Being an author has been one of my greatest accomplishments, my goal is to also share my journey on how I became a self published author. Good luck to everyone telling their story!
When I buy a book, I rather give 100% of my investment to the person or people who actually wrote the book because they put a lot of their time, energy, knowledge, creativity, and money into their book. The publisher should be the author,
Self published my first book on kdp a few weeks ago. I was just excited to see my work in print. Im waiting to see my first royalty check. But im just glad there is a platform for authors. Great video
Fatimah Adam if you’re on mobile, it doesn’t show. On desktop, there’s a security cover on it. It’s so I don’t get bots grabbing my email and spamming me. Visit my website to and check my about page.
I can't thank you enough for these videos and your insights. I'm so glad I recently found your channel. I'm learning all I can. People pay good money for all this advice and you are offering it to us free as fellow writers. I think Amazon would be the best deal for my upcoming niche book. But I am looking at other platforms. One month is a long time to wait for a payout, but hey, some regular jobs pay monthly salaries too.
Yeah, it’s a bit of a wait time, but I’m used to it by now. It motivates me to drive harder every month. Thanks so much for the kind words and support. The best thing you could do is keep watching, commenting and sharing 😀👏👍
Published my very first short story on kindle two days ago. Very excited and also a little nervous about what’s in store for me in the future. I’m watching great informative videos like these to learn how to boost sales and establish my brand. It’s all about making those small steps to success
It is very difficult to publish in these days. I have an awesome book. I contacted publishers but they will only accept book material from publishing agents. I met 4 publishing agents and they all asked me the same 3 questions. Do you have 4.000.000 followers on FB?, Are you rich and famous? Do you have your own TV show? I could only answer no to all 3 questions. Because it was a no, the publishing agents would not look at one single page from the book or the reviews which was right in front of them. I actually thank them for not looking, because now I am self publishing. I am looking forward to see your video. Much aloha, Dan Knudsen
Thanks for chiming in. And, yes, many people are still chasing after the traditional publishing deal. They want someone with an established following or presence. That's why I tell most people, skip to self-publishing so you don't waste valuable time going after an elusive deal.
with each bit of info that you give us I find myself rising toward the next level of a successful journey as a soon to be published author . Thank you sooo much Dale!
Thank you for your advice! I am about to finish writing my novel and have been researching ways to self publish. I find your channel very helpful even though I literally came across it today.
Dale, thanks for the video. Lots of useful tips here. I just managed to publish my first book on Kindle Self Publishing last week. The biggest gripe I have with Amazon and this self publishing model is that you get zero real help from them with technical issues. When they say “self publishing” they do mean that you are on your own. There is not a human you can contact either through chat, email or phone to get quick help. Hopefully, it gets easier as I progress on this journey. It was the same when I started publishing articles on Seeking Alpha. My writings relate to finance and investing. Cheers Lasse
Welcome! Glad you got through it all. There is support through KDP in your dashboard. Scroll down to contact us. You’ll be given two options when you put in a query: email or phone. I hope that helps. They do not have phone support on the weekends.
This video is very useful. Thank you specially for the cons part. I am about to publish a book through KDP and this is the first authentic and helpful video I came across clearing all the issues going on inside me. You surely know a lot.
I think you forgot to add the end screen to your video. Nothing to click on. Just a heads up. I do this all the time and forget to add it. Besides that great advice. Thanks!
Hey Dale , my book will be published soon. I have my LLC formed , but I don't want people trying to search or contact me through the Physical address of my Publishing company (which is really my house) and as you know I couldn't register my LLC to a PO BOX, so is there a way to legally mask or block the public address of my business? I will have an email & PO BOX set up for general contact and services , but my privacy is very important. Please help. Thanks again.
This is where a good business attorney can help big time. When I had him transfer my business entity from one state to the next, he changed the address so that it was his address. That way if anyone wants to contact me through my address, they gotta go through my lawyer. And, he doesn't charge extra for that. It's kinda nice, because I value my personal space and privacy.
Been Trying to decide how to publish my book. I think self publishing is looking a lot better for my style of book. Looking into KDP on Amazon. A lot to research. Thanks for your video very helpful
Thank you so much; I self-published my first book: THE REVEALED TRUTH OF A NEW CREATION; 3rd May on KDP. So excited, looking forward to my first paycheck. I enjoy your videos; very insightful.
I have a nice but small 20 page ebook I created (PDF) that I gave away for free to people who signed up for my newsletter. I've been thinking about putting it on Amazon for a few dollars to see if it would sell. GIven that I've never sold a thing on Amazon, I'm wondering if it worth my effort.
Absolutely! In fact, that would fit perfectly into Kindle Short Reads. Your ebook would be classified as a 30-minute short read. Here’s a video series about short reads. The second video is the one you could watch for more details: ruclips.net/p/PLXCkkWHluK4CtOK1KwGRQFF4H2uL17E0z Just a heads up though, if you offer it for free elsewhere, you won’t be able to enroll in the KDP Select program. That might be Greek to you, so let me know if you want more info about that. I have a ton of resources, so it can be overwhelming trying to find everything. I’m here to help, so just drop a comment on a video and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction. 😀👏👍
Hi Dale you´re great, thanks for all the very useful info about self- publishing. I would like to ask you this: can I "order print books for the author" and then sell them in book shops in my country ? It seems to be possible, on Amazon Help says that..
To be honest, I usually just use Google and then do digging when I get to a platform. Take a look at their FAQs or their ToS for that clip. To answer your question: yes. Just be mindful of local tax laws and sales licenses.
You should start with using the proofing features of Word if you use it. This includes readability. You want to get to 7th grade or less. Hemingway is grade 2. The Hemingway editor is only $20 and does a lot.
If I would make the same money, I wouldn’t do self publishing! Less headache when someone else does it and more free time for me for creative work... Great video, thank you for the advise!
For same profit: to self publish it traditional publish? If I made the same amount regardless, I'd go with the traditional method as they can utilize advertisement and marketing methods to increase awareness
Great video and thanks for the advice. I did find the slow zoom-ins were distracting from what you were saying, so I would remove those zoom-ins, but I appreciate you taking the time for this video to help others.
Agreed. The zoom ins are gone now. In fact, I don't even edit my own videos anymore and hire out a professional video editor. He does NOT like the zoom ins either. haha Thanks for the kudos and feedback.
Amazing info! I'm currently working on a how to swim book and I was thinking of publishing it on Amazon. You are right though scammers are the worst of the worst!
Yeah. I don't like getting ugly like that. I try to stay away from rants, but that one slips through every now and then. Thanks for the kind words and comment.
Self-Publishing with Dale I actually really like and admire how enthusiastic you got with that. Though I don’t have a published book now, that would be something that really grinds my gears
Great overall view. Kindle exclusive programs are great to jumpstart your book even though it's annoying they want you to give them the exclusivity. The 35% royalties is ridiculous considering it's an ebook, removing the print and printer cost of an actual book. By the way, I don't like Lulu. I looked into it at the time when I was looking into the various self-published platforms, created a draft version a book, never went beyond draft mode, only to discover they listed it on Amazon without my permission. When I contacted them about it, they refused to do anything about it, and told me to contact Amazon. Amazon told me to contact Lulu because they're the ones who listed it, but I have to give points to Amazon because when I told them what Lulu told me, they removed it from their site. Just thought I'd share this.
Nice video Dale. You should make a video on ghostwriting! I'm not an english native and it's quite hard to write a book in english by myself. I want to hire an affordable ghostwriter for a non-fiction book, but I've heard about a lot of scams on well known jobs' platforms. This includes encoding copied content, which makes it very hard to check for plagiarism. What would you suggest to mitigate those risks? Thanks
I've covered ghostwriting before. See here: ruclips.net/video/O7BHOS3YujA/видео.html and discussed it with a guest here: ruclips.net/video/u1F8ZBRICBs/видео.html Also, I briefly touch on it in my free online course at DIYPublishing.biz/Free.
Ooo, that’s a tough one to call. This varies based on the niche. Generally...and I mean generally...it can run as a minimum 5 cents per word. But that doesn’t account for the type of editing.
The world of publishing is so vast I dont even know where to start. This video has at least helped me understand what comes with the Amazon publishing. Self publishing seems costly, professional publishing you loose creative control among many things, while this one has the cons listed. However Amazon seems to be the most accessible. What other tips can you give about publishing?
Awesome video. I want to self publish for many reasons, but I'm hesitant to self publish on Amazon. Do you have videos on marketing for authors that want to do it themselves? I have a very specific way I want my book to look, be formatted, and build my own independent brand from the ground up.
I have quite a few videos about marketing that applies marketing that’s universal. Some of the videos in the series are for Amazon, others apply everywhere: ruclips.net/p/PLXCkkWHluK4Bes8TEZ5ZT8SIF1r8m3kWS
You’re correct. Amazon Publishing is essentially a traditional publishing model. Whereas KDP is self publishing. Amazon Publishing does not accept manuscripts, I looked into it already.
Late seeing this video... if I were to publish on Amazon, would I be able to publish or sell my book on any other marketplace?? I know if you do the Amazon Exclusive then no.
You are free to publish your book wherever you wish as you retain all rights. The only instance when you can't publish on other platforms is when you are enrolled in the KDP Select program. This is a program you can opt into or out of at anytime. It allows you to take advantage of free promos and discounts deals. The program runs for 90-day increments and you must remain exclusive to Amazon during that time. Once you opt out, you're free to publish on other platforms.
A good copy editor runs at a premium. I’d recommend reaching out within the author community for a referral. Or, look into who the Alliance of Independent Authors suggest. They’re a reputable resource. Thanks for the kind words and comment.
I've been considering self-publishing for quite some time, and your videos are absolutely amazing in learning about its process. Keep up the awesome work. Thank you. ^^ Also, if I may ask, do you happen to know how to go about publishing across different platforms? Such as Barnes and Noble Press and KDP? I utterly adore the hardcovers from B&N Press, while the wide distribution on Amazon. Is it a matter of purchasing your own ISBN's from each platform? Like 2 for KDP, such as for eBook and Paperback. Then, 2 for B&N Press for Paperback and Hardcover?
@@DaleLRoberts Awesome! Would each have to have their own ISBN, such as if I did paperback or eBook from both KDP and B&N? Or would only 1 be required? (Only want to use B&N for hardcover, while KDP paperback and ebook.)
@@DaleLRoberts So one for eBook, one for hardback, and one for paperback across the two platforms? Awesome! I thought it'd be way more difficult. Haha! Thanks, Dale.
You nailed it. I’d recommend when you publish, do it on Amazon first. It has a weird quirk sometimes where if you publish elsewhere first, KDP pushes back and say it’s already been published.
Thank you for this Dale. I am brand new to this world, but have been encouraged by several people to publish. Thank you for all of the different parts I did not think about. *** side question *** I wear glasses too. Your video doesn’t show the reflections in your lenses - what do you do/use?
I have anti-glare on my lens and it's all about the lighting placement. To my left is a large picture window and to my left, I place a single LED light. So, you're new to the biz? Have you picked up access to my course for beginners? DIYPublishing.biz/Free
Oh my gosh! I'm probably 15,000 words away from completing my freak ass novel. And I was thinking of publishing traditionally but I've read so many bad things about it, looking into it today and I would like to write full time because I have a more commercial novel idea. But i also saw a video of someone saying "write things that are already selling." And I was like; "what?!" That's the complete opposite advice I have heard from Brandon Sanderson. I don't want to write Twilight I wanna write Black Leopard Red Wolf. So I'm loathing the person who said that (though typing it here makes me feel better) and now I forgot what I was going to say. I bet it had a really sharp point. damn it! damn it!
Hey, you’re in this deep already. Crank out the next 15,000 words and just get it done. I always recommend studying niches first, but if it’s easier to write now, then worry about niche research later. You can’t decide when your muse is going to show up. So, go with your heart. 😀👏👍
You could probably finagle a way. The issue is you need a flash player for the interior reviewer step. Beyond that, it should be possible. You'll just have to jump through a few hoops at first.
Thank you for asking this question Kosugy. I had the same in mind. Dale- as a piggy back question, would a new ISBN number be needed when removing the book from Amazon for other publishing options? Thank you in advance.
Another question,Dale. My book is available on Amazon store to purchase. And I even purchased a copy(not an author copy ) from that link. But when I opened my seller account, the book is not there. Do I have to do anything to add the book on my inventory? Will I get paid if the book is not on my listing?
Hello Dale. It is me again. Thank you for your timely replies. I am in bit of hurry to get this done. My next question is on KDP. I have edited my Kindle version on Kindle Create. I was wondering if I could export this to PDF (with the appropriate formatting for 6*9)? Or should I start again with MS Word to make it ready for Amazon paperback? Thanks again.
Very basic query so my apologies! Can I publish in a way for amazon users around the world to buy my book? For example not in dollars and on the Amazon UK site?
Great and valuable information! Thank you ;) Is ok to trust one of those companies that charge you over a $1,000 to make your book published in Amazon?
It really depends. I know of some legit companies that charge upfront fees while giving the authors 100% of earnings. BookBaby is like that and are fairly reputable with a great track record. You just have to gamble on yourself when using those types of avenues. Do your research and cross check any company you find with the Alliance of Independent Authors' Watchdog List. They're a nonprofit company run by indie authors, for indie authors. And the Watchdog List vets popular companies and services in the self-publishing business. Take a look over at DaleLinks.com/Watchdog. I hope that helps and thanks so much for the kind words. I hope to hear more from you soon.
I was just fixing to say BookBaby myself. I personally worked with a guy who went through BookBaby and he didn't have any problems with them. The issue is the cost of course. 1k is their cheap package.
Thank you Dale, I have co-authored previously with ` Trafford Publishing ` with " Positive Aikido " - This time we decided to try ` Amazon Publishing ` our new new book " Founding of JuJutsu, Judo & Aikido in the UK " ( Abdul Rashid & Henry Ellis ) The book was published a month ago and the results and feedback are great, we are really pleased with every aspect of the book, thank you to Amazon .
If you were to split your book in multiple parts, can you publish each part on amazon? Will it be on the same page as the other parts you’ve published of your story?
Hi Dale, thank-you very much for this video, it's very informative. I'd like to ask you, if an author publishes his work on Amazon, does Amazon obtain the rights for the material or they stay with him?
You own the rights and never sacrifice those rights without willingly doing so. If you use their free-assigned ISBN, they own that and you cannot take it anywhere else. That's the ONLY thing you don't have the rights to. Also, remember, if you opt into the KDP Select program (ebooks only), then you agree to stay exclusive to Amazon with that ebook for the 90-day agreement.
I am an old school self published award winning master photographer and author. I love a book in hand. Love brick and mortar bookstores. Love to feel, smell and turn the pages of a book in hand off the shelf. Love doing book signings and meeting followers at events - listening to their experience with the book and others! Sorry the online thing is a cool way to get it out there but the digital world falls short of a published book in hand! Too much screen time. Break loose and go analog. But that might break the new world order and model!
There's still a huge market for print books and just like any market, it fluctuates. Print books aren't going anywhere and there is a whole horde of people who feel the same as you. That being said, as self-publishers, it's worth our time to capitalize on the eBook market as well. More eggs; more baskets.
Great video Dale! At some point you said "don't rely only on Amazon" - what are the alternatives to Amazon? Do you mean selling the books through our own website? How viable is that, is it a popular method among self-pub authors?
I really enjoyed this video and found it very informative. Though I will say this I found it odd how often the camera would slowly zoom in on your face randomly throughout the video, and it gave me a headache lol other than that good video
Yes. As shared by other viewers, the production was a bit much. I went through this phase in March and April and have sense ditched the zooming methods. Glad you found it helpful and hope you stick around to see non-headache inducing videos.
I have self-published my debut dark fantasy novel and I regret not getting an agent. I struggle tremendously with marketing that I practically have no sales since it's release almost a year ago. I have paid for ads, I even paid for ARC reviewers and to this day after over 7 months of hiring them, I still haven't gotten any reviews. I spend so much money on my book that I could travel in first class style around the world. I have followed every advise from people who self publish, watched tones of videos and none of them work for me.
Get more visible and stay consistent with doing it. Video and audio options are free these days with RUclips and podcasts. Explore that avenue and focus on your long game. Just so you know, one book isn’t always the best way to grow your brand. You may want to expand your catalog.
@@DaleLRoberts Thanks. I was being realistic enough knowing that I wont become an overnight success but I also did not expect to have practically no sales either. Over a month ago I had an amateur interview about my book. over 500 views, no sales. Now I have to see if book 2 should be again self published or trying to get an agent.
Yeah, the interviews aren’t going to get you a ton of sales. But, if you get out and do more, it raises awareness and visibility. And since they do all the work and continue to grow their following, people will eventually go back and watch your interview. More passive traffic. Focus on the long game. These small things will seem so unrewarding at first. In due time, you’ll hit critical mass and arrive at your tipping point. Keep at it! 😎🔥💪
@@DaleLRoberts Will see. What aggravates me that I can't get any reviews. Even when I paid for it. I know that over 50 people have gotten my book and only 4 have left one. Mainly on Goodreads. I've contacted most of them and never heard back. I'm pretty much at an end how I can market my book more. Amazon ads, paid ads, created a website. I must be doing something wrong here. Anyway, thanks for responding.
Rowan have you looked into newsletter swaps? They don’t cost a dime and are all above board. Look into StoryOrig.in and BookSprout.co. Newsletters are the way to go, especially for fiction.
This depends on how you handle the rights when brokering the deal for film. No one can just make your book into a movie or show without your permission.
Yes. I have image-heavy fitness books. However, it varies based on the software you're using. I use MS Word and simply insert the image. I used to compress the images, but it made for a poor reading experience. So, I merely resize the image to fit ebooks and print books but keep the DPI higher (around 300dpi).
You have a general copyright as soon as you produce the work. However, if you ever find yourself in court because of a rights issue, then owning the copyright is a best practice. The real question is - can you afford dragging someone into court should the occasion arise?
So what's the fine print with Amazon? Do they get 30% of the sales only or is there some hidden clause which allow them to control future printings? movie rights?
Thank you for this informative video. I've recently publish Kindle ebook on Amazon. I was also looking for paperback version but Amazon does not allow paperback in Hindi . I hope it will be available soon so that I will not have to go anywhere to publish my book. Do you have any idea about paperback in Hindi?
sure. I will be happy to watch your video. The traditional publishers doesn't understand new authors. That is why we need self publishing and Amazon is doing great job. Regarding my book I contacted one of leading publishing house of country and they replied that they are not accepting new manuscripts. I laughed a lot because few days back they published book of two well know persons of the country.
And another (stupid) question from a beginner ... what's the suggested SIZE for an Ebook and what's the suggested size for a printed book? For this question I am thinking children books. And the best program to use? I came across Adobe Indesign and aside from the fact that it does not look that simple for beginners, it's also $20 a month which I was trying to avoid now.... help.
There’s no “size” for ebooks. Best program? Use Keynote or PowerPoint to build your book. Save to PDF and then format it with Kindle Kids Book Creator. I have a couple videos about it.
@@DaleLRoberts OK! This is for Ebooks.... Correct? And for the printed version? I start from the same point (Keynote or Powerpoint), save as PDF and send the file to the company who will print it?... ?
I just want to publish my novel just to say I did. I didn't do it for money, but because I love to write. Even if I got $1 a copy sold, as long as I get to keep the rights, characters and cover art without some hollywood bigwig taking my idea and ruining it, I'd be fine.
i’m confused could you elaborate on violation of the guidelines please, and i’m new to this publishing business i’ve only just started and have you got any tips for me awesome video by the way
Dale, I've been writing most of my life but am the greenest of rookies in terms of publishing. Question: I'm Working on a lengthy sci-fi piece. Is there any difference in terms of easiness to publish given a particular genre? Thank you so much for this vid by the way. You are a Hero amongst aspiring writers!
11:09 '"There is less successful people on in this business than there are unsuccessful." The understatement of the century. The VAST VAST majority of self-published authors are totally unsuccessful. But, that is true in traditional publishing as well, especially if you factor in everyone who even started the process of querying.
Hello Dale, I could really use a mentor and I know that the book I am writing will do well. I have to admit I was a little intimidated by this since this is my first book. I know you are busy, but I could use some help.
Hello, Dale. I watched a lot of your videos and they helped me a lot. I just published a paperback book on KDP and it is now ready to be purchased through Amazon, with Prime service. Now I have one big concern about the returns. Do I need to pay Amazon if someone buys and then returns my book? Worst case scenario, if someone buys tons of copies and then return them, I will be broke if Amazon wants me to pay for the cost. Could you share some insights on that, please?
Valid concern. No, you don’t have to pay for returns. They just take the return and subtract the royalty. In fact, you’ll see the returns in your KDP dashboard. This is another reason you get paid 60 days after the close of the month. It’s to account for all returns.
Sadly, BookBaby is outside my wheelhouse. They require an upfront payment to publish on their platform and that's a huge turn-off to me. Yes, you keep all your royalties, but sadly, you also assume all risk when publishing through their platform. If you do break ground there, I'd love to hear your honest feedback and any comparisons you have to other platforms.
Hi, Dale. I have an unusual question. Is it normal to have a TOC without the chapter titles listed? (I.e. Chapter I...6, Chapter II...13) I asked because when trying to put my ebook on Amazon and viewing how it looks before I publish it, it looks uneven unlike my original submission?
The automated formatting software kinda acts wonky and will mess up the autoformatted ToC. I cover this in my Beginners course. It’s in the video series about how format an ebook. I show you how to work around that issue and still have a nice looking ToC.
I have written stories but most of the books I've written are unfinished because I lost them, I'm writing my first novel right now I'm a few pages in the first chapter my concern about getting my book published is that someone might stell it , how can I publish my book safely without having to worry about my book being plagiarized.
Plagiarism happens. Thieves are everywhere regardless of the business you're in. You just do what you've gotta do to get you content out into the world and cross that bridge should it ever come.
Thank you for the videos, just starting to research on all this book/Ebook publishing... One thing about the video which I want to clarify is when you talk about "scammers" and you mention "hidden guideline" and "account suspended".... I do not have a clear idea of what this means, but I (sort of) got freaked out because I might want to list ebooks/books on our SellerCentral account and imagine if it gets suspended! Right there I mentally excluded Amazon until I get this confusion sorted out.... Any more detailed thoughts on this? Tks :)
Get more details about those guidelines in this video: Publishing Books on Amazon Kindle: Don't Break These Rules ruclips.net/video/XpC6ZzXMrH8/видео.html
One question I've not been able to get an answer on yet: if I have a full-time job and want to self-publish a book, don't I have to be self-employed to do so...? Obviously I'll be making a new source of income from this in theory so are there are guidelines of how to properly approach this? (the last thing I would want to do is self-publish a book seemingly willy-nilly, start to make money from it and then find out I needed to declare that income in some now and now I'm stuck with tax fines etc.) I'm extremely new to this world and although exciting, I just have no idea what to expect outside of the actual publishing process. Any pointers would help.
You still claim your earnings whether you're working full-time or part-time. It doesn't matter if you're self-employed or working a job and doing self-publishing part-time.
5 лет назад+1
Hello Dale. I loved your video, thank you, you've helped me a lot. I have a few questions (or so): - I am French, and I didn't understand the part with the "guidelines", could you sum up in one very simple sentence what is the issue with it please? - I also wanted to know if I have to file a patent for my book, before putting it out there? Thank you for your answers.
First part - when I say “ambiguous guidelines” that means rules that aren’t entirely clear or easy to determine one way or the other. And, patents are for products. You’re thinking about copyright. Should you? Depends on your goals. And, what plan to do should you need to enforce copyright theft. Do you the money to file the copyright (generally, $50 or so for one book). Next, should you want to bring someone to court for copyright theft, can you afford that? Quite a few things you’ll have to think about. 🤔
5 лет назад+1
Self-Publishing with Dale hahaha, well thank you! I didn’t see it that way! 😅 Yes I was talking about copyright, sorry I used the wrong term. those are very accurate questions. And I think I might go the easy way. Thank you again. 😌
What do you think is the average amount someone's book is purchased in the 60 day period? Like for example if I get $1.75 per every sale. How does one find time to "succeed" in the market. When you might only make $105 if you sell for sake of an argument 60 books every 2 months.
I think you knew what I was going to answer. It’s just too hard to tell. Think of it in the Pareto Principle rule. About 20% of your books will pull in 80% of your profit. And vice versa. Also, don’t rely on just one form of publication. Publish ebook, print and audio. Then, think about translation rights too. Diversify your publishing business.
@@DaleLRoberts You made a good point about translations. The person helping me with the book is from Malaysia. So we have that avenue. Also thanks for the reply.
Hey, no issue. Yes, translations are the most overlooked way to repurpose the same content. Heck, there are companies that’ll buy the translation rights to your books. So, if you don’t want to manage another asset, then sell it.
I have a question. I want publish a art book which is a collection of my art , how should I write manuscript for that? I really have no idea about what manuscripts are too since this is the first time for me to publish something in KDP.
You're going to need software that'll help you format the text and images as one. You can try something as simple as PowerPoint. Or, use a more sophisticated program like Adobe InDesign. I'll be rolling out a new video this week about the 10 best ebook formatting software. You'll get a good idea for ebook AND print book formatting from that video. Stay tuned!
Being an author has been one of my greatest accomplishments, my goal is to also share my journey on how I became a self published author. Good luck to everyone telling their story!
Thanks for the encouraging comment.
Congratulations and thank you for your encouraging words. Please share some of your book titles, I would love to read them.
When I buy a book, I rather give 100% of my investment to the person or people who actually wrote the book because they put a lot of their time, energy, knowledge, creativity, and money into their book. The publisher should be the author,
👏
Bravo
Self published my first book on kdp a few weeks ago. I was just excited to see my work in print. Im waiting to see my first royalty check. But im just glad there is a platform for authors. Great video
Congrats and thanks for the kudos 😀👍👏
Can i ples contact u
Fatimah Adam sure. You’ll find my contact email in the about section.
@@DaleLRoberts I couldn't find it
Fatimah Adam if you’re on mobile, it doesn’t show. On desktop, there’s a security cover on it. It’s so I don’t get bots grabbing my email and spamming me. Visit my website to and check my about page.
I came here because, I need to justify the efforts. I'm really happy you published this video. It is very informative.
Awesome! I'm glad you found it helpful.
I can't thank you enough for these videos and your insights. I'm so glad I recently found your channel. I'm learning all I can. People pay good money for all this advice and you are offering it to us free as fellow writers. I think Amazon would be the best deal for my upcoming niche book. But I am looking at other platforms. One month is a long time to wait for a payout, but hey, some regular jobs pay monthly salaries too.
Yeah, it’s a bit of a wait time, but I’m used to it by now. It motivates me to drive harder every month.
Thanks so much for the kind words and support. The best thing you could do is keep watching, commenting and sharing 😀👏👍
Published my very first short story on kindle two days ago. Very excited and also a little nervous about what’s in store for me in the future. I’m watching great informative videos like these to learn how to boost sales and establish my brand. It’s all about making those small steps to success
Sam Wijesinghe that’s the ticket! I’m looking forward to hearing more from you soon.
It is very difficult to publish in these days. I have an awesome book. I contacted publishers but they will only accept book material from publishing agents. I met 4 publishing agents and they all asked me the same 3 questions. Do you have 4.000.000 followers on FB?, Are you rich and famous? Do you have your own TV show? I could only answer no to all 3 questions. Because it was a no, the publishing agents would not look at one single page from the book or the reviews which was right in front of them. I actually thank them for not looking, because now I am self publishing. I am looking forward to see your video. Much aloha, Dan Knudsen
Thanks for chiming in. And, yes, many people are still chasing after the traditional publishing deal. They want someone with an established following or presence. That's why I tell most people, skip to self-publishing so you don't waste valuable time going after an elusive deal.
with each bit of info that you give us I find myself rising toward the next level of a successful journey as a soon to be published author . Thank you sooo much Dale!
That's amazing. I wish you all the best!
Thank you for your advice! I am about to finish writing my novel and have been researching ways to self publish. I find your channel very helpful even though I literally came across it today.
Oh, thanks so much. I hope to hear more from you soon!
Dale, thanks for the video. Lots of useful tips here. I just managed to publish my first book on Kindle Self Publishing last week. The biggest gripe I have with Amazon and this self publishing model is that you get zero real help from them with technical issues. When they say “self publishing” they do mean that you are on your own. There is not a human you can contact either through chat, email or phone to get quick help. Hopefully, it gets easier as I progress on this journey. It was the same when I started publishing articles on Seeking Alpha. My writings relate to finance and investing. Cheers Lasse
Welcome! Glad you got through it all. There is support through KDP in your dashboard. Scroll down to contact us. You’ll be given two options when you put in a query: email or phone. I hope that helps. They do not have phone support on the weekends.
And Dale you are write on! Love your videos. Insights and inside knowledge/info!
I appreciate that!
This video is very useful. Thank you specially for the cons part. I am about to publish a book through KDP and this is the first authentic and helpful video I came across clearing all the issues going on inside me. You surely know a lot.
Hey, thanks for the kudos. Keep an eye on this channel for more content around self publishing.
I think you forgot to add the end screen to your video. Nothing to click on. Just a heads up. I do this all the time and forget to add it. Besides that great advice. Thanks!
Thanks.
It's great to see your videos Dale! As a new author, I appreciate all the advice and guidance.
Hey, I appreciate the kudos. 😀👏😀 thanks for watching and commenting.
Hey Dale , my book will be published soon. I have my LLC formed , but I don't want people trying to search or contact me through the Physical address of my Publishing company (which is really my house) and as you know I couldn't register my LLC to a PO BOX, so is there a way to legally mask or block the public address of my business? I will have an email & PO BOX set up for general contact and services , but my privacy is very important. Please help. Thanks again.
This is where a good business attorney can help big time. When I had him transfer my business entity from one state to the next, he changed the address so that it was his address. That way if anyone wants to contact me through my address, they gotta go through my lawyer. And, he doesn't charge extra for that. It's kinda nice, because I value my personal space and privacy.
Been Trying to decide how to publish my book. I think self publishing is looking a lot better for my style of book. Looking into KDP on Amazon. A lot to research. Thanks for your video very helpful
Hey, glad you found it helpful. I have more videos just like this, so I hope to hear more from you soon.
Thank you so much; I self-published my first book: THE REVEALED TRUTH OF A NEW CREATION; 3rd May on KDP. So excited, looking forward to my first paycheck.
I enjoy your videos; very insightful.
fran sam Congrats on your first book! And thanks for support. 😀👏👍
I have a nice but small 20 page ebook I created (PDF) that I gave away for free to people who signed up for my newsletter. I've been thinking about putting it on Amazon for a few dollars to see if it would sell. GIven that I've never sold a thing on Amazon, I'm wondering if it worth my effort.
Absolutely! In fact, that would fit perfectly into Kindle Short Reads. Your ebook would be classified as a 30-minute short read. Here’s a video series about short reads. The second video is the one you could watch for more details: ruclips.net/p/PLXCkkWHluK4CtOK1KwGRQFF4H2uL17E0z
Just a heads up though, if you offer it for free elsewhere, you won’t be able to enroll in the KDP Select program. That might be Greek to you, so let me know if you want more info about that. I have a ton of resources, so it can be overwhelming trying to find everything. I’m here to help, so just drop a comment on a video and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction. 😀👏👍
Hi Dale you´re great, thanks for all the very useful info about self- publishing. I would like to ask you this: can I "order print books for the author" and then sell them in book shops in my country ? It seems to be possible, on Amazon Help says that..
To be honest, I usually just use Google and then do digging when I get to a platform. Take a look at their FAQs or their ToS for that clip.
To answer your question: yes. Just be mindful of local tax laws and sales licenses.
Hey Dale, should I have professional editor to edit my manuscript before doing the self publishing thing?
Absolutely! You’re readers will appreciate it. 😀👏👍
You should start with using the proofing features of Word if you use it. This includes readability. You want to get to 7th grade or less. Hemingway is grade 2. The Hemingway editor is only $20 and does a lot.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I wrote three books
Navarasam
Scribbles that hound the past
Mahiravan
Congrats!
Dope
Great info. Looking forward to publish my book and get people to enjoy it.
Awesome! Stay tuned for more. 😀👍👏
Hi, enjoyed the video. My question is - once your book is on Amazon can you still accept an offer from a traditional publishing house?
Yes.
love your content and excited to publish
That's great. Glad you have you aboard! All the best in your publishing journey!
If I would make the same money, I wouldn’t do self publishing! Less headache when someone else does it and more free time for me for creative work... Great video, thank you for the advise!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 😀👍👏
@@DaleLRoberts 🙂
olgamoraiti olmamor 😀👏👍
For same profit: to self publish it traditional publish?
If I made the same amount regardless, I'd go with the traditional method as they can utilize advertisement and marketing methods to increase awareness
Awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Great video and thanks for the advice. I did find the slow zoom-ins were distracting from what you were saying, so I would remove those zoom-ins, but I appreciate you taking the time for this video to help others.
Agreed. The zoom ins are gone now. In fact, I don't even edit my own videos anymore and hire out a professional video editor. He does NOT like the zoom ins either. haha Thanks for the kudos and feedback.
Amazing info! I'm currently working on a how to swim book and I was thinking of publishing it on Amazon. You are right though scammers are the worst of the worst!
Yeah. I don't like getting ugly like that. I try to stay away from rants, but that one slips through every now and then. Thanks for the kind words and comment.
Self-Publishing with Dale I actually really like and admire how enthusiastic you got with that. Though I don’t have a published book now, that would be something that really grinds my gears
Swimology well, I’m glad you’re headed in the right direction. Kudos! 😀👏👍
Great overall view. Kindle exclusive programs are great to jumpstart your book even though it's annoying they want you to give them the exclusivity. The 35% royalties is ridiculous considering it's an ebook, removing the print and printer cost of an actual book. By the way, I don't like Lulu. I looked into it at the time when I was looking into the various self-published platforms, created a draft version a book, never went beyond draft mode, only to discover they listed it on Amazon without my permission. When I contacted them about it, they refused to do anything about it, and told me to contact Amazon. Amazon told me to contact Lulu because they're the ones who listed it, but I have to give points to Amazon because when I told them what Lulu told me, they removed it from their site. Just thought I'd share this.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing.
Great video, Dale. Let's roll our sleeves and let's rock!
Abso-freakin'-lutely!
Nice video Dale. You should make a video on ghostwriting! I'm not an english native and it's quite hard to write a book in english by myself. I want to hire an affordable ghostwriter for a non-fiction book, but I've heard about a lot of scams on well known jobs' platforms. This includes encoding copied content, which makes it very hard to check for plagiarism. What would you suggest to mitigate those risks? Thanks
I've covered ghostwriting before. See here:
ruclips.net/video/O7BHOS3YujA/видео.html
and discussed it with a guest here:
ruclips.net/video/u1F8ZBRICBs/видео.html
Also, I briefly touch on it in my free online course at DIYPublishing.biz/Free.
@@DaleLRoberts Oh you're right, thanks!
You’re a blessing . Thank you man !!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
I´m here for Music Dude and all you are going on about is Books!
You know it!
Just published my first kids book in both English and Spanish... I'm excited to make more
Way to go. 😎💪🔥
@@DaleLRoberts thanks man
Hi Dale, Im new to your channel and was wondering how do you find the right editor for fiction and what should be a reasonable price range?
Ooo, that’s a tough one to call. This varies based on the niche. Generally...and I mean generally...it can run as a minimum 5 cents per word. But that doesn’t account for the type of editing.
Is there anything I would pay in order to get my work published through all three formats? Or in general any out of pocket expenses?
I cover that in this video:
Cost Of Self Publishing on Amazon | Can You Make Money with Self Publishing? ruclips.net/video/NtBqSgw3QVU/видео.html
Great video thanks Dale, you explored the pros and cons very well. Cheers from the UK Alex
I appreciate the kudos and kind words. Thanks😀👏👍
you provide us with lots of useful information
I’m happy to help.
Thank you for making this video. It helps a lot.
Awesome! Thanks for watching and commenting 😀👏👍
The world of publishing is so vast I dont even know where to start.
This video has at least helped me understand what comes with the Amazon publishing. Self publishing seems costly, professional publishing you loose creative control among many things, while this one has the cons listed.
However Amazon seems to be the most accessible.
What other tips can you give about publishing?
Thanks for the kudos. If you’re new, give my free course for beginners a shot:
diypublishing.biz/free
That’ll get you pointed in the right direction.
Awesome video. I want to self publish for many reasons, but I'm hesitant to self publish on Amazon. Do you have videos on marketing for authors that want to do it themselves? I have a very specific way I want my book to look, be formatted, and build my own independent brand from the ground up.
I have quite a few videos about marketing that applies marketing that’s universal. Some of the videos in the series are for Amazon, others apply everywhere:
ruclips.net/p/PLXCkkWHluK4Bes8TEZ5ZT8SIF1r8m3kWS
Hey Dale, what’s the difference between KDP and publishing through APUB? Do I need an agent for Amazons APUB?
You’re correct. Amazon Publishing is essentially a traditional publishing model. Whereas KDP is self publishing. Amazon Publishing does not accept manuscripts, I looked into it already.
@@DaleLRoberts : so, how does one get published by apub?
Late seeing this video... if I were to publish on Amazon, would I be able to publish or sell my book on any other marketplace?? I know if you do the Amazon Exclusive then no.
You are free to publish your book wherever you wish as you retain all rights.
The only instance when you can't publish on other platforms is when you are enrolled in the KDP Select program.
This is a program you can opt into or out of at anytime. It allows you to take advantage of free promos and discounts deals. The program runs for 90-day increments and you must remain exclusive to Amazon during that time.
Once you opt out, you're free to publish on other platforms.
Great video Dale. I am editing my book now, however I wonder should I copy write my book and if I do how much does it cost?
A good copy editor runs at a premium. I’d recommend reaching out within the author community for a referral. Or, look into who the Alliance of Independent Authors suggest. They’re a reputable resource.
Thanks for the kind words and comment.
@@DaleLRoberts Thanks you welcome
😀👏👍
I've been considering self-publishing for quite some time, and your videos are absolutely amazing in learning about its process. Keep up the awesome work. Thank you. ^^
Also, if I may ask, do you happen to know how to go about publishing across different platforms? Such as Barnes and Noble Press and KDP? I utterly adore the hardcovers from B&N Press, while the wide distribution on Amazon. Is it a matter of purchasing your own ISBN's from each platform? Like 2 for KDP, such as for eBook and Paperback. Then, 2 for B&N Press for Paperback and Hardcover?
If you buy your own ISBN, you can publish across the platforms with no issue. Otherwise, you’d have to use their ISBNs.
@@DaleLRoberts Awesome! Would each have to have their own ISBN, such as if I did paperback or eBook from both KDP and B&N? Or would only 1 be required? (Only want to use B&N for hardcover, while KDP paperback and ebook.)
You need a different ISBN for each product type.
@@DaleLRoberts So one for eBook, one for hardback, and one for paperback across the two platforms? Awesome! I thought it'd be way more difficult. Haha! Thanks, Dale.
You nailed it. I’d recommend when you publish, do it on Amazon first. It has a weird quirk sometimes where if you publish elsewhere first, KDP pushes back and say it’s already been published.
Thank you for this Dale. I am brand new to this world, but have been encouraged by several people to publish.
Thank you for all of the different parts I did not think about.
*** side question *** I wear glasses too. Your video doesn’t show the reflections in your lenses - what do you do/use?
I have anti-glare on my lens and it's all about the lighting placement. To my left is a large picture window and to my left, I place a single LED light.
So, you're new to the biz? Have you picked up access to my course for beginners? DIYPublishing.biz/Free
0:25. Would choose self-publishing definitely.
🤜💥🤛
Thanks for this video. Do technical books have the same chance of succeeding as the other kind of books?
If you have the audience, sure.
Hi dale, i love reading and used to write a lot of stuff, should i be writer to be able to publish a book?
Give it a shot. 👍
i really want to give it a try and ur video is one of my online teachers 🙂
Oh my gosh! I'm probably 15,000 words away from completing my freak ass novel. And I was thinking of publishing traditionally but I've read so many bad things about it, looking into it today and I would like to write full time because I have a more commercial novel idea. But i also saw a video of someone saying "write things that are already selling." And I was like; "what?!" That's the complete opposite advice I have heard from Brandon Sanderson. I don't want to write Twilight I wanna write Black Leopard Red Wolf. So I'm loathing the person who said that (though typing it here makes me feel better) and now I forgot what I was going to say. I bet it had a really sharp point. damn it! damn it!
Hey, you’re in this deep already. Crank out the next 15,000 words and just get it done. I always recommend studying niches first, but if it’s easier to write now, then worry about niche research later.
You can’t decide when your muse is going to show up. So, go with your heart. 😀👏👍
Is there any way I could publish my book from my phone? Because I wrote my book on wattpad from my phone and I don't have a laptop or computer
You could probably finagle a way. The issue is you need a flash player for the interior reviewer step. Beyond that, it should be possible. You'll just have to jump through a few hoops at first.
There’s a good idea 👆👆👆👆
I have a question, if I publish my book in Amazon and after a while a publisher likes my book, can I remove my book from Amazon?
You sure can. 😀👍👏
Thank you for asking this question Kosugy. I had the same in mind.
Dale- as a piggy back question, would a new ISBN number be needed when removing the book from Amazon for other publishing options? Thank you in advance.
Yes.
If your book does well on Amazon why would you care about a "regular" publisher?
Another question,Dale. My book is available on Amazon store to purchase. And I even purchased a copy(not an author copy ) from that link. But when I opened my seller account, the book is not there. Do I have to do anything to add the book on my inventory? Will I get paid if the book is not on my listing?
It could be delayed. It will not show until the book ships.
Question , on e books does it cost anything compare to printing a book?
The cost can be lower for ebooks, but if you produce both at the same time you can save through service providers (i.e., covers, formatting, etc.).
As far as royalties, which self publishing Avenue is the best for the author (me)?
KDP is the best place to start.
Hello Dale. It is me again. Thank you for your timely replies. I am in bit of hurry to get this done.
My next question is on KDP. I have edited my Kindle version on Kindle Create. I was wondering if I could export this to PDF (with the appropriate formatting for 6*9)? Or should I start again with MS Word to make it ready for Amazon paperback? Thanks again.
I'm not entirely sure since I've never used Kindle Create. You may want to send a question to support for that.
@@DaleLRoberts
Thanks for the point. Best.
And Merry Christmas.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👏😀👍
Good info, thank you Dale.
Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned for more~!
Very basic query so my apologies! Can I publish in a way for amazon users around the world to buy my book? For example not in dollars and on the Amazon UK site?
You automatically have reach in that region and scores of others. And, you can change the price based on the region and it’s accepted currency.
Thank you so much for this. The information is really helpful. ✨✨
Aw, thanks! I give it my best, so I’m glad you found it helpful.
Great and valuable information! Thank you ;) Is ok to trust one of those companies that charge you over a $1,000 to make your book published in Amazon?
It really depends. I know of some legit companies that charge upfront fees while giving the authors 100% of earnings. BookBaby is like that and are fairly reputable with a great track record. You just have to gamble on yourself when using those types of avenues. Do your research and cross check any company you find with the Alliance of Independent Authors' Watchdog List. They're a nonprofit company run by indie authors, for indie authors. And the Watchdog List vets popular companies and services in the self-publishing business. Take a look over at DaleLinks.com/Watchdog.
I hope that helps and thanks so much for the kind words. I hope to hear more from you soon.
I was just fixing to say BookBaby myself. I personally worked with a guy who went through BookBaby and he didn't have any problems with them. The issue is the cost of course. 1k is their cheap package.
Great data man!, Thanks
Facundo Alvarez hey, I appreciate the kudos. 😀👏👍
Sorry I am confused: you listed 70% royalties as a pro and 35% as a con... so which is which?
If you list your ebook between $2.99 to $9.99, you get 70%. Anything outside of $2.99 to $9.99, you get 35%.
@@DaleLRoberts ok this is more clear. Thank you very much.
Glad to help.
Please give this man several bananas stickers for putting this vid out! Thanks Dale!
I’ll take ‘em! Thanks so much for the kudos. The best thing you can do is keep watching, commenting and sharing 😀👏👍
Self-Publishing with Dale Will do!
I appreciate the love and support. 😀👍👏
Thank you Dale, I have co-authored previously with ` Trafford Publishing ` with " Positive Aikido " - This time we decided to try ` Amazon Publishing ` our new new book " Founding of JuJutsu, Judo & Aikido in the UK " ( Abdul Rashid & Henry Ellis ) The book was published a month ago and the results and feedback are great, we are really pleased with every aspect of the book, thank you to Amazon .
Thanks for sharing.
Hey Dale, Instead of publishing audiobooks on Audible, what is the other option for audiobooks specifically?
Give Author’s Republic or Findaway Voices a look.
If you were to split your book in multiple parts, can you publish each part on amazon? Will it be on the same page as the other parts you’ve published of your story?
Can you? Yes. Will they be on the same page? Yes and no. So long as you list them as in a series, Amazon will create a series page for them.
Hi Dale, thank-you very much for this video, it's very informative. I'd like to ask you, if an author publishes his work on Amazon, does Amazon obtain the rights for the material or they stay with him?
You own the rights and never sacrifice those rights without willingly doing so. If you use their free-assigned ISBN, they own that and you cannot take it anywhere else. That's the ONLY thing you don't have the rights to. Also, remember, if you opt into the KDP Select program (ebooks only), then you agree to stay exclusive to Amazon with that ebook for the 90-day agreement.
I am an old school self published award winning master photographer and author. I love a book in hand. Love brick and mortar bookstores. Love to feel, smell and turn the pages of a book in hand off the shelf. Love doing book signings and meeting followers at events - listening to their experience with the book and others! Sorry the online thing is a cool way to get it out there but the digital world falls short of a published book in hand! Too much screen time. Break loose and go analog. But that might break the new world order and model!
There's still a huge market for print books and just like any market, it fluctuates. Print books aren't going anywhere and there is a whole horde of people who feel the same as you.
That being said, as self-publishers, it's worth our time to capitalize on the eBook market as well. More eggs; more baskets.
Great video Dale! At some point you said "don't rely only on Amazon" - what are the alternatives to Amazon? Do you mean selling the books through our own website? How viable is that, is it a popular method among self-pub authors?
I have quite a few videos about Amazon alternatives. Browse through my back log of videos.
Self-publish, for sure!
Awesome 👏
I really enjoyed this video and found it very informative. Though I will say this I found it odd how often the camera would slowly zoom in on your face randomly throughout the video, and it gave me a headache lol other than that good video
Yes. As shared by other viewers, the production was a bit much. I went through this phase in March and April and have sense ditched the zooming methods. Glad you found it helpful and hope you stick around to see non-headache inducing videos.
I have self-published my debut dark fantasy novel and I regret not getting an agent. I struggle tremendously with marketing that I practically have no sales since it's release almost a year ago. I have paid for ads, I even paid for ARC reviewers and to this day after over 7 months of hiring them, I still haven't gotten any reviews. I spend so much money on my book that I could travel in first class style around the world. I have followed every advise from people who self publish, watched tones of videos and none of them work for me.
Get more visible and stay consistent with doing it. Video and audio options are free these days with RUclips and podcasts. Explore that avenue and focus on your long game. Just so you know, one book isn’t always the best way to grow your brand. You may want to expand your catalog.
@@DaleLRoberts Thanks. I was being realistic enough knowing that I wont become an overnight success but I also did not expect to have practically no sales either.
Over a month ago I had an amateur interview about my book. over 500 views, no sales. Now I have to see if book 2 should be again self published or trying to get an agent.
Yeah, the interviews aren’t going to get you a ton of sales. But, if you get out and do more, it raises awareness and visibility. And since they do all the work and continue to grow their following, people will eventually go back and watch your interview. More passive traffic. Focus on the long game. These small things will seem so unrewarding at first. In due time, you’ll hit critical mass and arrive at your tipping point. Keep at it! 😎🔥💪
@@DaleLRoberts Will see. What aggravates me that I can't get any reviews. Even when I paid for it. I know that over 50 people have gotten my book and only 4 have left one. Mainly on Goodreads. I've contacted most of them and never heard back. I'm pretty much at an end how I can market my book more. Amazon ads, paid ads, created a website. I must be doing something wrong here.
Anyway, thanks for responding.
Rowan have you looked into newsletter swaps? They don’t cost a dime and are all above board. Look into StoryOrig.in and BookSprout.co. Newsletters are the way to go, especially for fiction.
Hi Dale, if I self-published and say the book became very successful and it was to be turned into a TV series or movie would I still own the rights?
This depends on how you handle the rights when brokering the deal for film. No one can just make your book into a movie or show without your permission.
Thank you for your fast response
Eerie Andover it’s my pleasure 😀👏👍
is it possible to include pictures along with text for the books, if so, how is it done
Yes. I have image-heavy fitness books. However, it varies based on the software you're using. I use MS Word and simply insert the image. I used to compress the images, but it made for a poor reading experience. So, I merely resize the image to fit ebooks and print books but keep the DPI higher (around 300dpi).
Hi Dale. Do you have to copyright tour work first before linking up with Amazon? Thanx for this video. Very very informative.
You have a general copyright as soon as you produce the work. However, if you ever find yourself in court because of a rights issue, then owning the copyright is a best practice. The real question is - can you afford dragging someone into court should the occasion arise?
@@DaleLRoberts Thanx so much for replying back and the info.
My pleasure!
Is it possible to publish a small newspaper on Amazon?
Not that I’m aware of. Reach out to Amazon and ask.
Hey Dale quick question, If I have a book listed in the library of congress with a ISBN number can I still publish on Amazon?
Yes.
Thanks so much🔥
lee byrd hey, it’s my pleasure! I take it you bought your own ISBN?
great information ✌
Glad you liked it!
Thank you so much!!
You're welcome!
So what's the fine print with Amazon? Do they get 30% of the sales only or is there some hidden clause which allow them to control future printings? movie rights?
No, you keep 100% of your rights.
Thank you for this informative video. I've recently publish Kindle ebook on Amazon. I was also looking for paperback version but Amazon does not allow paperback in Hindi . I hope it will be available soon so that I will not have to go anywhere to publish my book. Do you have any idea about paperback in Hindi?
Sadly, I don’t have any info. As soon as I hear something, I’ll announce it here on the channel.
sure. I will be happy to watch your video. The traditional publishers doesn't understand new authors. That is why we need self publishing and Amazon is doing great job.
Regarding my book I contacted one of leading publishing house of country and they replied that they are not accepting new manuscripts. I laughed a lot because few days back they published book of two well know persons of the country.
And another (stupid) question from a beginner ... what's the suggested SIZE for an Ebook and what's the suggested size for a printed book? For this question I am thinking children books. And the best program to use? I came across Adobe Indesign and aside from the fact that it does not look that simple for beginners, it's also $20 a month which I was trying to avoid now.... help.
There’s no “size” for ebooks.
Best program? Use Keynote or PowerPoint to build your book. Save to PDF and then format it with Kindle Kids Book Creator. I have a couple videos about it.
@@DaleLRoberts OK! This is for Ebooks.... Correct? And for the printed version? I start from the same point (Keynote or Powerpoint), save as PDF and send the file to the company who will print it?... ?
You’ll use the PDF for print and use the mobi file created from Kindle Kids Book Creator for ebook.
Will it be worth it to do an audiobook if the ebook and paperback versions of my book is not selling well at all?
It’s worth a shot. I have a few books that perform poorly in print and ebook, but do well in audio.
I just want to publish my novel just to say I did. I didn't do it for money, but because I love to write. Even if I got $1 a copy sold, as long as I get to keep the rights, characters and cover art without some hollywood bigwig taking my idea and ruining it, I'd be fine.
Awesome.
Thank you for the honest summary
I appreciate you watching and commenting.
i’m confused could you elaborate on violation of the guidelines please, and i’m new to this publishing business i’ve only just started and have you got any tips for me awesome video by the way
I have full videos based on the Amazon guidelines. Watch this video and you'll get a better idea: ruclips.net/video/XpC6ZzXMrH8/видео.html
Dale, I've been writing most of my life but am the greenest of rookies in terms of publishing. Question: I'm Working on a lengthy sci-fi piece. Is there any difference in terms of easiness to publish given a particular genre? Thank you so much for this vid by the way. You are a Hero amongst aspiring writers!
The publishing aspect is pretty much the same across genres. How you launch is similar but requires some adjusting.
11:09 '"There is less successful people on in this business than there are unsuccessful." The understatement of the century. The VAST VAST majority of self-published authors are totally unsuccessful. But, that is true in traditional publishing as well, especially if you factor in everyone who even started the process of querying.
It's unfortunate to think of the many great stories languishing in oblivion.
Hello Dale, I could really use a mentor and I know that the book I am writing will do well. I have to admit I was a little intimidated by this since this is my first book. I know you are busy, but I could use some help.
I’ll be rolling out the nonfiction author coaching program in February 2020. Stay tuned to the channel.
Is the 60 day payout the same for self published print books as well?
Yes.
Self-Publishing with Dale thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hello, Dale. I watched a lot of your videos and they helped me a lot. I just published a paperback book on KDP and it is now ready to be purchased through Amazon, with Prime service. Now I have one big concern about the returns. Do I need to pay Amazon if someone buys and then returns my book? Worst case scenario, if someone buys tons of copies and then return them, I will be broke if Amazon wants me to pay for the cost. Could you share some insights on that, please?
Valid concern. No, you don’t have to pay for returns. They just take the return and subtract the royalty. In fact, you’ll see the returns in your KDP dashboard. This is another reason you get paid 60 days after the close of the month. It’s to account for all returns.
@@DaleLRoberts thank you so much.good to know that
@@DaleLRoberts Thank you so much for your kind reply. It's good to know they won't charge me for return cost.
PalomaManga agreed! It is a nice option.
Do you have any information on publishing with Book Baby? Is the self publishing bundle worth it if you aren’t sure how to outsource everything?
Sadly, BookBaby is outside my wheelhouse. They require an upfront payment to publish on their platform and that's a huge turn-off to me. Yes, you keep all your royalties, but sadly, you also assume all risk when publishing through their platform. If you do break ground there, I'd love to hear your honest feedback and any comparisons you have to other platforms.
Self-Publishing with Dale Thank you and yes I sure will let you know 😊
😀👍👏
Hi, Dale. I have an unusual question. Is it normal to have a TOC without the chapter titles listed? (I.e. Chapter I...6, Chapter II...13) I asked because when trying to put my ebook on Amazon and viewing how it looks before I publish it, it looks uneven unlike my original submission?
The automated formatting software kinda acts wonky and will mess up the autoformatted ToC. I cover this in my Beginners course. It’s in the video series about how format an ebook. I show you how to work around that issue and still have a nice looking ToC.
@@DaleLRoberts Found the video. Thanks.
L W excellent
I have written stories but most of the books I've written are unfinished because I lost them, I'm writing my first novel right now I'm a few pages in the first chapter my concern about getting my book published is that someone might stell it , how can I publish my book safely without having to worry about my book being plagiarized.
Plagiarism happens. Thieves are everywhere regardless of the business you're in. You just do what you've gotta do to get you content out into the world and cross that bridge should it ever come.
Thank you for the videos, just starting to research on all this book/Ebook publishing... One thing about the video which I want to clarify is when you talk about "scammers" and you mention "hidden guideline" and "account suspended".... I do not have a clear idea of what this means, but I (sort of) got freaked out because I might want to list ebooks/books on our SellerCentral account and imagine if it gets suspended! Right there I mentally excluded Amazon until I get this confusion sorted out.... Any more detailed thoughts on this? Tks :)
Get more details about those guidelines in this video:
Publishing Books on Amazon Kindle: Don't Break These Rules ruclips.net/video/XpC6ZzXMrH8/видео.html
One question I've not been able to get an answer on yet: if I have a full-time job and want to self-publish a book, don't I have to be self-employed to do so...? Obviously I'll be making a new source of income from this in theory so are there are guidelines of how to properly approach this? (the last thing I would want to do is self-publish a book seemingly willy-nilly, start to make money from it and then find out I needed to declare that income in some now and now I'm stuck with tax fines etc.) I'm extremely new to this world and although exciting, I just have no idea what to expect outside of the actual publishing process. Any pointers would help.
You still claim your earnings whether you're working full-time or part-time. It doesn't matter if you're self-employed or working a job and doing self-publishing part-time.
Hello Dale. I loved your video, thank you, you've helped me a lot.
I have a few questions (or so):
- I am French, and I didn't understand the part with the "guidelines", could you sum up in one very simple sentence what is the issue with it please?
- I also wanted to know if I have to file a patent for my book, before putting it out there?
Thank you for your answers.
First part - when I say “ambiguous guidelines” that means rules that aren’t entirely clear or easy to determine one way or the other.
And, patents are for products. You’re thinking about copyright. Should you? Depends on your goals. And, what plan to do should you need to enforce copyright theft. Do you the money to file the copyright (generally, $50 or so for one book). Next, should you want to bring someone to court for copyright theft, can you afford that?
Quite a few things you’ll have to think about. 🤔
Self-Publishing with Dale hahaha, well thank you! I didn’t see it that way! 😅
Yes I was talking about copyright, sorry I used the wrong term. those are very accurate questions. And I think I might go the easy way. Thank you again. 😌
My pleasure 👍😀👏
@@DaleLRoberts how much it costs to bring someone to court for copyright theft?
I’m no expert on that, but generally speaking, a good lawyer can run in the thousands.
What do you think is the average amount someone's book is purchased in the 60 day period? Like for example if I get $1.75 per every sale. How does one find time to "succeed" in the market. When you might only make $105 if you sell for sake of an argument 60 books every 2 months.
I know this is a difficult question. Due to the fact every book is different. But just want to know what your thought to this type of question is..
I think you knew what I was going to answer. It’s just too hard to tell. Think of it in the Pareto Principle rule. About 20% of your books will pull in 80% of your profit. And vice versa.
Also, don’t rely on just one form of publication. Publish ebook, print and audio. Then, think about translation rights too. Diversify your publishing business.
@@DaleLRoberts You made a good point about translations. The person helping me with the book is from Malaysia. So we have that avenue. Also thanks for the reply.
Hey, no issue. Yes, translations are the most overlooked way to repurpose the same content. Heck, there are companies that’ll buy the translation rights to your books. So, if you don’t want to manage another asset, then sell it.
What sites can I go to upload chapter by chapter for my book for ppl to read. For example every Friday I'll realise a new chapter.
Wattpad might be something to look into.
I have a question. I want publish a art book which is a collection of my art , how should I write manuscript for that?
I really have no idea about what manuscripts are too since this is the first time for me to publish something in KDP.
You're going to need software that'll help you format the text and images as one. You can try something as simple as PowerPoint. Or, use a more sophisticated program like Adobe InDesign. I'll be rolling out a new video this week about the 10 best ebook formatting software. You'll get a good idea for ebook AND print book formatting from that video. Stay tuned!
@@DaleLRoberts I will stay tuned. I am waiting for your upcoming videos. If possible, can you explain what manuscript are? Thanks in advance.
A manuscript is another way of saying the contents of your book.