Is Self-Publishing on Kindle Still Worth It?

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Yes, self-publishing on Kindle is still worth it, but the golden age is over. In the early 2010s, almost any book on any subject sold, because there were so few books to compete with. Today you need the right tactics and one thing at a time. I started in 2015, and I still use what I learned in 2016 and 2017. The rest of this post covers what the numbers say, where I started and what changed my results.

What do authors really earn on Kindle?

The Authors Guild’s 2023 income survey, with 5,699 published authors (figures for 2022), found full-time self-published authors had a median of $12,800 from books and $15,000 from all author-related work. Across all authors, including part-time, the median book income was $2,000 and the median from all author-related work was $5,000. These are self-reported medians, not promises.

My reading: it is still one of the easier ways to start earning from your writing, and few people earn a lot without a plan. See Do Self Published Books Sell?

Is it too late to start?

In 2015 I heard podcasts asking if the golden age of Kindle was already over, and I thought I might have missed it. 2012 would have been better. But that was nonsense: the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the second best is today.

I put out my first book, followed the rules I knew for marketing, and sold very little. After a year of struggling, it was still hard to get regular income. Then I learned key tricks from people who were doing it well, and that changed everything. 2016 is when I found most of the tactics I still use.

What changed my results?

1. Tools. You can start with a simple cover from Canva or KDP’s free Cover Creator, though a professional cover sells better. I recommend Atticus for formatting, KDSpy to judge whether a niche will be profitable, and Publisher Rocket to find ad keywords.
2. Learn from people with proof. There is a lot of paid training out there and some is overpriced. Look for evidence it works, or get a coach to look at your own books. That is what my coaching is for.
3. Communities. I had isolated myself at first. Communities on YouTube and Facebook are a good place to start. Avoid ones where everyone just promotes ebooks to each other.
4. Go beyond Kindle, but later. Use KDP Print for paperbacks, ACX for audiobooks, Lulu or KDP for hardcovers, and IngramSpark for more distribution. See What Is The Best Site For Self Publishing?

How have earnings changed over time?

Slowly, but upward for people who kept going. The Authors Guild survey found that full-time self-published authors who had been publishing since at least 2018 had a median of $24,000 in 2022, up from $13,700 in 2018, a 76 percent rise. It also found Kindle Unlimited was particularly effective for them: self-published authors earned 67 percent more book income from it than traditionally published authors. It also found that 64 percent of self-published authors had no audiobook (Authors Guild, 27-Sep-23). Genre matters too: for all full-time authors, romance and romantic suspense had the highest median book income at $31,725, and $37,000 counting other author-related income.

On price, KDP’s 70% option on Amazon.com now covers $2.99 to $12.99 (from 7-Jul-26), with delivery costs still applying (KDP).

Should my first Kindle book join KDP Select?

It is worth a look, not a must. KDP describes Select as a free 90-day program for Kindle ebooks and audiobooks, and says you can cancel within three days of the enrollment start (KDP Select). The Authors Guild survey above found Kindle Unlimited effective for self-published authors, but that page does not set out the exclusivity terms, so read KDP’s full Select terms before you enroll and before you sell the same ebook in other stores. Put the book out first. You can decide on Select once you have a live book to test.

What should you do first?

Don’t make it too complicated. If you don’t have your Kindle book out, don’t bother with the rest. Get the Kindle book on the market, then move to the next step. For the broader platform question read Is Self Publishing On Amazon Worth It? and Is Self Publishing Amazon Kindle Worth It?

Have you made money from your books? Tell me in the comments. I always respond. If you want a plan for your own book, book a free 25-minute discovery call.

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