Glossary

The self-publishing glossary

Eighteen KDP, royalty, and book-marketing terms defined plainly — snippet first, depth on demand.

Royalties

How self-published authors get paid — royalty rates, page-reads, and exclusivity.

Metadata

The identifiers and listing fields that make a book findable and shelved correctly.

Distribution

Where and how the book reaches readers — print, promos, pages, and paperwork.

Marketing

Ads, freebies, and small offers that turn strangers into readers and buyers.

Where do I start?

Royalty: it decides what every pricing choice earns. Learn the 35% vs 70% tiers and the $2.99 boundary first, then KDP Select, then metadata. Everything else compounds on those three.

Turn one idea into a finished book

Free to start · No credit card · You own the output