To self-publish your first book, you finish and edit the manuscript, get a professional-looking cover, format the ebook and print files, and decide how you’ll handle ISBNs. Then you open free accounts with a platform such as Amazon KDP (and others, if you want to sell beyond Amazon), upload your files with a strong description, keywords and price, order a proof copy, and launch to the readers you’ve lined up. The whole process can cost very little, but editing and the cover are where cutting corners shows.

This guide includes a few product links near the end. As an Amazon Associate, Freyja Publishing earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

This guide is the step-by-step hub for first-time authors on this site. Each stage below explains what to decide, what to avoid and roughly how long it takes, and links to a detailed guide on that topic. Work through it in order, or jump to the stage you’re at.

At a glance

• There are ten stages: finish the draft, edit, cover, formatting, ISBN and rights, platforms, metadata, pricing, proof and pre-launch, then launch and beyond.
• Uploading is free on KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital and the main ebook stores. Your real costs are editing, cover design and any marketing you choose to pay for.
• The big early decision is whether to go exclusive with Amazon through KDP Select (Kindle Unlimited) for your ebook, or wide across many stores.
• Allow about three to six months from a finished draft to launch day for a first book. Rushing usually means skipped editing or a weak launch.
• Rules, royalties and fees change, and differ by country. Check each platform’s current terms. Figures here are at the time of writing (October 2026).

Is self-publishing right for this book?

Self-publishing gives you control over content, cover, price and timing, and a much larger share of each sale than a typical traditional royalty. In exchange, you pay for or do every job a publisher would, including editing, design, production and marketing. It works especially well for genre fiction, practical non-fiction and niche topics with clear audiences. For a balanced look at the trade-offs, see why self-publishing can be the right choice. For realistic first-year expectations on Amazon, read what to expect from KDP in your first years.

The path at a glance

Stage	Main decision	Typical time	Spend level	Detailed guide
1. Finish the draft	Genre, length, series or standalone	Varies	None	Genre and series guides
2. Edit	Which editing levels you need	4–12 weeks	Usually the largest cost	Editor and self-editing guides
3. Cover	Designer, premade or DIY	2–6 weeks	Low to medium	Cover designer guide
4. Format	Software or formatter	Days to 2 weeks	None to low	Formatting guides
5. ISBN and rights	Free platform ISBN or your own	Days	None to low	ISBN and legal guides
6. Platforms	KDP only, KDP Select, or wide	A day	None	Platform comparisons
7. Metadata	Title, description, keywords, categories	1–3 days	None	Keywords guide
8. Price	Ebook and print prices	Hours	None	Pricing guides
9. Proof and pre-launch	Pre-order, advance readers, launch plan	4–12 weeks	None to medium	Launch and timeline guides
10. Launch and beyond	Marketing mix and next book	Ongoing	Your choice	Marketing guides

For a week-by-week schedule, see your complete publishing timeline. To budget each stage, see how to budget for self-publishing costs.

Stage 1: Finish a draft that fits its market

Before you think about publishing, make sure the book fits what its readers expect. Look at length, tone, the expected beats of the genre (or, for non-fiction, the problem it solves), and the books it will sit next to. If it is the first of a series, plan the series arc now. Series are one of the most reliable ways for indie authors to build readership.

• Genre mastery: what readers in each genre expect.
• How your genre changes the best way to publish: format, pricing and channel differences.
• Finding a profitable niche: especially for non-fiction.
• Planning a book series: structure that keeps readers coming back.
• Building a writing routine: for getting the next book done too.

Stage 2: Edit properly

Editing is the stage first-time authors most regret skimping on. There are four levels, and not every book needs all of them:

Level	What it fixes	When it happens	Can you do it yourself?
Developmental (structural)	Plot, pacing, structure, argument, characters	First, on the full draft	Partly, with beta readers and critique partners
Line editing	Sentence flow, clarity, voice	After structure is settled	Partly, with time and distance
Copyediting	Grammar, consistency, style	Near-final text	Hard to do well on your own work
Proofreading	Typos and layout errors	On the formatted files	Helpful, but fresh eyes catch more

On a tight budget, many authors self-edit heavily, use beta readers for structure, and pay for a professional copyedit or proofread. Rates vary widely by country, genre and length, so get written quotes and a sample edit before you commit.

• Finding the right editor: types, quotes, contracts and red flags.
• The self-editor’s guide: passes you can do before paying anyone.
• ProWritingAid vs Grammarly: which editing software helps with which tasks.

Stage 3: Get a cover that sells

Your cover has one job: to tell your target reader, at thumbnail size, “this is your kind of book”. Compare it against current bestsellers in your exact category, not against covers you happen to like.

• Custom design gives the most control and costs the most.
• Premade covers are cheaper and can be genre-perfect, but check that the design is sold only once.
• DIY can work for simple non-fiction designs, but it’s risky for genre fiction, where readers spot amateur covers quickly.

KDP’s help pages recommend an ebook cover of 2,560 × 1,600 pixels (height × width). Print covers are a single wrap-around file (back, spine and front) with bleed. The spine width depends on page count and paper, so you need the final page count before the print cover is finished.

• Choosing a professional cover designer: briefs, contracts and rights.
• Hiring a children’s book illustrator: for picture books and illustrated titles.

Stage 4: Format the ebook and print interior

Ebooks use reflowable text that adapts to each reader’s screen and settings. KDP accepts EPUB and Word files, and no longer accepts MOBI for reflowable ebooks. Print books need a fixed-layout PDF at your chosen trim size, with margins, headers, page numbers and chapter openings set properly.

The main options are dedicated formatting software, KDP’s free Kindle Create, or a hired formatter. Whichever you use, check the ebook in a previewer on several screen sizes and read every page of the print proof.

• Atticus vs Vellum vs Kindle Create: costs, platforms and output compared.
• The guide to ebook formatting: what makes an ebook look professional.
• How to self-publish a children’s book: fixed-layout and print-colour considerations.

Stage 5: ISBNs, copyright and legal basics

An ISBN identifies one edition of one format. Your paperback, hardcover and ebook each need their own if they have one. KDP provides a free ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers, but that ISBN can only be used on KDP and lists Independently Published as the imprint. Kindle ebooks don’t need an ISBN. If you want to publish the same print edition through IngramSpark or another distributor, or to show your own imprint name, buy your own ISBNs from your country’s agency. Costs vary from free (Canada, for residents) to paid blocks elsewhere, such as through Bowker in the US.

Copyright applies automatically when you create the work in countries that follow the Berne Convention. Some countries, including the US, offer optional registration that strengthens your legal position. Many countries also have legal deposit rules that require you to send copies to the national library. Check yours.

• ISBN explained: when you need one and when you don’t.
• How to get an ISBN: agencies, barcodes and other identifiers.
• Legal basics for self-publishers: copyright, permissions, trademarks and disclaimers.
• Pen names: when a pseudonym helps, and how to set one up.
• Publishing contracts and rights: before you sign anything with a service.

Stage 6: Choose your platforms

Option	How it works	Strengths	Trade-offs
KDP with KDP Select (ebook exclusive)	Ebook sold only on Amazon, in 90-day enrolment periods	Kindle Unlimited page-read income and promotional tools	The ebook can’t be sold anywhere else, including your own site
KDP without Select	Ebook on Amazon, free to sell elsewhere too	Simple, and keeps options open	No Kindle Unlimited income
Wide via direct accounts	Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play and others set up individually	Highest share per store, and direct control	More accounts to manage
Wide via an aggregator	One upload to Draft2Digital, PublishDrive or similar	Reach many stores and libraries quickly	The aggregator keeps a share or charges a fee
Print: KDP plus IngramSpark	KDP for Amazon print, IngramSpark for bookshops and libraries	Widest print reach	Needs your own ISBN, plus discount and returns decisions

The KDP Select exclusivity applies to the ebook only. Paperbacks, hardcovers and audiobooks can be distributed elsewhere. Many authors in genres strong on Kindle Unlimited start in Select and review after a few terms, while others go wide from day one.

• Should you enrol in KDP Select? The exclusivity decision in depth.
• KDP or IngramSpark? Print platforms compared.
• Draft2Digital vs PublishDrive: choosing an aggregator.
• Book distribution channels: how retailers, libraries and wholesalers connect.
• Print-on-demand vs traditional printing: when to order a print run.
• KDP tax explained: completing the tax interview and avoiding withholding mistakes.

Stage 7: Write metadata that helps readers find you

Metadata is everything a store knows about your book: title and subtitle, series name, author name, description, categories, keywords, age range and language. It decides which searches and category lists you appear in, and it is free to change.

1. Title and subtitle: clear and genre-appropriate. For non-fiction, the subtitle should state the benefit. Don’t stuff it with keywords, which breaks KDP’s metadata rules.
2. Description: a hook, the stakes or the promise, and a reason to buy now. Use short paragraphs, and use KDP’s simple formatting.
3. Categories: choose the most specific categories where comparable books sit.
4. Keywords: KDP gives you seven keyword boxes. Use phrases readers actually type, and avoid repeating words already in the title.
5. AI disclosure: KDP asks whether AI-generated content is in your text, images or translations. Answer accurately.

How to choose KDP keywords and categories covers this stage step by step. Market research for authors shows how to study comparable books.

Stage 8: Set your prices

On Amazon.com, ebooks priced from US$2.99 to US$9.99 can earn the 70% royalty (minus a small file-size delivery fee). Ebooks outside that range earn 35%. Other marketplaces have their own local ranges. Paperbacks on KDP earn 60% of the list price minus printing cost, as long as the list price is at or above a local threshold (US$9.99 on Amazon.com). Below that threshold the rate is 50%. Price from comparable books in your sub-genre, then test.

• How to price your book for the best profit: ebook bands, series pricing and tests.
• How much money print-on-demand earns: print cost formulas and worked royalty sums.
• Print-on-demand as an extra revenue stream: why a paperback is worth adding.

Stage 9: Proof, pre-launch and pre-orders

1. Order a print proof and read every page. Check the spine text, margins, page numbers and image quality.
2. Preview the ebook on a phone, a tablet and an e-reader, if you can.
3. Decide on a pre-order. KDP lets you put an ebook up for pre-order up to a year ahead, which gives you a link to share and time to gather interest.
4. Recruit advance readers and send review copies, asking for honest reviews (never required, never paid).
5. Set up your author presence: an Amazon Author Central profile, a simple website or landing page, and an email sign-up.
6. Write your launch plan listing who you will tell, on which days, through which channels.

• Building your author platform before your first book.
• Your author website: what a first site needs.
• Author platform tools: the essentials and nothing more.
• Online security for authors: protect your KDP, email and payment accounts before launch.

Stage 10: Launch and keep going

A first book’s launch is usually modest, and that’s normal. What you build around it matters more: the email list, the reviews, the readers who come back for book two. Make sure your back matter points readers to your newsletter and your next book.

• Book launch strategy: getting your first readers excited.
• Book marketing on a budget: free methods that build over time.
• How to market your self-published book: the full marketing mix.
• The guide to book reviews and ratings: earning reviews within the rules.
• How authors build profitable email lists: your most valuable asset.
• Amazon Ads for authors: if you try paid ads, set a daily budget and a total cap, and start small.
• Are BookBub Featured Deals worth it? Usually better once you have reviews and more books.
• How to measure self-publishing success: the numbers that matter early on.

Later, you can add formats and income streams. See how to produce an audiobook, how to sell books direct to readers and ways authors earn beyond book sales.

Tools for every stage

You don’t need many tools to publish a first book: a word processor, an editing aid, a formatting tool and an email service will cover most of it. The author toolkit hub compares writing, editing, formatting, design, email and AI tools, with free options where they are good enough. For AI specifically, see the AI writing tools comparison and Claude vs ChatGPT for authors, and remember KDP’s AI disclosure question.

Who this path suits, and who it doesn’t

It suits authors who want control and speed, writers in genres where indie books sell well, non-fiction authors with a clear audience, and anyone prepared to treat publishing as a small business.

It suits less well authors whose main goal is wide bookshop placement in their home market from day one, which a traditional publisher’s sales team handles. It also suits less well authors who want no involvement in production or marketing. If you hire a self-publishing service company instead, read the contract closely: you should keep your rights and royalties, and you should know exactly what you are paying for.

Common mistakes

• Publishing the first draft. Structural problems can’t be fixed with a proofread.
• Choosing a cover you like over one that signals the genre.
• Using the free KDP ISBN and later wanting the same edition on IngramSpark.
• Enrolling in KDP Select while the ebook is still on sale elsewhere, which breaks the exclusivity terms.
• Weak metadata: vague descriptions, broad categories and keywords readers never type.
• Pricing outside the royalty bands, such as a US$10.99 ebook or a paperback just under US$9.99 on Amazon.com.
• Skipping the print proof.
• Launching to nobody, with no list, no advance readers and no plan.
• Spending heavily on ads for a single first book before the book page converts.
• Paying a “publishing package” that takes your rights or royalties.

The pre-publish checklist

• Manuscript structurally edited, copyedited and proofread
• Cover tested at thumbnail size against category bestsellers
• Ebook checked in a previewer, and print proof read in full
• ISBN decision made for each format, with your own ISBN if going beyond KDP for print
• Copyright page, permissions and any legal deposit duties handled
• Platform decision made: KDP Select or wide, and print channels
• Tax interview completed on each platform
• Title, description, categories and seven keywords finalised
• AI-content disclosure answered accurately
• Ebook price inside the 70% band, and paperback at or above the 60% threshold
• Back matter with newsletter link and next book
• Advance readers lined up and launch plan dated
• Account security turned on: strong passwords and two-step verification

There is also an earlier step-by-step overview on this site, the complete guide to self-publishing. This guide is the current, fuller version for first-time authors.

Sources this guide draws on: KDP Help pages on eBook and paperback royalties, printing costs, cover and manuscript requirements, ISBNs, KDP Select, pre-orders and content guidelines including AI disclosure; IngramSpark Help Centre; the US Copyright Office fee schedule; Library and Archives Canada ISBN service; Bowker ISBN pricing; the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to self-publish a first book?

Uploading to KDP and the main ebook stores is free, so the cost depends on what you pay for. Editing is usually the largest expense, followed by the cover. Some authors spend very little by self-editing and using premade covers. Others spend more on full professional editing and design.

Do I need an ISBN to self-publish?

Not for a Kindle ebook. For print, KDP can give you a free ISBN that works only on KDP. If you want to distribute the same print edition elsewhere, such as through IngramSpark, or to use your own imprint name, buy your own ISBN from your national agency.

How long does it take to self-publish a book?

Once the files are ready, uploading takes a day, and KDP says publishing can take up to 72 hours. Getting the files ready, including editing, cover, formatting and proofing, plus a proper pre-launch, usually takes three to six months for a first book.

Should I publish only on Amazon or go wide?

If your genre does well in Kindle Unlimited, KDP Select’s exclusivity can make sense for the ebook. If your readers buy on Apple, Kobo or Google, or borrow through libraries, going wide spreads your risk. Print and audio aren’t affected by Select’s ebook exclusivity.

Can I self-publish a book I wrote with AI help?

Yes, but KDP asks you to disclose AI-generated text, images or translations when you publish, and you remain responsible for the content and its rights. AI-assisted editing or brainstorming on your own writing is treated differently from AI-generated content. Read KDP’s content guidelines.

How many copies will my first book sell?

Nobody can predict that honestly. Sales depend on genre, cover, description, price, reviews and how many readers you can reach at launch. Many first books sell modestly. Authors often see growth as they publish more books and build a list.

A first book teaches you the whole process. Do each stage properly, keep notes on what you’d change, and the second book will be faster, cheaper and better.