How to Publish a Book on Amazon for Free (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

Amazon self-publishing is the process where you, the author, take full control of publishing your book through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform. It bypasses traditional publishing houses, allowing you to set your own prices, keep your rights, and make your book available to a global audience on Amazon .

When we say “publish for free,” it means Amazon charges you absolutely nothing upfront to upload your book and make it available for sale . There are no fees for listing, hosting, or using the basic publishing tools. Amazon only makes money when you do, by taking a portion of each sale. This guide is for first-time authors, entrepreneurs, and anyone with a story or knowledge to share who wants to navigate the self-publishing process clearly and correctly.

Can You Really Publish a Book on Amazon for Free?

Yes, you can. Publishing an eBook or paperback on Amazon KDP is genuinely free of charge . You will not see an invoice from Amazon for uploading your book, creating a product page, or distributing it to their store.

It’s crucial to understand the difference between free publishing and paid services:

Free Publishing (KDP Platform): Using Amazon’s KDP website to upload your own properly prepared files is completely free.
Paid Services (Optional): You may choose to pay for professional editing, cover design, formatting, or marketing help to improve your book’s quality and chances of success. These are optional and performed by third parties, not required by Amazon.

Amazon’s business model is based on sharing a royalty with you only when a book is sold. They do not ask for money to start.

What You Need Before Publishing

Before you click “publish,” have these five elements ready:

An Amazon KDP Account: This is your publishing dashboard. You can create one using an existing Amazon shopping account or set up a new one.
Your Manuscript: This is the formatted interior file of your book. For eBooks, common formats are DOCX or EPUB. For paperbacks, a PDF is typically required to ensure precise printing .
A Book Cover: Every book needs a professional-looking cover image in JPEG or TIFF format. Amazon provides minimum size requirements (e.g., 625 x 1000 pixels), but higher quality is recommended .
Book Details: Prepare your book’s title, subtitle, description (the “blurb”), a list of up to 7 relevant keywords, and research which two categories (like “Science Fiction > Space Opera”) best fit your book .
Bank and Tax Information: To get paid, you must enter valid bank account details in your KDP account. For tax purposes, Amazon requires all publishers to provide taxpayer identification to comply with U.S. tax regulations. This is mandatory, not optional.

Step-by-Step: How to Publish Your Book for Free

Step 1: Create or Access Your Amazon KDP Account

Go to kdp.amazon.com. Sign in with your existing Amazon account credentials, or click “Sign up” to create a new one. Once logged in, you’ll land on your “Bookshelf” – the hub for all your projects.

Step 2: Start a New Book Project

On your Bookshelf, click the “+ Create” button and choose “Kindle eBook” or “Paperback” to begin. You can publish both formats; they can be linked together on Amazon’s site later.

Step 3: Enter Your Book Details

This step creates your book’s Amazon sales page. Fill in every field carefully:

Title & Subtitle: Be accurate and compelling.
Author Name: This is where you can use a pen name if desired.
Description: Write a persuasive sales pitch for potential readers.
Keywords & Categories: These are critical for discoverability. Choose words readers would search for and place your book in the most specific, relevant categories possible.
Publishing Rights: Confirm you own the rights to this book.

Step 4: Upload Your Manuscript and Book Cover

Manuscript: Upload your interior file. Use the “Previewer” tool to check how it looks on digital devices (for eBooks) or as a printed book (for paperbacks). This is your chance to catch formatting errors before readers do.
Book Cover: For eBooks, you can upload your cover file directly. For paperbacks, you can upload a full cover wrap file or use Amazon’s free Cover Creator tool.

Step 5: Set Pricing and Royalties

This is where “free publishing” meets the royalty model.

For eBooks: You select a list price. Amazon offers different royalty rates (like 35% or 70%) depending on the price and distribution you choose.
For Paperbacks: You set a list price. Amazon deducts a printing cost (based on page count, ink, and size) from this price. Your royalty is what remains.
KDP Select: You can choose to enroll your eBook in KDP Select, which offers promotional benefits in exchange for making it exclusive to the Kindle store for 90 days.

Step 6: Preview, Submit, and Publish

Thoroughly review the final preview. When satisfied, click “Publish Your Book.” Your eBook typically goes live on the Amazon store within 24-72 hours. Paperbacks may take a few days longer for the listing to fully activate.

Ebook vs Paperback: Which Is Free to Publish?

Both formats are free to publish in the sense that there are no upfront listing or setup fees. However, their cost structures differ significantly upon sale.

Feature	Kindle eBook	Paperback
Upfront Cost to Publish	Free	Free
Cost Per Unit	None (digital file)	A fixed printing cost is deducted from each sale.
Author’s Earnings	Royalty % of the list price you set.	(List Price) – (Printing Cost) = Your Royalty.
Key Consideration	Maximizing royalty through pricing choices.	Pricing must cover the printing cost and still leave a desirable royalty.

How Amazon Makes Money

Amazon is not a charity; it makes money by providing you with a massive storefront and handling transactions. For eBooks, they take a share of the sale price as their commission. For paperbacks, they take the printing cost plus a share of the sale.

This is a royalty-based model. There are no hidden monthly or annual charges. If your book doesn’t sell, Amazon doesn’t get paid. This aligns their success with your own.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Poor Formatting: Uploading a standard Word document without proper formatting leads to an unprofessional reading experience. Always preview first.
Incorrect Cover Size: Using a low-resolution or incorrectly sized image results in a pixelated, amateurish cover that hurts sales.
Keyword Stuffing: Placing irrelevant keywords in your description or keyword field is against Amazon’s policy and can hurt your book’s visibility.
Copyright Issues: Publishing content you do not own the rights to will result in your book being blocked and your account potentially closed.
Publishing Low-Quality Content: Rushing to publish with numerous typos, grammatical errors, or a misleading description leads to bad reviews and cripples your book’s potential.

Is Amazon Self-Publishing Really Free for Everyone?

Country Availability: KDP is available to authors in many countries. Payment methods and specific tax forms may vary by location.
Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old to create your own KDP account.
Content Eligibility: Your book must be your original work or work you have the right to publish. KDP does not allow certain content types like calendars, magazines, or spiral-bound books.

FAQs

Do I need to pay Amazon to publish a book?

No. Amazon does not charge any fee to upload or list your book for sale .

Can I publish without an ISBN?

Yes. For eBooks, Amazon will assign a free ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number). For paperbacks, you can use a free ISBN from Amazon or provide your own.

How long does it take for a book to go live?

Yes. You can upload a revised manuscript or updated cover at any time through your KDP Bookshelf. The updated file will replace the old one for all future sales.

Can I update my book after publishing?