In the last 1 month, I have successfully formatted and published more than 15 eBooks and Paperbacks for both new and existing authors, on Amazon.
I find this topic very interesting and important to share because some made the mistake of thinking that having a proofread, edited manuscript and cover image alone, is all that's required to get published.
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Some others just send the PDF version of their book to be used for the publishing. While this is not wrong, it is not advisable.
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So, today, I'll be sharing with you 8 things you must have intact, before even considering to contact a publisher, be it online (Amazon) or offline.
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There are so many platforms on which you could publish your book, but for the purpose of this post, I'll be talking on 8 major requirements for just one of the platforms; the world's largest online publishing platform - Amazon KDP.
So, the list:
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- Your Manuscript:
Hehe, of course! What else will you be publishing if not your manuscript??😂
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However, please note, it is very important that you upload a WELL-FORMATTED manuscript in Mobipoket - Mobi or Kindle Package Format - KPF (for eBook) and PDF (for Paperback).
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I cannot iterate enough the danger of just submitting a DOC or DOCX file for publishing on Amazon. Amazon will convert it to KPF before publishing it and if you're not careful, all your layouts, styles, headers, quotations and structures would be distorted. Your readers will not be pleased.
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Remember,
"That grass is green and succulent, doesn't mean it is edible and healthy for you."
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I advice that the original doc/docx file, not converted PDF be used for only formatting and conversion for you, by an excellent book formatter.
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Then, a KPF (most preferably), be uploaded directly to Amazon KDP. By this, you're assured that your formatting structure will be retained.
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- Cover Image:
Don't submit PNG format. It will be rejected. Use JPG.
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Also, don't use a cover that is below dimensions: HT1500px × WT1000px
You'll be rubbing yourself, pepper in the eye.
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Neither should you use an image that is something with the tens of thousands range. Eg. Ht33000px by WT25000px.
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Even if it is JPG and gets accepted by Amazon, egungwu (the cover) will not appear in your store when you hit publish.
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- Keywords:
On Amazon, this is optional but not for you.
You need that visibility. You need people to be able to find your book when they seek solutions that relates to what you've written.
On Amazon, 7 Keywords are expected, though optional, please use ALL OF THEM.
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- Two categories for your book:
You ought to think-up the best categories that most suits what you've written about. You don't want to publish your book in a wrong or entirely unrelated category. It's like walking into a food store and finding packs of detergents piled up with vegetables.
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Now, even if you really wanted to buy detergents, I bet you might change your mind and never return to that store, again.
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Amazon has hundreds of categories, sub-categories and sub-sub-categories grouped into about 7 niches but, you ought to think this thoroughly too.
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- Book Description:
Your abstract or about the book page would work, but I advice that you use a good sales copy here, so that you're able to make readers understand why they need your solution(s) engrafted into that book.
Make it concise and captivating.
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- About the Author:
This should be an almost no-brainer. If you're writing because you just want to "help people" or "tell the story" or "show the way" without being seen as the PERSON behind the work, then you're not ready to be an author.
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Write out what you want the world to know about you, in a concise and interesting way (not your true-life story though). 😂
Just seek yourself!
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- Price for Your Book:
Except you intend to gift your readers your masterpiece, please, no one else will do this better for you, except you.
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Only you know how much efforts you've put in the work. And most importantly, only you know what your book goal is. More readers or more money, you figure that out.
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N.B.
Even gifting of book is placed at $0.99. You sha must just get something. Writing is not easy biko.
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- Promotion Strategy:
Publishing alone isn't enough, promotion will help a great deal to give you and your book the visibility you both require to rank tops.
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Amazon provides a 90days free book promotion when you enroll your book on what's called KDP select. Which will enable your book to rank higher in more markets/regions, then turn in more sales as a result.
There are terms and conditions to this, anyway...
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I would have loved to say more but this is getting longer than expected already.
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I believe you got value from this one. Do Let me know in the comments below.
Cheers!
To your continued excellence,
Seth A. Thomas
The one guy who doesn't second-guess on Book Formatting and Amazon Publishing Needs!
- I make formatting simple and publishing easy .
#youtoocanexcel #toolatetobeafailure #book #ebook #kdp #paperback #kindle #formatting
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I once published a book on Amazon. Back then, I took a mini course which entailed stuffs like this, but I no longer publish on amazon, maybe I will give it a try another time.
These are nice tips.
Good post, thanks for those tips.
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