment and i’ll respond as well.
**The service I reference in this video, FormattedBooks, has decided to close their doors. For anyone looking for a similar service, 100Covers now also offers interior file formatting: 100Covers: 100covers.com/?ref=49 **
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[@1MKWilliams]

The 2024 edition is up! : kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4SQpap6lrF9nrc Here is the link to all of my videos on how to self-publish with Amazon KDP: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnPdkpSjbs6LppY

[@salaudinmuhammad5379]

1:02 Love how you clapped back. LOL. Sending love from Brooklyn. Awesome channel always....

[@1MKWilliams]

You can tell it was bothering me lol

[@altheasherieel3724]

Thank you for taking the time to do this. I'm trying to figure things out. And this is very helpful 🙂 I just subscribed to the channel...

[@1MKWilliams]

Awesome! Thank you! Glad I could help :)

[@devakigroulx]

Thanks -very helpful!

[@1MKWilliams]

You're welcome!

[@FCSchaefer]

I am planning to upload the second book of my horror trilogy to Amazon today, and this video is the perfect refresher I needed before tangling with KDP again. On the first book I made it a preorder but was not paying attention and the paperback went live immediately. Decided to make it work for me by allowing ARC readers to post reviews before the official launch date. And thanks for the heads up about typos when entering the book's title. I will be cutting and pasting for sure.

[@1MKWilliams]

I'm so glad the video could help as a refresher. Congratulations on book #2 in your series! :)

[@IlanaRapp]

Thanks so much for this tutorial! QUESTION: For the Kindle ebook version, if I'm using .docx, is there any special format?

[@1MKWilliams]

With the .docx file you'll need to go through first to confirm all the line spacing and indenting is as you want it. When you preview the eBook file you'll see if anything is off and needs to be fixed before hitting publish.

[@loriarmstrong4941]

Thank you! As someone facing my first upload in only a month or so, It is really helpful to see the actual screen. Question: I don’t want preorders, and I do want to see a proof copy of the paperback before publishing. I want my paperback and ebook to go live approximately together. Am I correct in thinking I can do the paperback first, save it as “Draft,” order my copy, wait for it to come, then when I am ready, publish the paperback and ebook on the same day?

[@1MKWilliams]

Hi Lori! Wow congrats on getting your book to this point. Yes, with KDP upload the print book and save as a draft. Then you can select to order a proof copy (it will have the proof band on the cover)

[@BornTwyce4]

Great tutorial. Very helpful. Was your file that you uploaded a PDF file?

[@1MKWilliams]

Glad I could help. For the eBook I uploaded an ePub file, for the print I uploaded a PDF.

[@rileyraspberries]

Algorithm love for the awesome content creator! ... All I can see is the little location thing that says clearwater and Im so jealous LOL. Ugh.

[@1MKWilliams]

Thank you thank you!! Yes, beautiful weather down here right now. But we only get like two weeks of good weather and then it is swampy again.

[@garbo9951]

Hi MK, thank you for all of your videos. They have been invaluable. I’m getting ready to publish my first book. It’s a workbook and will be spiral bound, which Amazon doesn’t do. I’m planning to do an e version also on Amazon. Do I open a KPD account for the kindle version but does the print copy have to be outside of that account because I’m not using their print services? I’m planning to use a printer and ship myself. Does that prevent me from using any of their author support services? Also, I have illustrations from an illustrator from Upwork. When I send the manuscript for copyright do I just send the word portion or do I send it complete with all the illustrations in place? I have so many lists of details that need solving before this goes to the printer! 😮 thank you again. 🙏🏻

[@1MKWilliams]

Congratulations on your book. Okay, in this case you can absolutely still upload the ebook version to Amazon KDP, however if you intend people to write in the workbook do you really need a workbook? (One of my recent interviews on The Indy Author discussed this question). You could work with LuLu to do print on demand for the workbook, they distribute to Amazon and also integrate with Shopify. For the copyright you would set a limitation and specifically exclude the images. Happy to chat to go over these questions and more calendly.com/1mkwilliamsauthor/author-coach-consultation?month=2023-03

[@garbo9951]

Thank you so much MK. I’m going to save this link. I just finished my final pass with editor 1. He’s a friend, English and creative writing teacher that has not edited a book before. And have an expensive editor who I paid for first chapter just to see if we are on track. Im going to have her go through one more bit and then just stop. I’m a social worker headed for social security in a few years so I’m doing bits and pieces and watching a LOT of youtube! Once I get the walk and talk edit off my brain and get my graphic designer paid for the interior design and formatting and ebook formatting I think the next step would be a plan session with you. It just hit me maybe I make the spiral binding available with a little package of stuff as a special package only available on my website or something. Then it’s not so prohibitive. ( but I hate workbooks where you have to hold it open with your elbow as you try to write! 😂)I just watched one of your hour long videos that you did,as a seminar, and my head is spinning. More soon. Thank you. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🫶

[@user-du5fw5pd3u]

Thank you for all of this. I am a new author, but I went through Ingram spark. How to Launch My Book, says Ingram is only good for after you publish on KDP. Im confused. I had been asked about preorder and Ingram is so late with answering questions. So I understand now. So i ordered a print copy of my book. I did not know about ARC or printed proofs. Would it have made a difference? I ordered it for a 2 day turn around since my pub and distribution are May 11th. Can i push it out the like 13th so i have more preorder days?

[@1MKWilliams]

You CAN change your launch date but you should only do it once. Pushing it back 2 days may not be enough extra time depending on what you are trying to achieve with the new timeline

[@ulkeshkosh6164]

Hi MK, thanks for the video. I'm confused as to why the paperback royalty was $1.78 when the list price was $44.75 minus print cost of $25.07 is $19.68 x60% = $11.80. Do you know what other costs/charges are being applied? Thanks.

[@1MKWilliams]

Not entirely sure what other charges are being applied. When I initially priced the book before I even had it formatted the 37.50 I planned still gave me a solid royalty. I'm still trying to figure out the issues on the back end but of the print sales I've had on KDP I have received the $1.78 rate

[@ulkeshkosh6164]

@1MKWilliams Ah, okay, no worries. It's pretty weird isn't it.

[@Dianestefanofficial]

Can you please tell me who formats your books for you. I hired someone from upwork and it was a nightmere!

[@1MKWilliams]

100Covers does both covers and interior formatting: 100covers.com/?ref=49

[@user-du5fw5pd3u]

Also, I can I not use Ingram spark as my distributor on next book or republish this one on my own?

[@1MKWilliams]

You can use IngramSpark for the next book or use another aggregator.

[@BionicAnimations]

Very helpful. I have a question, though. If we upload our books to Kindle and if they're romances with sex scenes in them, do we have to choose 18 and up?

[@1MKWilliams]

You are given the option to flag the content as not for children or minors or as "adult content"

[@BionicAnimations]

@@1MKWilliams Thanks so much for replying so promptly! Are we required to make it adult content if there is sex in our romance books?

[@1MKWilliams]

@BionicAnimations yes, if it is open door romance then it is adult content.

[@BionicAnimations]

@@1MKWilliams Ok. Thank you for letting me know! I appreciate it! 🙏

[@ahmadmuniradib7700]

Hi MK, thank you for the video. I tried to upload mine. It is a colored version of an ebook. When it comes to the pricing page on the last page before actually submit for publication, I can see that there is a delivery cost(which I have no idea where it comes from) of 5.40usd. Can you explain on that? I opted for a 70% of the Royalty Plan. Thank you for the reply.

[@1MKWilliams]

If the eBook is a very big or heavy file, you said it was a full color book, that could be what is causing the delivery fee to be so high. perhaps if you reform the book so that it saves as a smaller file it will reduce the cost. Best of luck!

[@michaeloliver941]

G'day MK, I've written the manuscript in google docs and exported it as a .epub file. The problem is that I haven't got a working .html toc. I checked out the Amazon self publishing site where they only seem to support MS Word and Apple to embed the toc. I also considered using the kindle publishing app, but that again only supports windows and osx. The challenge I have is that I use a chromebook and android phone. Can you suggest a solution that will take my manuscript and add the required .html toc and create an .epub file? Cheers Michael ps. great tutorials and I don't think you speak too quickly.

[@1MKWilliams]

Hi Michael, the best option may be to work with a service so it can be formatted for eBook and Print: 100Covers: 100covers.com/?ref=49

[@michaeloliver941]

​@@1MKWilliamsbrilliant thank you

[@williamlaine2116]

I downloaded & installed Kindle Create. You seem to have gone to the website, instead. Is there any difference I should know about the method I chose? I have not uploaded a manuscript converted by Kindle Create yet, because I want to make sure that my document is complete.

[@1MKWilliams]

From Kindle Create you can convert your PDF document to the Kindle file needed to upload (this is ideal for illustrated books). If your book is primarily text then you can upload the .docx file without using Kindle Create.

[@chuckzigmanisthebest]

When I upload my cover for the KDP e-book, does that include the back cover? (Sorry for the silly question!)

[@1MKWilliams]

The eBook cover is just the front cover image

[@MeikaShanta]

What if the format keeps messing up? Is it because I’m not uploading it as a docx?

[@1MKWilliams]

Perhaps. Word can be glitchy. I'd try converting it to an epub first then uploading of possible

[@joaokurumada5377]

How you transform pdf for epub ? You use anh software ?

[@1MKWilliams]

I work with a company called Formatted Books, they have very reasonable prices and they save me from pulling out my hair trying to format my own books: formattedbooks.com/?ref=31

[@motionxmedia2]

Hello Mam! Can we insert Affiliate link in my ebook or not?? Means Amazon allow us to insert the affiliate marketing landing page link or not???

[@1MKWilliams]

Yes, you can put an affiliate link in your ebooks but you also need to add an affiliate disclaimer at the front of the book on your copyright page as well

[@hozozco]

So I got my first book up - yey! Now I'm trying to advertise through Amazon and they're having problems. I've registered my credit card and set it as the option for how I want to pay but I'm still being asked to set a payment method. I've had multiple emails from Amazon support saying they acknowledge my issue and they will correct it, but it's been nearly a week now. Amazon doesn't want to take my money? I'm sure it will get sorted eventually but OMG is it frustrating.

[@1MKWilliams]

Absolutely! Very frustrating and it is good you connected with their support team. Hopefully they get it fixed soon since they do indeed like taking our money lol. Congrats on your book!

[@hozozco]

@@1MKWilliams thanks. It’s got a great cover and blurb so I’m hoping it gets a good purchase rate from the ads. I’ve had reasonable sales from promoting on various related sites (it’s a queer sci fi) but sales are dropping off. I figure a little advertising is worth a try.

[@1MKWilliams]

@@hozozco definitely worth testing. Best of luck! Have you reached out to any booktubers who focus on sci f or queer fiction (or both?)

[@hozozco]

@@1MKWilliams no so much book tubers. I’ll have to have a look.

[@lizywhothefunkc]

Do you do author interviews?

[@1MKWilliams]

I don't regularly Interview other authors on my channel. I've only done a few with authors that I know personally who can speak to a topic I don't have an expertise in

[@sheenatink]

Have you figured out how to upload to Walmart ebooks?

[@1MKWilliams]

I am able to get distribution to Walmart for my books via IngramSpark.

[@nettie0376]

ohhh "prepaymen t" was indeed spelled incorrectly eek

[@MichaelSmittySmithScottsdaleAz]

Why do you use ingramspark? and Formatted books? I am publishing a real estate book for buyers and sellers to hand out when I meet new clients. I wrote 2 others on investing. Do I need a publisher like ingramspark? Also, why do you use the formatted books vs doing it yourself? Thanks Good work. I know youtube is more work than people think because I have a channel. Newbie trying to save money.

[@1MKWilliams]

Formatted Books does just that, they format my MS word document and turn it into a print-ready file or an ePub for me to upload. I use IngramSpark to distribute my print books outside of Amazon.com. I am listed with many different websites. Keep in mind that no everyone is loyal to Amazon. If you are handing out the books to clients you could work with a local printer to create a few boxes of them to hand out. IngramSpark is great but they are a very powerful tool for distribution.