Self publishing, what it is and how it works (and why it's easier with Amazon)

There are those who have made their lifelong dream come true: be a writer. With Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon Kdp), authors can self-publish their books (self-publishing) in paper and digital format – free of charge, reaching a global audience. There are writers who have thus gained notoriety with their works, which perhaps had previously been rejected by “traditional” publishers.

To talk about the topic of self-publishing, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing returned to the Turin Book Fair, where we met Andrea Pasino, head of KDP Italy, France and Spain. «We are here for the third consecutive year with KDP. The aim is to make the service known and meet the authors, whether aspiring or already existing, to collect their feedback”, he explains. «The self-publishing phenomenon is growing: we have over a million authors».

What are the advantages of self-publishing?
«In addition to the possibility of publishing their book in 72 hours and reaching potential readers on a global scale, authors receive royalties of up to 70% for digital versions and up to 60% for paper versions. And they maintain full control over their work, from the selling price to the public's response, which is also expressed through reviews.”

Are the books paper or digital?
«Both digital and paper, thanks to the print on demand system, which allows the book to be printed only when the customer purchases it, without waste. But above all, the demand for paper books is growing: readers prefer to print especially books for children, those about personal care and recipes, but also those that talk about business. Digital is most in demand for fiction, genre literature, romance, crime, science fiction and fantasy.”

Are there authors who manage to make a living from writing?
«Yes: based on data updated to 2022 – and which today we expect to be even higher – thousands of independent authors have already earned more than 50 thousand dollars in KDP royalties in 2022, and more than 2,000 of these authors have exceeded 100 thousand dollars in royalties.”

How is the quality of the works controlled?
«We don't set limits: anyone can publish their work. It is the customer who chooses through reviews, opinions. But among our authors there are cases of highly appreciated authors, such as Carmen Laterza, who with The last resort was among the candidates for the Strega Prize.”

So it's not just amateurs.
“Absolutely not. There are experienced authors who prefer self-publishing precisely because of the advantages we described above and to have real-time feedback from readers. Some publish both with us and with “classic” publishing.”

How is the promotional phase of your authors managed?
«There are various promotional tools: Advertising, Kindle Unlimited – which makes the reader more inclined to experiment – ​​and social media, especially TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube».

Are there any tips for becoming a successful author?
«The successful self-author is also an entrepreneur, able to surround himself with the right professionals who can give value to his work: from editors to graphic designers. With KDP you can do everything yourself, but the experts know well how to enhance a work.”

The Book Fair is also an opportunity to announce the 2024 edition of the literary prize Amazon Storyteller.
«Yes: until August 31, 2024, authors will have the opportunity to send their application to the initiative and publish their texts, via Amazon Kdp. 5 finalist works will be selected, from which the winner will be chosen. Amazon Media EU S.à rl will award the prize Amazon Storyteller, which includes a cash reward of 10 thousand euros, a marketing campaign to promote your book on Amazon.it, and the possibility of being published in audio format by Audible. The remaining four finalists will receive a Kindle Scribe e-reader. The winner will be announced in November 2024 on the occasion of the third edition of theIndie Book Festthe literary event dedicated to self-publishing which this year, for the first time, will take place in Rome.”

The testimony of Simona Fruzzetti, successful self-author

Toscana, a former sales assistant, left her job in the shop when the success of her books consolidated dedicate yourself completely to writing, who she has loved since she was a child. Today her Facebook profile is followed by over 90 thousand people.

Simona Fruzzetti

He has eight novels to his credit, of which two previously published with Piemme (Mondadori). «With my first self-published novel, Amazon placed me among the platform's leading authors», he explained. «The second book, Close your eyesis inserted into the Top Ten of the best-selling thrillers of that year. In 2018 I signed the script of the theater show Aprons and Stiletto Heels, entirely based on my lyrics. My books have often been the protagonists of social initiatives in Tuscany, such as readings in prisons and in retirement homes.”

After the first book, Simona Fruzzetti signed on a real team: editors, graphic designers, event organizer, and success took off. «I have received some proposals from traditional publishing houses, but the idea of ​​losing control of everything that revolves around my works scares me, from book presentations, with themed snacks, exchanges with my community, feedback monitoring. For this added value, I would recommend self-publishing to all authors.”