Here are quick links to 33 Amazon publishing resources for self-publishers.
No need to hunt and search; simply bookmark this page and return when you need to find a key Amazon resource.
- Use the search box to find a topic or keyword.
- Click the arrows in the column header to sort.
| Type | Amazon Topic | Description | AuthorImprints Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Author Central | Add your biography, photos, blog, video, and tour events to the Author Page; track your book sales; get author help by phone or email. | Create and Enhance Your Amazon Author Central Page |
| Author | BookScan | BookScan Highlights give you an at-a-glance summary of your print book sales and how the current sales changed from that week. BookScan Highlights are updated weekly. | You see a map of the US showing print book sales by local region. |
| Author | Public Profile (sign-in required) | This links you directly to the instructions needed to edit your Amazon.com profile page which is separate from your AuthorCentral page. (Amazon account login required.) | If you write customer reviews of products, this profile will show when people click your name. |
| Author | Kindle Royalty Payments | Details about royalty rates paid to those publishing using KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). | The 2021 Guide to Amazon Fees and Royalties for Kindle eBooks and KDP Print |
| Author | Sales Ranking (Best Sellers Rank or BSR) | The Amazon Best Sellers calculation is based on Amazon sales of a product. It is updated hourly to reflect recent and historical sales of every item sold on Amazon. | Note: the lower the number, the better. |
| Author | Claim Copyright Infringement | Contact Amazon if you feel your copyright is being infringed upon by another seller. | For more information about copyright, see David Wogahn's Register Your Book. |
| Author | Buy paperbacks at a discount | How to buy copies of your paperback at a discount. Note that there is no author discount on eBook purchases. | Proof copies are ordered in a similar way. |
| Author | Royalties-how they are computed | How Amazon calculates royalties for eBook and paperback sales, delivery costs for eBooks, and calculations for books on sale. | The 2021 Guide to Amazon Fees and Royalties for Kindle eBooks and KDP Print |
| Marketing | Kindle Countdown Deals | Kindle Countdown Deals is a KDP Select benefit allowing authors to run limited-time discount promotions on their eBooks. | Amazon Expands KDP Select to Include Kindle Countdown Deals Benefit |
| Marketing | Free Book Promotion | You can choose to offer any book enrolled in KDP Select free to readers for up to 5 days out of each 90-day KDP Select enrollment period. | The Essential 5-Step Checklist for Running a Successful KDP Select Promotion |
| Marketing | KDP Select | This optional program provides promotion benefits and allows your eBook to be part of Kindle Unlimited in exchange for a 90-day exclusive sales arrangement. | Should You Use Amazon KDP Select or Distribute Your Book Wide? |
| Marketing | Amazon Advertising | Print and eBooks published on KDP are eligible to use Amazon Advertising. | Formerly called Amazon Marketing Services (AMS), Amazon Advertising is a pay-per-click advertising system similar to Google Ads. |
| Marketing | Kindle eBook Pre-Order | Kindle eBooks may be listed up to 90 days in advance of the release date. | Note that there is no pre-order option for paperbacks. |
| Other | Kindle Reading Apps | Kindle readings apps are free and work with virtually any device. Install the app to read Kindle eBooks. | You do not need a Kindle or Fire device to read Kindle eBooks. |
| Other | Kindle Unlimited | Amazon's eBook subscription program. Books enrolled in KDP Select are automatically part of Kindle Unlimited. | Kindle Unlimited, or KU, is like Netflix for books. |
| Other | Associates | Amazon's affiliate marketing program. When someone clicks on a specially coded link from your website and buys something from Amazon, you receive a commission. | Use these links with your book on your website to get an extra commission when someone buys your book. |
| Other | Timelines | Learn how long it takes for your books to be published or updated. And how long it takes for metadata changes to take effect. | Also see our page about publishing timelines. |
| Other | Unpublish and Deleting Books | How to unpublish, republish, or delete a previously published book on KDP. | When you unpublish your paperback, customers won't be able to buy new copies through KDP but third parties may still sell used copies of your paperback on Amazon. |
| Publishing | Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) | An audiobook creation and distribution platform that matches books with recording studios and voice talent. Also used to upload a finished audiobook to Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. | Also see our page about audiobooks. |
| Publishing | KDP Pricing Support | KDP Pricing Support analyzes past sales data for groups of books that have similar attribute values and maps the relationship between price changes and number of books sold. | How Much to Charge When Pricing a Self-Published Book to Sell on Amazon |
| Publishing | Create a KDP Account | Amazon's self-publishing portal for adding Kindle eBooks to Amazon bookstores worldwide. | Use an existing Amazon account or a new one. Have your tax and banking information handy before starting. |
| Publishing | Browse Categories; paperback and eBook | How to select categories for paperback and eBooks. | A Book Metadata Optimization Primer for Self-Publishing Authors and Businesses |
| Publishing | Keywords | How to select or update keywords for paperback and eBooks. | A Book Metadata Optimization Primer for Self-Publishing Authors and Businesses |
| Publishing | Amazon Publishing | This is the full-service publishing arm of Amazon with multiple imprints across several genres. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts at this time. | Amazon is also a traditional publisher with several imprints. |
| Publishing | Link eBook and Paperback | New print and eBooks are usually automatically linked so they appear on the same page. If it doesn't happen within about a week, contact Amazon. | If this doesn't happen automatically, use Author Central to request it. |
| Reviews | Community Guidelines for leaving reviews | Guidelines, policies, eligibility for leaving Amazon reviews; tips about writing great reviews. There is also a list of reasons a review is rejected or removed. | For more information about book reviews, see David Wogahn's The Book Review Companion. |
| Reviews | Customer Reviews | Explains circumstances when Amazon will remove reviews and policies regarding giving free books to readers and reviews by family and friends. | For more information about book reviews, see David Wogahn's The Book Review Companion. |
| Selling-Distribution | Advantage (currently closed to new publishers) | Advantage is a self-service consignment program that enables you to promote and sell physical media products directly on Amazon.com. | 10 Things Author-Publishers Should Know About the Amazon Advantage Changes. Additional advice is available on a consulting basis. |
| Selling-Distribution | Fulfillment by Amazon | With Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you store your products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and they pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service. | Frequently used by used book sellers. |
| Selling-Distribution | Look Inside the Book | Kindle and paperback books display a sample of the contents to shoppers. The default is 20% but authors can request a different amount to show. It depends on the format so click the link to learn more. | This is automatically handled for books that use KDP. It can take from 7 to 10 days depending on format. |
| Selling-Distribution | Seller Central (Marketplace) | An e-commerce platform that enables third-party sellers to sell new and used offerings on Amazon.com's fixed-price online marketplace alongside Amazon's regular offerings. | Amazon Advantage vs Amazon Seller Central (Marketplace) An FAQ |
| Tools | Kindle Previewer | See how your eBook will look before you publish it. | Available for PC and Mac. |
| Tools | Kindle Kids' Book Creator | Kindle Kids' Book Creator is a downloadable tool that helps you create illustrated children's books. | Available for PC and Mac. |
| Publishing | KDP and ISBNs | Kindle eBooks are not required to have an ISBN and print books are required to have one. Amazon has a free ISBN but you can use your own or buy one for $99. If you use the free ISBN, Amazon is your publisher and your paperback cannot be printed by any other printer. | See our article KDP Print ISBN Options or read David Wogahn's My Publishing Imprint. Available from Amazon here. |