KDP Publishing Blog

I watched an author struggle for two years building a following under her real name. She published romance, then switched to business books, confusing her readers completely. Meanwhile, another author I know uses different pen names for different genres and makes $30,000 monthly across multiple book series. The difference wasn’t talent or luck—it was strategic identity […]

Being a great writer is just the start. If you want true success as an author-entrepreneur, you need to treat your book business like a real business. That means tracking your numbers and using them to make smart decisions. A KPI dashboard lets you see if you are growing, what’s working, and what needs fixing. […]

Smart, focused planning is the difference between hope and $10,000 in real monthly royalties from Amazon KDP. Arielle Phoenix Why SMART Goals Are Your Secret Weapon for KDP Success Have you ever wished your KDP earnings would hit a life-changing monthly target, like $10,000? Most authors hope and hustle, but never get organized. SMART goals […]

I just got another message from a writer asking: “I’ve finished my manuscript, but I’m terrified to publish it. What if it fails? What if I waste my money? What if I’m not good enough?” This fear stopped me from publishing my first book for eight months. Eight months of second-guessing, overthinking, and watching other […]

Picking a Kindle price can feel tricky. Price it too high and people may skip your book. Price it too low and you cut your earnings and make the book look cheap. There is a better way. You can use how people think to find a sweet spot that grows sales and royalties. This guide […]

You are starting at zero. No manuscript. No cover. No listing. Ninety days sounds tight, yet it is absolutely possible if you focus on the right steps and cut the busywork. Every week should move you forward. This guide shows exactly what to do, when to do it, and what to ignore so you can […]

I have seen too many new authors focus on chasing a payout instead of momentum. They push for that first $1,000 month, but then stall because their book is not ranking, not getting recommended, and not being discovered by new readers without constant promotion. Authors who focus on hitting 100 targeted sales in their launch […]

I watched a talented author spend six months writing a beautiful fantasy novel, only to sell 12 copies in its first year. Meanwhile, I published a simple journal using keyword research and earned $3,000 in the same period. The difference wasn’t talent—it was strategy. I can tell you with certainty: keyword research tools are the difference […]

Last week, I got an email from Sarah, a writer who’d been “working on her novel” for three years. She was frustrated, broke, and watching other authors build six-figure businesses while she agonized over chapter revisions. “What am I doing wrong?” she asked. The brutal truth? Sarah was thinking like a hobby writer, not a […]

When I started self-publishing ten years ago, I thought $500 would cover everything. Three failed book launches and several thousand dollars later, I learned the hard way that budgeting for self-publishing isn’t as simple as it seems online. Fast-forward to today—with over 50 titles published and multiple six-figure years under my belt—I get this question […]

I spent five years chasing traditional publishers before I finally admitted something that changed my entire writing career: I had been pursuing a mirage. Like thousands of hopeful authors, I believed traditional publishing was the holy grail—the only legitimate path to authorial success. The rejection letters piled up, my manuscript gathered digital dust, and meanwhile, […]

Starting your self-publishing journey can feel like learning a foreign language. Between royalty rates, ASIN numbers, and KENP reads, the terminology alone might make you want to close your laptop and go back to traditional submissions. But here’s the thing—I’ve been exactly where you are right now. Three years ago, I stared at Amazon's KDP […]