SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Hundreds of thousands of independent authors are finding their audiences through self-publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). More than ever before, authors are reaching new readers directly and cultivating communities as they grow their writing careers on KDP. Readers also relish the value and entertainment from these authors. On average, 20% of books on this year’s Amazon Charts Top 20 weekly lists are self-published.
“We launched KDP in 2007 with the first Kindle, and since then hundreds of thousands of independent authors have chosen to self-publish their books, earning up to 70 percent of their royalties and retaining the life-long rights of their work,” said Charles Kronbach, Director of Independent Publishing Worldwide for Amazon. “In 2017, thousands of KDP authors earned more than $50,000 in royalties, and more than a thousand earned more than $100,000. We are inspired by the success of these writers and how they are delighting readers.”
Below is a curated list of top-selling books on Amazon from independent authors and why customers love them (average customer rating as of October 2018):
- David Archer’s Code Name Camelot - A Noah Wolf Thriller (Thriller). Overall rating: 4.3 stars. “Fantastic plot, characters, writing, etc. Can’t recommend it highly enough! I’m so glad this is the beginning of my new journey with this author and with Noah Wolf!!” – Amazon customer
- John Ellsworth’s 30 Days of Justis (Michael Gresham Series) (Thriller). Overall rating: 4.6 stars. “I could hardly put this book down. First book I have read by John Ellsworth. I cannot wait to read more. Well written and holds your attention!” – Ann C
- R.S. Grey’s Not So Nice Guy (Romance). Overall rating: 4.6 stars. “I don’t know that I have ever laughed so much at a novel. This was a great read. It had me feeling all the feels in a happy and unique way.” – Kindle customer
- Aleron Kong’s The Land: Predators: A LitRPG Saga (Chaos Seeds) (Science Fiction & Fantasy). Overall rating: 4.8 stars. “Awesome....Exhilarating....Aleron takes you on a journey that transports you to a magical world with unlimited possibilities. These books are truly amazing. I can’t wait for more to come out.” – Frank
- Scott Pratt’s Due Process (Joe Dillard Series) (Mystery). Overall rating: 4.7 stars. “I just can’t say enough good things about Pratt’s writing style. He gets you hooked from the first chapter and before you know it the end is here all too soon. He’s a must-read author on the top of my list.” – MzCarrie
- Denise Grover Swank’s Hell in a Handbasket: Rose Gardner Investigations #3 (Romance). Overall rating: 4.8 stars. “Denise has done it again. The Rose Gardner and Neely Kate novels keep getting better and better. Definitely didn’t expect the twist in this one. Anyone who enjoys a strong female lead, humor, loyal friendships and romance needs to read these books!” – vic 55
- Meredith Wild’s The Red Ledger 1 (Suspense). Overall rating: 4.2 stars. “This book is full of action, mystery and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. Great writing and characters. And of course it ends on a cliffhanger that has me itching to know what happens next.” – LeKeisha
- Pepper Winters’ The Boy and His Ribbon (Ribbon Duet) (Young Adult). Overall rating 4.8 stars. “This book deserves so many more than 5 stars. So emotional and moving. Ren and Della were so raw and touching...real. Gawww this book is now 1 of my very all-time favorites.” – Kelli B
About Kindle Direct Publishing
Launched in 2007, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) empowers authors to reach readers worldwide while retaining their copyright and up to 70% royalty on their work. KDP offers a free, easy, and fast way to self-publish eBooks and paperbacks. With KDP, the power of publishing is accessible to authors worldwide, allowing a more robust and diverse set of voices to share stories with a wider audience than ever before. Self-publishing lets authors keep control, make more money and reach more readers. Hundreds of thousands of authors have self-published on KDP. In fact, in 2017 thousands of independent authors earned more than $50k, with more than a thousand surpassing $100k in royalties.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
