Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing on Amazon Revealed
Are you a new writer looking into publishing options? If so, you might have heard of Amazon's self-publishing. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has given writers around the world new choices.
But is this platform right for you or is it better to self-publish with Ex Why Zed? You need to think about several important factors. Some authors like the higher royalty rates and control that KDP provides. However, others feel worried about having to edit and market their new book by themselves or how much it costs to self-publish on Amazon. This blog will help you learn about all the pros and cons of self-publishing on Amazon, a platform popular among indie authors and publishers.
The Advantages of using Ex Why Zed versus Amazon KDP
| Criteria | Ex Why Zed | Amazon KDP |
|---|---|---|
| Expert Guidance and Support | Accessible, expert, and friendly advice with free file checks and preflights. | No personalised guidance; self-service platform with limited support. |
| Turnaround Time | Fast delivery: 3 days for booklets, 4 days for perfect bound books, 6 days for hardback books. | Faster publishing process but subject to delays in approval and distribution. |
| Sustainability | All papers are FSC certified and vegetable inks are used for litho jobs. | No specific mention of sustainability practices. |
| Print Quality | Finest digital and litho print with industry-leading equipment (HP Indigo, Heidelberg Litho). | Quality depends on the author's uploaded files; limited by the platform's print-on-demand service. |
| Customisation Options | Flexible custom options with a focus on professional printing practices. | Limited customisation options; mainly standardised templates and formats. |
| Customer Service | Replies in minutes from print experts. | Customer service is slower and less personalised. |
| Portfolio and Experience | 500+ case studies available, showcasing real work, with extensive experience since 2006. | No visible portfolio or proof of work quality beyond user reviews. |
| Budget Flexibility | Solutions for every budget with multiple quotes to fit your needs. | Pricing can be higher due to delivery costs and Amazon's share; no flexible quoting. |
| Paper Samples and Shipping | Free paper samples and free UK delivery; worldwide shipping at cost. | No free samples; shipping costs vary and are charged per digital file delivery. |
| Retention of Rights | You keep all rights to your print work and designs. | You retain rights, but exclusivity may be required if you join KDP Select. |
| Marketing Tools | No built-in marketing, but you maintain full control over all marketing efforts. | Access to Amazon Ads, but effectiveness depends on your marketing skills. |
| Distribution Reach | Printed books can be distributed worldwide; free UK delivery and cost-price worldwide shipping. | Wide global reach through Amazon but limited to their ecosystem; no access to other eBook platforms. |
| Sustainability of Business | Over a decade of experience, proving long-term stability and reliability. | Amazon KDP is newer and dependent on Amazon’s broader business model, which could shift. |
| Visibility and Competition | Competition is based on quality and service, with Ex Why Zed standing out for its bespoke printing. | High competition on Amazon; visibility relies heavily on marketing and initial sales performance. |
A quick guide to self-publishing on Amazon
Amazon is the largest bookstore in the world, holding a huge 60% share of the book market. A big reason for this success is its self-publishing service, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). KDP is easy to use for authors who want to publish their books independently.
With KDP, authors can share their work worldwide, which means more books and pages can be sold. Authors also have the chance to make more money from royalties, have control over their work, and reach a large number of readers.
Also read: Trends In The Publishing Industry For 2023
Why Choose Ex Why Zed for Self-Publishing?
🌟Accessible, Expert, Friendly Advice. If you haven't done this before, don't worry, we have!
👩💻 Free File Check and Preflight. We aim for perfection and will let you know if anything needs changing.
💃🏻 We Talk the Talk, But We Also Walk the Walk. ⏰ Replies in minutes from print experts, not days or weeks.
🌲 All Papers are FSC Certified. Sustainable printing guaranteed and we also use vegetable inks for litho jobs.
🚀 Fast Turnaround. Booklet delivery in 3 working days. Perfect bound books delivered in 4 and hardback books delivered in 6.
🏆 Finest Digital and Litho Print. HP Indigo and Heidelberg Litho - the best possible quality for short, medium and long print runs.
🖨️ Professional Printing process. Best industry practice, not a mickey mouse website where you throw JPGs at the screen then keep your fingers crossed.
🛠️ Flexible Custom Options. The answer is "Yes", now what is the question?
🖼️ Enjoy 500 Case Studies in our Portfolio. Not made-up CGI nonsense like the other sites have 🤣
😍 A Solution For Every Budget. We always quote for a range of quantities to help hit your target price.
🎁 FREE Paper Samples. Make the best possible choice from our extensive print options.
🌍 FREE UK Delivery. Your print will arrive by tracked courier, the day after it leaves us.
🌍 Worldwide Shipping at cost price from a network of couriers.
✅ Transforming Your Ideas Into Print Since 2006.
Start a conversation with us today on hello@exwhyzed.com or 01206 766647.
Why Choose Amazon for Self-Publishing?
Self-publishing on Amazon is one choice. It has millions of potential readers and an easy publishing process. Authors can take advantage of the wide global reach and strong tools provided by Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
It is a business decision you have to weigh up...more exposure and a bigger audience versus losing a higher percentage of your profit.
Amazon's global reach
Amazon has a big impact on the retail sector and also on the publishing industry. Books are Amazon's most popular product category, accounting for 57.2 million sales.
In the UK, Amazon holds about 50% of all print book sales, with 70-80% of online print book purchases happening through the platform. Notably, self-published books make up 31% of Amazon's eBook sales, highlighting the tremendous opportunities this platform offers to independent authors around the world.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a powerful tool for indie authors. It is the biggest publisher of self-published eBooks. With KDP, you can control your book's content, design, price, audience, and advertising. You can get your book on virtual shelves in just 72 hours after you upload your manuscript.
With KDP, your eBook will be available all over the world in Kindle stores. You can even earn royalties of up to 70%. If you join KDP Select, your book can be read by Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscribers, which helps you reach more readers.
What are the Pros of Self-Publishing on Amazon?
There are different pros to self-publishing on Amazon! We’ll explore each benefit in more detail, starting with creative control and flexibility, followed by ease of use, financial perks, powerful marketing tools, and so much more. So, stay tuned!
- Creative control and flexibility
One great benefit is your creative control and freedom as an author. You can lead your work. This includes designing the book cover, setting your book's price, and shaping its content. You don't have to change your true voice due to a publisher's edits or follow their marketing plans. Instead, you can have full control over your story and show it exactly how you want.
- Ease
Self-publishing on Amazon is really easy. You can upload your manuscript and pick your book format, like eBook or print. You can do all this with just a few clicks. You can also change your manuscript and upload a new version for free anytime you want!
- Accessibility
With Amazon, your published work can reach millions of readers worldwide. Amazon's wide reach helps ensure your book is seen by many different people worldwide.
- Securing Your Book Rights
Self-publishing on Amazon is different from traditional publishing via publishing houses. In traditional publishing, the publisher usually owns the rights to your book. But with self-publishing, you keep all the rights. You can manage your book rights and even buy copyrights for any artwork you include. This control lets you think about future options, like translations, audiobooks, or sequels. So, self-publishing is a great choice for authors who want to keep their book rights.
- Profit from Page Reads
One major benefit of Amazon's self-publishing program is that you can earn money for page reads through Kindle Unlimited. You get paid based on the number of pages read, even if the reader doesn't finish your book. This is helpful, especially for people with longer books.
- Fast-Track Your Publishing Process
Amazon's self-publishing makes it faster to publish your book. You can get your book out much quicker than with traditional publishing. Traditional publishing often comes with long waiting times.
- Higher royalties
As a self-published author on Amazon, you can earn more money than the usual 10% given by traditional publishing. Depending on where you are, self-published authors on Amazon can make about 60-70% of royalties on most book types. Here's a quick comparison to help you understand better:
| Self-Publishing with Ex Why Zed | Self-Publishing on Amazon |
| You set the cover price, sell through your own channels and keep ALL the profit. | Amazon takes a percentage of the sale. This is their payment for letting you list on their platform. |
- Kindle Unlimited and KDP Select benefits
By joining KDP Select, your book will be available to Kindle Unlimited (KU) subscribers. These subscribers can read unlimited books for a set monthly cost. When they read your book, you earn extra royalties depending on the number of pages read. This can be a good way to increase your income.
- Tap into Kindle Unlimited Subscribers
Kindle Unlimited has about 4.5 million subscribers worldwide. This means a big audience for your book. Having your book on Kindle Unlimited can help you reach more readers. This is especially true if you already have fans who read on Kindle.
- Access powerful marketing and promotion tools
Self-publishing on Amazon gives you special marketing tools and promotions. You can use Amazon Ads to make your book more visible. There are also tools that help you see how well your book is doing. Plus, you can run countdown deals and free book promotions. Another benefit is access to the Kindle Lending Library. All these features work together to help increase your Amazon sales.
What are the Cons of Self-Publishing on Amazon?
Self-publishing on Amazon comes with challenges like tough competition, limited distribution, and the need to manage production and marketing. Authors must also stay updated on Amazon's policies and handle potential costs. The sections below explore these issues in more detail.
- Increased competition
As Amazon's self-publishing platform gets more popular, more people join in the competition. There are millions of titles out there, so it's hard to stand out. Authors need to write a great story, design an attractive book cover, and pick good keywords. These steps will help them get noticed in a crowded search.
- Limited access to distribution channels
Amazon can reach many readers, but selling only on Amazon restricts your book's availability. This means your book won't be on other eBook platforms. It won't be on Apple Books, Google Play, or Kobo. This could limit how many people see your book.
- Taking charge of editing, formatting, and cover design
Being a self-published author means you have to handle editing, formatting, and cover design yourself. This extra work can be tough for authors who don't have the right skills or resources. If you choose to hire professionals, it will increase your expenses.
- Efforts needed for successful marketing
Successful self-publishing on Amazon requires good marketing. This means you need to run social media campaigns, connect with readers, go to author events, and use advertising services. For authors who are not used to these activities, this can be hard.
- Potential changes in Amazon's terms
As an author who self-publishes on Amazon, you need to pay attention to any changes in Amazon's terms and conditions. Amazon has changed its policies several times. These changes can affect how your book is classified, how easy it is to find, and how much money you make from it. So, it's important to stay informed about these updates to remain competitive.
- Visibility growth depends on the view count
Typically, to get more visibility, you need a lot of views or high sales. This is because Amazon's system pushes books that sell well. As a self-published author, it can be hard at first to reach that number of readers.
- Per-book payment for digital delivery
Finally, in digital publishing, authors must pay for each book they deliver based on the size of the file. If the files are larger or if the book has a complex design, the delivery costs can take a big chunk out of your profits.
Conclusion
The self-publishing journey gives authors many opportunities today. Ex Why Zed allows you to avoid the pitfalls of traditional publishing companies. Our speed means you will receive your books in a few days, delivered for Free within the UK after you have chosen all the options yourself and retained maximum control over the project. With Ex Why Zed, we will ship the books to you, or a distributor for fulfilment when the orders come flooding in. We can also send to an Amazon warehouse so you can list your books on the platform but take advantage of our much higher print quality, lower costs and attentive, expert customer service.
Deciding to self-publish with Ex Why Zed or Amazon depends on a few things. You need to consider your goals, how much work you want to do, your budget, and if you feel confident using just one platform.
For many indie authors, the benefits are usually worth it. Still, it's important to make a smart choice based on your situation. Keep in mind that every challenge you face can help you gain new readers and become a better self-published author on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make money self-publishing on Amazon?
Yes, you can make money by self-publishing on Amazon. The answer depends on many factors. You must put out quality content, have a solid pricing strategy, and effectively promote your book.
What is the 10% rule for KDP?
The 10% rule for Amazon KDP means that authors in the KDP Select program can't share more than 10% of their book's content anywhere else, including blogs or other websites.
Does KDP ever reject books?
KDP can reject books that break Amazon's rules. This can happen if the content is rude, not properly formatted, contains wrong information, or is a public domain book that is already on Amazon.
Can I sell my self-published book on Amazon?
Yes, you can sell your self-published book on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). KDP allows you to publish both eBooks and print books.
Can I self-publish a book on Amazon and other platforms simultaneously?
Yes. You can publish your book on Amazon and other platforms at the same time. But if you join KDP Select, you must make your eBook exclusive to Amazon for 90 days.
What are the best practices for Kindle eBook formatting?
The best ways to format your Kindle eBook are to use a clear font, organise chapters and headings well, include a table of contents, add page breaks after each chapter, keep footnotes to a minimum, and ensure images follow the guidelines. Kindle Create is a free tool from Kindle that makes this easier for writers.
