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 dashboard completely bewildered by terms like “POD” and “BSR.” Today, I’m managing a six-figure self-publishing business, and I can tell you that mastering this vocabulary was absolutely crucial to my success. Understanding these terms isn’t just about sounding professional in author groups—it’s about making informed decisions that directly impact your income.
This glossary contains the 50 most important terms you’ll encounter as a KDP author, organized in a way that actually makes sense. I’ve included real-world examples and practical insights you won’t find in Amazon’s help pages.
Amazon & KDP Platform Terms
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon’s free self-publishing platform where authors upload manuscripts and sell books globally. Think of it as your personal publishing house—no gatekeepers, no rejection letters, just you and millions of potential readers.
ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)
A unique 10-character code Amazon assigns to every product, including your books. This number helps Amazon track your sales and manage your listing. Unlike ISBNs, ASINs are specific to Amazon and can’t be used elsewhere.
Author Central
Amazon’s free author dashboard where you create your author page, track sales rank, and manage your public profile. This is separate from your KDP account but equally important for building credibility.
BSR (Best Sellers Rank)
Amazon’s hourly-updated ranking system that shows how well your book sells compared to all other books on the platform. A rank of #1,000 means you’re outselling millions of other titles. Lower numbers indicate better sales velocity.
KDP Select
Amazon’s exclusivity program where you agree to sell your ebook only on Amazon for 90-day periods in exchange for promotional tools and Kindle Unlimited access. This decision significantly impacts your distribution strategy.
Kindle Unlimited (KU)
Amazon’s subscription reading service where users pay monthly to read unlimited books from participating authors. You earn roughly $0.004 per page read instead of a fixed royalty per sale.
KENP (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages)
Amazon’s system for counting pages read in Kindle Unlimited. A 200-page book might have 180 KENP due to Amazon’s standardized formatting calculations. This directly affects your KU earnings.
KENP Reads
The actual number of pages KU subscribers have read in your book. If you see “64 KENP reads,” that means readers have collectively read 64 normalized pages—not that 64 people read one page each.
Publishing Process Essentials
Manuscript
Your completed, edited book before it becomes a published product. This includes everything from your first chapter to your acknowledgments, properly formatted and ready for upload.
POD (Print-on-Demand)
A printing method where books are produced only after customers order them. Amazon prints your paperback when someone buys it, eliminating the need to store inventory or pay upfront printing costs.
Formatting
The process of preparing your manuscript for publication by setting fonts, margins, headers, and page layouts. Poor formatting screams amateur and can hurt sales, while professional formatting is invisible to readers.
Cover Design
The visual representation of your book that appears on Amazon and influences buying decisions. Your cover must look compelling as a tiny thumbnail since most browsing happens on mobile devices.
Metadata
All the descriptive information about your book including title, subtitle, description, keywords, and categories. Think of metadata as your book’s resume—it determines who finds your book and whether they buy it.
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
A unique 13-digit identifier for books recognized globally. You need separate ISBNs for ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook versions of the same title.
Content & Marketing Vocabulary
ARC (Advance Reader Copy)
Early copies of your book sent to reviewers before publication to generate buzz and reviews. These can be physical proof copies or digital files shared through platforms like NetGalley.
Beta Reader
Someone who reads your near-final manuscript to provide feedback before publication. Unlike ARCs, beta readers help you improve the book rather than promote it.
Blurb
The compelling description on your book’s back cover or Amazon page that convinces readers to buy. Your blurb is essentially a sales pitch disguised as a summary.
Keywords
Words or phrases that describe your book’s content and help readers discover it through Amazon’s search. You can include up to seven keyword phrases when uploading to KDP.
Categories
Amazon’s classification system that determines where your book appears in browsing hierarchies. Choosing the right categories can make the difference between being buried and becoming a bestseller.
BISAC Codes
Industry-standard category codes used by bookstores and libraries to classify books. These help your book appear in the right sections both online and in physical stores.
Financial & Performance Terms
Royalty Rate
The percentage of your book’s sale price that you keep as profit. KDP offers 35% or 70% for ebooks, and 50-60% for print books depending on pricing and other factors.
70% Royalty
The higher ebook royalty rate available for books priced between $2.99-$9.99 that meet specific requirements. This rate includes small delivery costs deducted from your earnings.
35% Royalty
The standard ebook royalty rate for books priced under $2.99 or above $9.99, with no delivery costs. Sometimes more profitable for large-file books due to delivery fee structure.
Delivery Costs
Small fees Amazon charges for delivering your ebook files to customers, deducted from 70% royalty earnings. Typically $0.06-$0.15 for text-based books but can be higher for image-heavy titles.
Page Reads
The number of pages Kindle Unlimited subscribers have read in your book. Each page read earns approximately $0.004, though this rate fluctuates monthly based on the global fund.
ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sales)
The percentage of your advertising spend relative to sales generated by those ads. An ACOS of 50% means you spent $50 on ads for every $100 in sales they generated.
Technical & File Requirements
EPUB
The preferred ebook file format for KDP uploads, providing better formatting control than Word documents. Most professional formatting software exports to EPUB.
PDF
The required file format for print book interiors and covers. Your PDF must meet Amazon’s specific requirements for resolution, color profile, and dimensions.
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
A measure of image resolution quality. Amazon requires 300 DPI for print book files and 72 DPI minimum for ebook covers to ensure crisp reproduction.
Trim Size
The final dimensions of your printed book after cutting. Common sizes include 6″x9″ for novels and 8.5″x11″ for workbooks, affecting both printing costs and reader expectations.
Bleed
Extra printed area beyond the trim size that prevents white edges after cutting. Images or colors extending to page edges require proper bleed setup.
Spine Width
The thickness of your book’s spine, calculated based on page count and paper type. Essential for creating print covers that fit properly.
Marketing & Promotion Terminology
Launch Strategy
Your comprehensive plan for introducing your book to the market, typically covering the first 30-90 days after publication. Successful launches often determine long-term sales performance.
Street Team
A group of dedicated readers who help promote your books through social media, reviews, and word-of-mouth marketing. Building a street team requires relationship investment but provides ongoing promotional support.
Preorder
Making your book available for purchase before its official release date. Preorders count as release-day sales for ranking purposes, potentially boosting your initial visibility.
Book Trailer
A video advertisement for your book, similar to movie trailers. While not essential, book trailers can enhance social media marketing and website engagement.
Cross-Promotion
Partnering with other authors to promote each other’s books to your respective audiences. This multiplies your marketing reach without additional advertising costs.
Review & Quality Control
Editorial Review
Professional critic opinions of your book published in magazines, newspapers, or industry publications. These carry more weight than customer reviews for credibility.
Customer Review
Reader opinions posted on Amazon and other platforms after purchasing your book. These directly influence buying decisions and Amazon’s algorithm recommendations.
Review Farming
The unethical practice of purchasing fake reviews or incentivizing positive reviews. Amazon actively monitors for this and can ban accounts engaging in review manipulation.
Verified Purchase Review
Amazon’s designation for reviews written by customers who actually bought the book through Amazon. These reviews carry more algorithmic weight than unverified reviews.
Advanced Business Concepts
Read-Through Rate
The percentage of readers who continue from one book to the next in a series. High read-through rates indicate engaged audiences and predict long-term profitability.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
The total amount a reader spends on your books over their entire relationship with your brand. Understanding CLV helps justify marketing investment decisions.
Backlist
Your previously published books that continue generating sales over time. Building a strong backlist creates passive income streams and compound growth.
Book Funnel
A strategic sequence of books designed to guide readers from free or low-priced entry points to higher-priced offerings. Effective funnels maximize revenue per reader.
Wide Publishing
Distributing your books across multiple platforms beyond Amazon, including Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play. This reduces dependence on any single retailer.
Legal & Rights Management
Copyright
Your legal ownership of original creative work, automatically granted when you create something. You retain copyright when publishing through KDP unless you specifically transfer it.
Publishing Rights
The legal authority to reproduce and distribute your work. KDP requires confirmation that you own worldwide publishing rights for uploaded content.
DRM (Digital Rights Management)
Technology that restricts how readers can copy or share your ebook files. Most indie authors avoid DRM since it can frustrate legitimate customers.
DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act)
US law that provides procedures for removing pirated content from websites. Understanding DMCA helps protect your intellectual property online.
Future-Focused Terminology
AI-Assisted Writing
Using artificial intelligence tools to help with outlining, drafting, editing, or formatting while maintaining human oversight and creative control. Requires ethical disclosure practices.
Audiobook
Audio version of your book, either narrated by humans or using AI voice synthesis. Growing market segment with different royalty structures and production requirements.
Enhanced Ebook
Digital books with interactive elements like embedded videos, hyperlinks, or audio clips. More complex to produce but can command higher prices in certain niches.
This glossary represents the foundation vocabulary every serious KDP author needs to master. I recommend bookmarking this page and referring back as you encounter these terms in your publishing journey. Each concept builds on others—understanding royalty rates helps you set optimal prices, while grasping metadata principles improves your discoverability strategy.
Remember, every successful author started exactly where you are now, confused by industry jargon but determined to learn. The difference between hobbyists and professionals isn’t innate talent—it’s willingness to master the business side of publishing alongside the creative craft.
Take time to understand these terms thoroughly. Your future self will thank you when you’re confidently navigating Amazon’s interface, optimizing your marketing campaigns, and making data-driven decisions that grow your publishing income month after month.
