How to make money with Low Content Books on KDP Amazon: A Step-by-Step Guide

Low content books have become increasingly popular in the self-publishing world, offering a relatively straightforward path to becoming a published author and generating passive income. These books—including journals, planners, logbooks, coloring books, and puzzle books—contain minimal text and rely heavily on formatting and design rather than written content.

Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform has made it easier than ever to create and sell these products. With no upfront inventory costs and Amazon handling printing and shipping, it's an attractive business model for creative entrepreneurs. Whether you're looking to monetize your design skills or diversify your income streams, publishing low content books on KDP could be your next successful venture.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating and uploading your low content book to Amazon KDP, from initial preparation to final publication. By following these steps, you'll be able to navigate the process confidently and set yourself up for success in the competitive but rewarding world of low content publishing.

What Are Low Content Books?

Before diving into the upload process, let's clarify what constitutes a "low content" book:

Low content books are physical or digital products that contain minimal text and instead provide structured spaces for users to fill in. Examples include:

• Journals and diaries
• Planners and organizers
• Logbooks and trackers
• Coloring books
• Activity and puzzle books
• Notebooks with prompts or quotes
• Guest books
• Dot grid or lined notebooks

The appeal of these products lies in their utility and customizability. While they require significant design work upfront, they don't demand the extensive writing and editing process of traditional books.

Step 1: Research and Plan Your Low Content Book

Before creating anything, thorough research is essential:

1. Market Research: Browse Amazon's bestsellers in the low content categories to identify popular niches and trends. Look at customer reviews to understand what buyers love or wish to improve about existing products.
2. Keyword Research: Use Amazon's search bar to discover common search terms related to your product idea. Tools like Publisher Rocket or even Amazon's own autocomplete feature can reveal valuable keywords.
3. Competition Analysis: Study successful low content books in your niche. Notice their cover designs, pricing strategies, and page counts. What makes them stand out?
4. Define Your Unique Value Proposition: Based on your research, determine what will make your book different and better than existing options. This could be a unique design, improved functionality, or targeting an underserved sub-niche.
5. Select Your Book Type and Size: Decide on the format that best suits your content (paperback is most common for low content books). Amazon KDP offers various trim sizes—6" x 9" is popular, but consider what size would be most functional for your specific book type.

Step 2: Create Your Interior Pages

The interior design is the heart of your low content book:

1. Choose Your Design Software: Options include:
   • Adobe InDesign (professional, subscription-based)
   • Affinity Publisher (one-time purchase alternative to InDesign)
   • Canva (user-friendly, offers both free and premium options)
   • Microsoft PowerPoint (surprisingly versatile for simple designs)
   • Specialized low content book creators like Book Bolt or Tangent Templates
2. Set Up Your Document: Configure your document to match your chosen trim size. Add bleed (0.125" on all sides) if your design extends to the edge of the page.
3. Design Your Pages: Create templates for your interior pages. Ensure consistency in margins, headers, footers, and page numbers. For journals or planners, develop a cohesive layout system.
4. Include Essential Pages: Don't forget:
   • Title page
   • Copyright page
   • Table of contents (if applicable)
   • Instructions or how-to-use page (if necessary)
   • About the author/publisher page (optional)
5. Export as Print-Ready PDF: Save your interior file as a high-resolution PDF (300 DPI minimum). Use PDF/X-1a:2001 format if your software supports it for optimal print quality.

Step 3: Design Your Book Cover

Your cover is your primary marketing tool:

1. Understand Cover Requirements: For paperbacks, you'll need a full wrap-around cover that includes front, spine, and back. The dimensions depend on your trim size and page count.
2. Use KDP's Cover Creator or Template: Amazon provides a cover calculator and templates to help you get the dimensions right. Download the template for your specific book size and page count.
3. Design Elements to Include:
   • Eye-catching front cover with clear title and subtitle
   • Author name
   • Compelling imagery relevant to your target audience
   • Spine text (if page count allows—typically 100+ pages)
   • Back cover with brief description and optional barcode space
4. Consider Professional Cover Design: If design isn't your strength, consider hiring a professional through platforms like Fiverr or 99designs.
5. Export as Print-Ready PDF: Like the interior, save your cover as a high-resolution PDF with the correct color profile (CMYK for print).

Step 4: Create Your KDP Account

If you haven't already, set up your publishing account:

1. Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account or create a new one.
2. Complete Your Account Information:
   • Tax information (required for all publishers)
   • Payment method (where your royalties will be deposited)
   • Publisher details (you can use your own name or a business name)
3. Set Up Your Author Central Account: While optional, this allows you to create an author profile and gain additional marketing tools.

Step 5: Upload Your Book to KDP

Now for the actual upload process:

1. Log in to KDP and click "Create a New Title" > "Paperback" (most low content books are published as paperbacks).
2. Enter Book Details:
   • Language
   • Book title and subtitle
   • Series information (if applicable)
   • Edition number
   • Author name
   • Contributors (illustrator, editor, etc., if applicable)
   • Description (craft this carefully with keywords and benefits)
3. Add Keywords and Categories:
   • Select up to 7 keywords or keyword phrases that potential customers might use to find your book
   • Choose up to 2 browse categories (aim for specific subcategories where competition may be lower)
4. Set Age and Grade Range (if applicable, particularly for children's activity books)
5. Upload Your Manuscript:
   • Click "Upload manuscript" and select your interior PDF file
   • KDP will process your file and check for potential errors
   • Review the online previewer carefully page by page
6. Upload Your Cover:
   • Select "Upload a cover you already have (PDF only)"
   • Upload your cover PDF file
   • Verify it looks correct in the previewer
7. Set Print Options:
   • Select paper color (white or cream—white is typically better for illustrated content)
   • Choose glossy or matte finish for the cover
   • Enable or disable "Trim Size Enforcement" (usually leave enabled)

Step 6: Set Pricing and Distribution

The business side of your publishing venture:

1. Select Territories for distribution (typically "All territories" for widest reach)
2. Choose Primary Marketplace (your home marketplace where you'll focus marketing efforts)
3. Set Pricing:
   • Review the printing cost that KDP calculates based on your page count and specifications
   • Determine your list price (must be above the minimum threshold to cover printing costs)
   • Calculate your royalty (60% of list price minus printing costs for most marketplaces)
   • Consider strategic pricing relative to competitors
4. Expanded Distribution Option:
   • This makes your book available to libraries and bookstores
   • Note that it requires a higher minimum list price and offers lower royalties
   • For many low content books, keeping this option disabled makes sense to allow more competitive pricing
5. Set Pricing for Other Marketplaces:
   • You can manually set prices for each Amazon marketplace or use the automatic conversion based on your primary marketplace price

Step 7: Review and Publish

The final steps before your book goes live:

1. Use the Online Previewer to thoroughly check every page of your book and cover
2. Verify All Details are correct, including title, author name, description, and pricing
3. Order a Physical Proof (highly recommended):
   • Instead of publishing immediately, order a proof copy to check print quality
   • Review the physical product for any issues with layout, margins, or print quality
   • Make corrections if needed before publishing
4. Launch Your Book by clicking "Publish Your Paperback Book"
5. Wait for Review: Amazon will review your submission, which typically takes 24-72 hours. They check for technical issues and content guidelines compliance.

Step 8: Post-Publication Marketing

After your book is live:

1. Create Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) Campaigns to increase visibility
2. Optimize Your Book's Amazon Page:
   • Solicit reviews from friends, family, or a review group
   • Use promotional tools like Kindle Countdown Deals or free promotions if you also offer a Kindle version
3. Track Performance using KDP Reports and adjust your strategy as needed
4. Plan Your Next Low Content Book based on what you've learned

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Blurry or pixelated images
Solution: Ensure all graphics are at least 300 DPI and use vector graphics when possible

Challenge: Interior margins appearing incorrect
Solution: Remember to account for binding space (gutter) in your design

Challenge: Cover dimensions rejection
Solution: Use KDP's cover calculator precisely and include bleed area if required

Challenge: Slow sales after launch
Solution: Invest in AMS advertising and consider adjusting keywords and categories

Conclusion

Uploading low content books to Amazon KDP offers an excellent opportunity to generate passive income with relatively low upfront investment. The key to success lies in thorough research, quality design, and strategic marketing.

By following this comprehensive guide, you've learned how to create, upload, and market your low content book. Remember that success in this field often comes from volume and iteration—many successful low content publishers have dozens or even hundreds of books in their catalog.

Start with one well-executed book, learn from the process, and apply those insights to your next project. With persistence and attention to quality, you can build a profitable low content book business on Amazon KDP.