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WRITERS GUILD: How to Publish Your eBook on Kindle
Original Content | September 1, 2025 | By Laz A. Mataz

Posted on 09/01/2025 6:33:33 AM PDT by Lazamataz

I have two items to write about today.

The first is, I was selected for a BookBub Featured Deal. This is a huge accomplishment! BookBub is a very respected, very prestigious book listing service. Historically, only one out of four titles are accepted, but I'm hearing that the current numbers are more like one out of twenty. For a new author, it's unheard of to be selected. In fact, in a writer's private TwitterX group, I was hearing "How did you *do* that??!" and "I've been trying to get on BookBub for YEARS now..."

Second, the title of this thread informs that the thread will explain how to publish an e-book on Kindle. This is my experience, hopefully the information I gathered will be useful to you.


HOW TO PUBLISH ON KINDLE

  1. Finish your manuscript and thoroughly edit it. I use Grammarly, and it does a fine job, but only numerous read-throughs will catch everything.
  2. Establish a KDP account. Go to https://kdpreports.amazon.com/dashboard. To right you will see Your Account. Click that.
  3. You will fill out all the required information and you should then have an account.
  4. You'll be asked for the business type. I chose Individual. There is banking information you will want to enter for your royalties. There will also be entries for tax information, e.g., your social security number. All this information is secure and kept at Amazon; you need not worry about identity theft.
  5. You may have a few more screens to go through; they should be self-explanatory.
  6. As regards the manuscript itself: KDP states that PDFs are preferred; however, I found that Word-formatted documents work just fine. There are some steps you must take, though:
  7. Finally, you will get to a screen that says you have no active titles. Somewhere on that screen will be the ability to upload your manuscript. Start, first, with your eBook. You'll be asked certain questions about your eBook.

  8. Proceed to the final page, where you will decide on going with the Amazon Select program (I did). If you choose to be Amazon Select, you will get double the royalty -- from 35% to 70% -- but you CANNOT offer your work electronically on any other platform, including a website. Amazon is strict in its enforcement here. You can get your book pulled off their system if you are noncompliant.
  9. Decide on your primary market. I chose Amazon.com, which is the United States market. Choose your price point, and click the remaining steps to submit your book for publishing.
  10. The first submission takes about 3 days for them to review the work. Subsequent edits are quicker, usually taking only 24 hours at maximum.
  11. Page numbers are not necessary for e-books, but I'll put together a post about how to do a good job with page numbers for your printed versions. I'll post that at a later date.
Happy publishing, and keep writing!


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: ebook; kindle; publishing; writersguild

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1 posted on 09/01/2025 6:33:33 AM PDT by Lazamataz
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To: Lazamataz

Thanks for posting.


2 posted on 09/01/2025 6:34:35 AM PDT by Scarlett156 (Remember to pray. )
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To: piytar; LambSlave; StAntKnee; HYPOCRACY; EEGator; Big Red Badger; Army Air Corps; Chickensoup; ...
This is my experience in publishing my first e-book on Kindle.

The Writers Guild of Free Republic ping list:


3 posted on 09/01/2025 6:35:17 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Scarlett156

You are welcome! There’s a lot of tips and tricks to share.


4 posted on 09/01/2025 6:35:48 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Lazamataz

Good luck to you, Laz. As for me, I can’t even write a grocery list.


5 posted on 09/01/2025 6:38:05 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: Lazamataz

Bookmarking


6 posted on 09/01/2025 6:38:08 AM PDT by Codeflier (Don't worry....be happy )
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To: Lazamataz

Thanks. I’ll check it out later.

I’m still not sure if in my case that I’ll invest the time to rewrite and publish my own. I’d really have preferred to write a fiction piece, the decision would be much simplified...


7 posted on 09/01/2025 6:40:08 AM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 "/!i!! &@$%&*(@ -')
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To: Lazamataz

bttt


8 posted on 09/01/2025 6:41:51 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Lazamataz
Good stuff - I have published seven of my own and a dozens for others through Amazon>

My only add is to the editing - Whether you self edit or use an editing service, listen to your book....several times. If using Word, use the Read Aloud command. If not, there are numerous free programs to listen to your manuscript. Very important.

I learned this after I started doing my own narration for audiobooks - I not only caught typos that the editor did not catch but also lines or words that might create a stumbling block for readers (if they have to read a sentence twice to understand it, it stinks).

Have fun!

9 posted on 09/01/2025 6:42:09 AM PDT by IrishPennant (Days may go by slow...but the years go by so fast!)
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To: ComputerGuy
Good luck to you, Laz. As for me, I can’t even write a grocery list.

Oh, I have instructions for that, too.

  1. Open fridge and pantry. Note which items look low and need to be bought.
  2. Using an ordered list, write each item.
  3. For efficiency, write down the preferred store where you will buy the item.
Happy shopping! 🤣🤣😂😂
10 posted on 09/01/2025 6:43:30 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Lazamataz

Good info there. Thanks. My question: What about the length of a book?

Did BookBub or Amazon have any restrictions there? For example, suppose your book had been only 50 pages long. Would either outfit still have been interested?

I ask this because I read somewhere that if a novel is less than a certain number of pages, publishers would not be interested. I think the number was 250, but I can’t be sure of that.


11 posted on 09/01/2025 6:46:50 AM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: Lazamataz; ComputerGuy

A shopping List sounds easy but a
Manuscript equates “War and Peace”
and I stumble every time I start
My’Opus!’
.
Cheers


12 posted on 09/01/2025 6:50:35 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: Leaning Right

Book length is important. There are a few interesting categories I have not explored: Low-content books, for example, are books in which you might write. Calendar planners or diaries or the like, those would be examples.

I’m sure there is a category for ‘thin books’ but I don’t know much about it.

When I wrote, I simply followed standard length guidelines. My work is actually a little sparse at 60,000+ words but it is an acceptable number. Sci-fi usually goes 90,000+.


13 posted on 09/01/2025 6:51:00 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Lazamataz
Thanks. It looks good except for this:

4. Remember to carry the list with you when going shopping.
14 posted on 09/01/2025 6:52:09 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: IrishPennant
My only add is to the editing - Whether you self edit or use an editing service, listen to your book....several times. If using Word, use the Read Aloud command. If not, there are numerous free programs to listen to your manuscript. Very important. I learned this after I started doing my own narration for audiobooks - I not only caught typos that the editor did not catch but also lines or words that might create a stumbling block for readers (if they have to read a sentence twice to understand it, it stinks).

Outstanding suggestion! Thanks!!!

15 posted on 09/01/2025 6:52:15 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: ComputerGuy

Yeah, that’s a deal-breaker. LOL


16 posted on 09/01/2025 6:52:43 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Big Red Badger

LOL


17 posted on 09/01/2025 6:54:25 AM PDT by Lazamataz (I'm so on fire that I feel the need to stop, drop, and roll!)
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To: Lazamataz

> My work is actually a little sparse at 60,000+ words but it is an acceptable number. <

Thanks. And I already see a mistake I was making. I was looking at the number of pages in my novel. I should be looking at the number of words instead.


18 posted on 09/01/2025 6:57:30 AM PDT by Leaning Right (It's morning in America. Again.)
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To: Lazamataz

Congratulations on Your Success Amigo!


19 posted on 09/01/2025 6:57:50 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (ALL Things Will be Revealed !)
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To: All

Bookbub does a teaser initial offer. They aren’t free if more promotion is desired to be bought, and that’s how they make money so more are often bought. $100s per promotional thing.

Eventual money is from audio books in other languages, the downside of Select.


20 posted on 09/01/2025 6:59:44 AM PDT by Owen
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