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Publishing on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is increasingly popular, but production and marketing costs are rising. How can you start with a limited budget, under $1000? This article analyzes the costs of traditional (high-content) and low-content book publishing, compares their pros and cons, and offers advice for beginners.
Amazon KDP Publishing Costs: Changing Over Time
Three years ago, publishing a high-content book on Amazon KDP cost around $300. A 10,000-word book could be written for $150 ($1.5/100 words), audiobook conversion cost around $60, and the rest covered cover design, formatting, and marketing.
However, costs have significantly increased to $800-$900, or even over $1000 per book. The recommended word count for a quality book has risen to 30,000 words (150-200 pages). Writer fees have also increased to $2-$2.7/100 words. Audiobook production costs have also risen due to increasing demand.
Low-Content Publishing: A Budget-Friendly Solution
Low-content books have little or no text, such as coloring books, sketchbooks, notebooks, Sudoku puzzles, etc. These books offer several benefits for beginners:
- Low Cost: Producing a low-content book costs around $50 or less, even free with automated content creation software.
- Easy to Create: Anyone can create low-content books without professional writing skills.
- High Holiday Sales: Low-content books often sell well during holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
- Keyword Research Practice: Low-content allows you to practice keyword research and identify niche markets with low financial risk.
Pros and Cons of Low-Content Books
Pros:
- Low production costs.
- Easy to create.
- High holiday sales.
- Keyword research practice opportunity.
- Potential for brand and community building.
Cons:
- Cannot be converted to audiobooks.
- Some types are only allowed as print books.
- Lower selling price and royalties compared to high-content books.
Advice for Beginners
With rising high-content production costs and higher risks for beginners, low-content publishing is an optimal choice to get familiar with Amazon KDP. You’ll learn crucial keyword research skills without significant capital investment. After gaining experience and stable income, you can transition to high-content publishing. Most importantly, invest in a reputable course for detailed guidance on publishing and marketing on Amazon KDP. Learning from a structured course will save you time, effort, and prevent common mistakes.