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PUBLISHING WITH AMAZON
There are at least a half dozen different ways to publish a book with Amazon.
Most people think of Kindle Direct Publishing, but that’s just one of many options:
- Amazon has multiple imprints, such as 47 North. However, like most major traditional publishers, Amazon Publishing does not accept unsolicited manuscript submissions.
- Another way to publish with Amazon as your “publisher” is through the new Kindle Scout program. This option is based on reader voting, not solely on an editor’s decision.
- For those who would like to write fan fiction, there is Kindle Worlds.
- Kindle Singles is a competitive publishing option for certain kinds of shorter Kindle e-books.
- Anyone can self-publish with Amazon using Kindle Direct Publishing.
- You can also self-publish a paperback book with Amazon using CreateSpace.
- The Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) lets you publish an audiobook that will be available through Amazon.
AMAZON IMPRINTS
Amazon Publishing includes multiple imprints. However, they don’t currently accept unsolicited submissions.
- Montlake Romance for romance novels.
- Thomas & Mercer for mysteries, thrillers, and suspense.
- 47 North for science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
- Skyscape for teen and young adult.
- Amazon Publishing for nonfiction, memoirs, and general fiction.
- Lake Union Publishing for contemporary and historical fiction, memoirs, and popular nonfiction.
- Two Lions for children’s picture books, chapter books, and novels.
- Little A for literary fiction.
- Jet City Comics for comics and graphic novels.
- Grand Harbor Press for personal growth and self-help.
- Waterfall Crest for Christian nonfiction and fiction.
- Story Front for short fiction.
- Amazon Encore for rediscovered works.
- AmazonCrossing for translated works.
You can learn more at Amazon Publishing here:
KINDLE SCOUT
Unlike Amazon Publishing, Kindle Scout is open to submissions from US authors. Categories currently include:
- Science fiction and fantasy
- Romance
- Mysteries, thrillers, and suspense
- Action and adventure
- Literature and contemporary fiction
You submit a complete copy-edited, never-before-published manuscript with at least 50,000 words. Readers will nominate books based on the first 3000 words (and the cover, title, description, and your biography). Nominations help you earn consideration, but having the most nominations by itself doesn’t guarantee acceptance. They stress that they are looking for professional, copy-edited manuscripts. If accepted, they pay a $1500 advance and 50% royalty (less than KDP’s 70% royalty, but perhaps the stamp of approval will help authors make up the difference).
You can learn more about Kindle Scout here:
https://kindlescout.amazon.com
KINDLE WORLDS
You can publish fan fiction through Kindle Worlds.
Learn about Kindle Worlds here:
https://kindleworlds.amazon.com
Once there, click See All Worlds and How It Works. Make sure that you adhere to the content guidelines and rules, otherwise you’ll have wasted your time and effort.
KINDLE SINGLES
You can publish a shorter e-book, with 5,000 to 30,000 words, with Kindle Singles, if it is “exceptional ideas–well researched, well argued, and well illustrated.”
This is a competitive process, and you submit your idea much like submitting to a traditional publisher or agent. In addition to an exceptional idea, they may also be considering the marketing aspect, much like a traditional publisher would, and why you should be the one to write book. (If someone else has better qualifications to fulfill that role, what’s to prevent them from asking a more qualified candidate to write a similar book? Nothing, really. You can copyright the words, but not the general idea that you’re trying to get published.)
KINDLE DIRECT PUBLISHING
Anyone can self-publish an e-book on Amazon with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP):
Read Amazon’s free guide, available in PDF form, before you publish. Also, preview your book carefully on each device before you publish.
https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A2MB3WT2D0PTNK
Click on the Kindle Tips link at the top of my website for more free help.
CREATESPACE
Anyone can also self-publish a paperback book on Amazon with CreateSpace:
If you’re writing your book in Word, click on the Microsoft Word Tutorials link at the top of my website for free formatting help (e.g. with page numbers and headers).
AUDIOBOOK CREATION EXCHANGE
Learn more about creating an audiobook with the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX):
Chris McMullen
Copyright © Chris McMullen, Author of A Detailed Guide to Self-Publishing with Amazon and Other Online Booksellers
- Volume 1 on formatting and publishing
- Volume 2 on marketability and marketing
- 4-in-1 Boxed set includes both volumes and more
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