How to Get Your Book on Amazon: A Step-by-Step Guide

Everything You Need to Know About Publishing and Selling Your Book on the World's Largest Bookstore

Introduction

Amazon dominates the book market. It accounts for more than 50 percent of all book sales in the United States and an even larger share of ebook sales. If you are publishing a nonfiction book, getting it on Amazon is not optional. It is essential.

The good news is that the process is straightforward once you understand the steps. Whether you are self-publishing through Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or working with a hybrid publisher, this guide walks you through everything you need to know to get your book listed, optimized, and selling on Amazon.

Setting Up Your Kdp Account

Kindle Direct Publishing is Amazon's self-publishing platform. It handles both ebook and paperback (and hardcover) distribution. Setting up an account is free.

Visit kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account (or create a new one). You will need to complete your tax information and set up a bank account for royalty payments. Amazon pays royalties approximately 60 days after the end of each month.

Once your account is set up, you can start creating your first book listing.

Preparing Your Files

Before you upload anything, you need two things: your manuscript file and your cover file.

Your Manuscript File

For ebooks, Amazon accepts EPUB, MOBI, DOCX, and KPF formats. EPUB is the industry standard and generally produces the best results. For paperback and hardcover, you will need a print-ready PDF with proper trim size, margins, and bleed settings.

If you are not familiar with formatting requirements, this is where professional help pays for itself. Improperly formatted files lead to rejection, delays, and a poor reading experience.

Your Cover File

For ebooks, you need a front cover image in JPEG or TIFF format, at least 2,560 pixels on the longest side, with a height-to-width ratio between 1.6:1 and 1:1.

For print books, you need a full wraparound cover (front, spine, back) as a PDF. The exact dimensions depend on your trim size and page count. Amazon's cover calculator tool generates a template with the correct spine width.

Creating Your Book Listing

When you click "Create" in your KDP dashboard, you will walk through three main sections: book details, content, and pricing.

Book Details

This is where you enter your title, subtitle, author name, description, keywords, and categories.

Title and subtitle: Enter these exactly as they appear on your cover. Mismatches can cause problems.

Description: This is your sales copy. Write it to sell, not to summarize. Use the techniques covered in our guide on writing book descriptions that convert.

Keywords: You get seven keyword phrases (up to 50 characters each). Choose phrases that readers actually search for. Think about the problems your book solves and the language your target audience uses. Do not repeat words already in your title or subtitle.

Categories: Amazon lets you select up to three categories (called Browse Categories or BISACs). Choose categories that are specific enough to give you a real chance at ranking but broad enough to have meaningful search traffic.

Content Upload

Upload your manuscript and cover files. Amazon's previewer tool lets you review how your book will look before publishing. Check it carefully. Look for formatting issues, missing images, weird page breaks, and font problems.

For print books, pay attention to margins. Text that runs too close to the edge looks unprofessional and can get cut during trimming.

Pricing and Royalties

For ebooks, you choose between two royalty plans:

• 35 percent royalty: Available at any price point from $0.99 to $200.00
• 70 percent royalty: Available for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99

Most nonfiction authors price their ebooks between $4.99 and $9.99 to qualify for the 70 percent royalty. This is the sweet spot for maximizing both revenue and readership.

For print books, you set a list price and Amazon calculates your royalty based on the printing cost (which depends on page count, trim size, ink type, and marketplace). You can use Amazon's royalty calculator before publishing to model different price points.

Publishing And Going Live

Once you have completed all three sections, click "Publish." Your ebook will typically go live within 24 to 72 hours. Print books may take a few additional days for the proof review process.

After your book is live, verify that everything looks correct. Check the listing page, preview the "Look Inside" feature, and confirm that your description and categories are displaying properly.

Optimizing Your Amazon Listing

Getting your book on Amazon is the first step. Optimizing your listing is what drives ongoing sales.

Amazon SEO

Amazon has its own search algorithm (called A9). The factors that influence your book's ranking include:

• Relevance: How well your title, subtitle, keywords, and categories match what shoppers search for
• Sales velocity: Books that sell more rank higher
• Conversion rate: The percentage of people who view your page and buy
• Reviews: Books with more positive reviews rank higher and convert better

Author Central

Set up your Author Central profile at author.amazon.com. This lets you add an author bio, photo, blog feed, and video to your book's page. A complete Author Central profile adds credibility and helps readers connect with you.

A+ Content

If you have a brand registered on Amazon (or if you use certain KDP features), you may be able to add A+ Content to your book listing. This lets you create a visually rich product page with images, comparison charts, and formatted text below your standard description.

Expanding Distribution With Ingramspark

While Amazon KDP handles Amazon distribution, IngramSpark connects you to the broader book market: independent bookstores, libraries, and international retailers.

IngramSpark requires a separate account and has different file specifications. You will need your own ISBNs (which you cannot use the free Amazon-assigned ones). The setup is more involved, but the wider distribution can be valuable, especially for authors who do speaking events, sell at conferences, or want bookstore placement.

Many authors use both platforms: KDP for Amazon distribution and IngramSpark for everywhere else.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Poor Metadata

Your title, subtitle, keywords, and categories are how readers find your book. Generic keywords, mismatched categories, or a vague subtitle will suppress your discoverability.

Skipping the Preview

Always preview your book in Amazon's tool before publishing. Formatting issues that look minor on your computer can look terrible on a Kindle device.

Pricing Too High or Too Low

An ebook priced at $14.99 only earns the 35 percent royalty and discourages impulse purchases. An ebook priced at $0.99 signals low value. Find the sweet spot based on your genre and audience.

Ignoring Reviews

Reviews are social proof. A book with zero reviews will struggle to convert browsers into buyers. Plan a review strategy before your launch.

How Jetlaunch Helps Authors Get On Amazon

At Jetlaunch Publishing, we handle the entire Amazon setup process for our authors. From file preparation and cover design to metadata optimization, category selection, and listing creation, we ensure every detail is right before your book goes live.

We also set up Author Central profiles and optimize keywords based on actual search data. Our goal is to give your book the best possible foundation for long-term sales on the platform.

If the technical side of Amazon publishing feels overwhelming, you do not have to figure it out alone.

Final Thoughts

Getting your book on Amazon is more accessible than ever, but doing it well requires attention to detail. The difference between a book that sells and one that sits unnoticed often comes down to the quality of the listing: the description, the keywords, the categories, the cover, and the formatting.

Take the time to get these elements right. Your book deserves a strong launch on the world's biggest bookstore.