How to Start Amazon KDP Step-by-Step (Beginner’s Guide 2025)

How to Start Amazon KDP Step-by-Step (Beginner’s Guide 2025)

Starting Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is one of the easiest ways to earn passive income online. Anyone from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the USA, the UK, or any country can publish books on Amazon KDP without investment. You don’t need writing experience, English expertise, or technical skills. Amazon handles printing, shipping, and payment—your job is only to upload books.

This guide explains how to start Amazon KDP step-by-step, how to find profitable niches, how to create books, how to publish them, and how to start earning.

What is Amazon KDP?

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is Amazon’s official platform where you can upload eBooks, paperback books, and hardcover books for free. When someone buys your book, Amazon prints it, delivers it, and pays you royalties (usually 40%–70%).

You can publish:

• Low content books (journals, planners, notebooks)

• Medium content books (activity books, puzzle books)

• High content books (novels, guides, textbooks)

• Coloring books

• Children’s books

There is no investment and no limit—you can upload unlimited books.

How to Start Amazon KDP Step-by-Step

Step 1: Create Your Amazon KDP Account

Creating a KDP account is completely free. You just need:

• An email address

• Bank account

• Tax information

How to create the account:

1. Go to kdp.amazon.com

2. Click Sign Up

3. Use your Gmail or Amazon account

4. Complete account details (name, address)

5. Add your bank details for payments

6. Submit tax interview (very easy)

After this, your account is ready.

Step 2: Understand the Types of Books You Can Publish

Beginners usually start with Low Content Books because they require less writing.

Popular Low Content Books:

• Blank notebooks

• Lined journals

• Planners

• Trackers

• Log books

• Guest books

Medium Content Books:

• Coloring books

• Activity books

• Puzzle books

• Children’s handwriting books

High Content Books:

• Guides

• Skill books

• Storybooks

• Motivational books

Start with low or medium content and publish quickly.

Step 3: Research Profitable Niches

Choosing the right niche decides your sales. A good niche has:

• High demand

• Low competition

• Evergreen search volume

Best Niches for Beginners (2025):

1. Fitness trackers

2. Daily planners

3. Budget planners

4. Prayer journals

5. Activity books for kids

6. Coloring books for women

7. Gratitude journals

8. Weight loss trackers

9. Recipe books

10. Affirmation journals

Use tools like:

• Amazon search bar

• Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR)

• Bookbolt (optional)

• Self Publishing Titans extension (free)

Look for books with:

• BSR under 200,000

• Sales over 10+ a month

• Reviews under 100 (means low competition)

Step 4: Create Interior (Inside Pages)

For low content books, the interior is easy.

Tools for Interiors:

• Canva

• Bookbolt

• Creative Fabrica

• Adobe Illustrator (optional)

You can create:

• 120–150 pages

• Simple, clean layout

• Repetitive pages (like notebook lines)

Make sure:

• Size is correct (6×9 is the most popular)

• Margins are set properly

• Pages are consistent

Step 5: Design a Professional Cover

Your cover decides 80% of your sales. It must be:

• Eye-catching

• High quality

• Relevant

• Easy to read

Tools to design covers:

• Canva

• Photoshop

• Bookbolt cover creator

• Creative Fabrica templates

Add:

• Title

• Subtitle

• Author name

• Attractive graphics

Make sure it follows Amazon KDP’s cover dimensions. Canva has built-in KDP templates.

Step 6: Format Your Book Correctly

Amazon accepts PDF files for interiors.

• Requirements:

• Bleed or no bleed (choose at start)

• Correct trim size

• PDF print-ready interior

• PDF print-ready cover

Before uploading, check everything:

• Page numbers (optional)

• Margins

• Alignment

• No blank pages errors

Step 7: Upload Your Book on Amazon KDP

Now your account is ready, your interior is ready, and your cover is ready. It’s time to upload.

Upload Steps:

1. Log in to your KDP dashboard

2. Click Create > Paperback

3. Enter title, subtitle, keywords

4. Choose category (very important)

5. Upload interior PDF

6. Upload cover PDF

7. Preview the book

8. Set price

9. Publish

Your book will go live in 24–72 hours.

Step 8: Choose the Best Keywords for Search Ranking

Amazon keywords decide if your book appears in search results.

How to find keywords:

• Amazon autofill

• Competitor books

• Self Publishing Titans extension

Keyword.io

Example keywords:

• “Daily planner for women”

• “Budget planner for beginners”

• “Kids activity book age 4–8”

Use 7 keywords wisely:

• No repeating

• No commas

• Only phrases

Step 9: Select the Best Categories

Choosing the correct category helps ranking.

Best categories for low content:

• Journals

• Self-help

• Activity Books

• Crafts

• Children’s books

• Education

• Health & Fitness

Lower-competition categories help you rank faster.

Step 10: Set the Right Price

• Your price affects sales.

• Recommended prices:

• Low content books: $5.99 – $7.99

• Coloring/activity books: $6.99 – $9.99

• High content guides: $9.99 – $14.99

Start low for new books. Increase the price once you get sales.

Step 11: Promote Your Book for More Sales

More promotion = more ranking = more income.

Free promotion methods:

• Pinterest

• Facebook groups

• Instagram

• TikTok short videos

• Reddit writing communities

Paid promotion:

• Amazon ads

• Facebook ads

For beginners, free promotion is enough.

Step 12: Track Your Sales & Improve

Amazon provides reports inside your dashboard:

• Sales

• Royalties

• Buyer locations

• Impressions

Publish more books every month. The more books you upload, the faster you grow.

How Much Can You Earn with Amazon KDP?

Earnings depend on book quality + niche + consistency.

Example income levels:

• 10 books = $50–$150 per month

• 50 books = $300–$900 per month

• 100+ books = $1000–$3000 per month

• 300+ books = $5000+ per month

Many people publish full-time and earn more than $10,000 monthly.

Also read:How to Start an Online Store Without Investment (Worldwide) – 2025 Guide

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Can I work on KDP from Pakistan or India?

Yes, it works worldwide. Just add your bank details.

2. Do I need money to start KDP?

No, it’s 100% free.

3. How many books can I publish?

Unlimited.

4. Do I need English writing skills?

Not for low content books. Anyone can do it.

5. How long does approval take?

24–72 hours.

6. Is KDP safe and legal?

Yes, it is Amazon’s official platform.

7. Can beginners earn?

Yes, thousands of beginners earn passive income every month.

Also read:Best Free Cloud Storage Options in 2025 – 1TB & 5TB Plans Explained

Strong Call to Action (CTA)

If you want to start earning passive income without investment, publishing on Amazon KDP is the best opportunity in 2025. Begin with simple low content books, publish consistently, choose the right niches, and watch your income grow every month.

Start today — create your first book, upload it, and let Amazon do the rest.

Your first $100 online is waiting. Start now!