Self-Publishing Guide
Create a book with AI, export to EPUB, and sell it on Amazon KDP, Gumroad, or Etsy.
Inkfluence AI is an ebook creation platform that turns a single prompt into a complete, formatted book: outline, chapters, cover, and export, ready to self-publish in minutes.
Kindle self-publishing means uploading your EPUB or DOCX to Amazon KDP, completing your listing metadata, and publishing directly as the rights owner.
What is self-publishing?
Self-publishing is when an author creates, formats, and distributes a book without going through a traditional publisher. You keep full creative control and a much larger share of revenue, typically 35 to 70% royalties instead of the 10 to 15% offered by traditional publishers.
The most popular self-publishing platform is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which lets anyone upload an ebook or paperback and reach millions of readers worldwide at no upfront cost. Other popular platforms include Gumroad, Etsy, Payhip, Apple Books, and Kobo.
In 2026, AI tools like Inkfluence AI have made self-publishing faster and more accessible than ever. You can go from a book idea to a published, formatted ebook in hours instead of months, complete with cover design, chapter structure, and EPUB export ready for KDP upload.
How to self-publish a book with AI (6 steps)
The complete workflow from idea to published book, using Inkfluence AI to handle the heavy lifting.
Pick your niche
Choose a topic with proven demand. Check Amazon bestseller lists, use niche research, and validate before you write a word.
Generate your book
Open Inkfluence AI, describe your idea, and choose a blueprint type. AI generates a structured outline and drafts every chapter.
Edit and refine
Review the AI draft, rewrite sections in your voice, add personal insights, and polish until it reads naturally. Regenerate any chapter as needed.
Design your cover
Use the built-in AI cover generator for a professional design. The cover is the single biggest factor in click-through rate on Amazon and Etsy.
Export to EPUB or PDF
Export to EPUB for Kindle publishing, PDF for direct sales and lead magnets, or DOCX for further editing in Word or Google Docs.
Publish and sell
Upload to Amazon KDP, list on Gumroad or Etsy, or use the ebook as a lead magnet to grow your email list.
Picking a profitable niche
Your niche determines everything: audience size, competition level, and revenue potential. Choose before you write.
High-demand niches for 2026
- Self-help and personal development
- Business and entrepreneurship
- Health, fitness, and nutrition
- Romance and thriller fiction
- Cooking and recipes
- Study guides and exam prep
- Children's books
- Personal finance and investing
How to validate an idea
- Search Amazon for your topic: are there books selling with mediocre covers and descriptions? That signals opportunity.
- Check the Amazon Best Seller Rank (BSR) of top competitors. Lower BSR means higher sales.
- Look at review counts. Books with under 100 reviews in your sub-category are easier to compete with.
- Use Google Trends to confirm the topic is growing or stable, not declining.
For detailed niche data and search volume analysis, see our best ebook niches for 2026 guide and 150+ ebook ideas.
Creating your book with Inkfluence AI
Inkfluence AI handles the structure, writing, formatting, and design so you can focus on your ideas and editing.
What Inkfluence creates for you
- Structured outline: chapter titles and subtopics based on your prompt
- Full chapter drafts: prose, dialogue, or instructional content depending on blueprint type
- Professional cover: AI-generated book cover with title, subtitle, and design
- Formatted export: PDF, EPUB, or DOCX with proper chapter structure and styling
23 blueprint types
Choose from specialized templates optimized for different book formats:
AI disclosure for Amazon KDP
Amazon requires authors to disclose AI-assisted content during the KDP publishing process. This is a checkbox in the publishing workflow. Always review and edit AI-generated content before publishing to ensure quality and accuracy.
Where to sell your self-published book
You are not limited to one platform. Many successful self-publishers sell on multiple channels simultaneously.
Amazon KDP
The largest ebook marketplace. Upload EPUB, set your price, and reach millions of Kindle readers. 35% or 70% royalties depending on pricing.
Best for: wide reach, fiction, non-fiction, passive income
Gumroad
Sell PDFs and EPUBs directly to your audience. Simple checkout, email delivery, and you keep most of the revenue. No approval process.
Best for: direct sales, lead magnets, digital products, coaches
Etsy
Sell digital downloads including ebooks, workbooks, and printable guides. Built-in marketplace traffic and search functionality.
Best for: workbooks, planners, printables, niche guides
Your own website
Use as a free lead magnet to grow your email list, or sell directly with Stripe, Payhip, or Lemon Squeezy. You keep 100% minus processing fees.
Apple Books & Kobo
Additional ebook marketplaces with loyal reader bases. Upload EPUB and reach audiences beyond Amazon.
Lead magnets
Use your ebook as a free download to capture emails. A well-designed lead magnet can grow your list faster than ads.
Amazon KDP: the self-publishing standard
Amazon KDP is free to use and gives you access to the world's largest book marketplace. Here is what you need to know to publish successfully.
KDP publishing checklist
- Create a free KDP account at kdp.amazon.com
- Upload your manuscript (EPUB recommended, DOCX also accepted)
- Upload your book cover (2560 x 1600px for Kindle)
- Write your book description with keyword-optimized copy
- Choose 3 categories and fill all 7 keyword fields
- Set your price ($2.99 to $9.99 for 70% royalty tier)
- Preview in Kindle Previewer, then publish
KDP SEO basics
- Title: Include your primary keyword naturally
- Subtitle: Expand with secondary keywords
- Description: Write for conversion first, weave keywords in naturally
- Categories: Pick the most specific accurate categories
- Backend keywords: Use all 7 fields with unique phrases not already in the title/subtitle
For a complete breakdown, see our KDP SEO checklist.
Inkfluence AI creates KDP-ready books. Export to EPUB, upload to KDP, and your book can be live on Amazon within 24 to 72 hours. Use the KDP tools for description generation and keyword research.
Marketing your self-published book
Publishing is step one. Marketing is what drives sales. Focus on a few channels and execute consistently.
Launch week essentials
- Ask 10 to 30 people to read and review (ethically, no paid reviews)
- Share on your existing channels (email list, social media, community)
- Run a limited-time discount or free promotion
- Focus on one platform for the first 7 to 14 days to build momentum
Long-term strategies
- Email list: Use a free ebook as a lead magnet to capture readers
- SEO: Create a landing page optimized for your book's topic
- Series: Publish multiple books in the same niche to cross-promote
- Amazon Ads: Start with Sponsored Products once you have reviews
For a complete marketing playbook, read our ebook marketing strategy and launch checklist.
Ready to self-publish your first book?
Describe your idea, let AI write and format your book, then export to EPUB and publish on Amazon KDP, Gumroad, or Etsy. Start free.
Free plan available. No credit card required. Export to PDF, EPUB, DOCX.
The economics of self-publishing in 2026
Traditional publishing gives authors 10 to 15% royalties after an advance (if they get one). Self-publishing on Amazon KDP gives you 35% or 70% royalties, depending on your ebook price. That difference is transformative for independent authors.
Consider this: a $4.99 ebook on the 70% royalty tier earns you roughly $3.44 per sale. Sell 100 copies per month and that is $344 in passive income from a single title. Many successful KDP authors maintain catalogs of 5 to 20 titles, each contributing to a compounding revenue stream.
The biggest change in 2026 is speed-to-market. AI tools like Inkfluence AI let you go from idea to published book in hours rather than months. That means you can test more niches, publish more titles, and find your profitable niche faster than authors who spend three months writing each book manually.
Your costs for self-publishing are minimal: free to publish on KDP, free plan on Inkfluence AI for your first books, and optional spending on Amazon Ads once you have reviews. Compare that to traditional publishing where you query agents for 6 to 12 months and have no control over cover design, pricing, or marketing.
The bottom line: self-publishing is the fastest path from idea to revenue for non-fiction authors, coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs in 2026. The tools have never been better, the barriers have never been lower, and the potential audience has never been larger.
What people search for about self-publishing
Real search data showing what aspiring authors and entrepreneurs type into Google when researching self-publishing.
| Search Query | Monthly Impressions | AI Overview Citations |
|---|---|---|
| best niches for self-publishing ebooks 2025 | 62 | - |
| kindle self publishing | 2 | 42 citations |
| amazon kdp publishing | 17 | - |
| how to self-publish a book on amazon | 8 | - |
| how to write a book with ai | 9 | - |
| self publishing with ai | 4 | - |
Source: Google Search Console data for inkfluenceai.com, February 2026. "kindle self publishing" receives 42 AI Overview citations, making it a high-priority keyword.
Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing
A side-by-side comparison to help you decide which path is right for your book.
| Factor | Self-Publishing | Traditional Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Time to publish | Days to weeks | 12 to 24 months |
| Royalties | 35 to 70% | 10 to 15% |
| Creative control | Full control | Publisher decides |
| Upfront cost | $0 (free on KDP) | $0 but requires agent |
| Cover design | You choose (AI or designer) | Publisher chooses |
| Pricing | You set any price | Publisher decides |
| Rights | You retain all rights | Publisher holds rights |
| Marketing | Your responsibility | Some publisher support |