Hey! I'm Craig, a writer and publisher who uploads books to Amazon KDP in an aim to making passive income online.
Join me on my journey as I move from a part-time side hustle to creating a full-time self publishing empire!
My goal includes producing quality medium content books, researching new and innovative tools like text-to-image AI, discovering new ways to make money, and gradually creating a way to create passive income online (or at least partially passive with the help of things like Amazon ads).
This channel focuses mostly on book publishing through Amazon KDP, but will stretch across other publishing platforms such as Etsy and Fiverr, to experiment with additional ways to expanding on my passive income goals.
Subscribe to follow my progress, watch my income reports, and gain ideas for your own business and KDP adventures!
You can also keep up to date with my journey by signing up to my email list here: forms.gle/bgMfQwZCn33RAzRn6
Just wanted to say. Your content is great. A lot of other RU-vidrs like to inflate numbers, which are not even remotely realistic. Looking forwarding to seeing more of your content
Thanks for being so upfront and transparent about the numbers and shairng your experience with generating colouring books, as I am currently considering about simliar journey as a side hustle. Very insightful, which is needed considering how many videos I have seen across Ig/other social media about making thousands per week let alone per month. Much thanks for sharing with us!
You are so welcome! If you create good covers and good books in niches that aren't too saturated but have interest you can still make money... But it's extra money for the most not a full time income (until a good amount of work is put in for perhaps a few years)
Do you include a disclaimer in your coloring books and other books that you used AI? It appears that Amazon requires authors to disclose the use of AI generated content when publishing on KDP. Thank you.
I’m loving this! This told Me exactly what I needed to know in the behind the scenes stuff. I think I’m going to try like 5-10 to start with and then see where it goes, on the understanding that it might not go anywhere 😂 brilliant video!
Huge thanks from a fellow Brit. It's great to see some honest numbers and I admire your mindset of building an online library of books that bring income each month. Wishing you great success.😊
Really appreciate your honest take on this mate. As someone who is currently trying different ‘side hustle’ ideas I get very frustrated and deflated at how some of these ‘influencers’ make it look compared to what’s actually involved and what money can really be made. I don’t think I have the longevity in me to maintain something like this. I appreciate your insight though 👍🏻 I’ve had to unfollow a bunch of RU-vidrs who keep telling me I can make thousands of pounds a day but need to use their affiliate link to get started 😅
Haha fair! If you're interested I've learnt a lot since this video and I post monthly income videos which is a lot more promising... BUT Amazon kdp does take a lot of work to get it up and running (as you saw in this video :))
@@selfpublishingempire I will check your videos out if they are posted to RU-vid. I actually have a self published title on Amazon with wait for it………….ZERO sales 🤣 I tried the ad campaigns and let’s just say I never spent close to what you showed in this video and here I was scratching my head wondering why it wasn’t working 🤷🏻♂️ silly me!
Yeah, all the Arts are careers for the long haul... I, too, applaud and appreciate your honesty. As one who has coloring books/graphic novels/paper products in the background works at all times, this is reality-check info I need. One observation that might explain your lower sales on the other titles (maybe): I am viewing your covers on a tablet, so they are only a third of an inch across; but that is very useful for seeing which ones still have the power to "read", and they don't. They look less developed, colorful, and interesting than the dinosaurs in space one. Maybe do your own covers (hey, and even interior art), instead of trusting AI, or some stranger who might also be using AI, instead of an artist's eye? Just a thought. The personal touch might be the difference you need---the rock hit instead of Muzak, so to speak. Best of luck to you.
How do you deal with the tax etc and everything with thay , and alongside your day job? Just out of interest because no one ever covers that or copyright. Id be interested to know, it's not a criticism.
Thank you very much for this excellent, clear and well-presented how-to video. Definitely helped ease the worries I have about this new (to me) process of printing books. As a designer, I usually work with printers directly which leaves me with more control over the project. This video gave me some of the straight answers and examples I needed. Thank you again!
Thank you for sharing this information. I was wondering if you’re going off into different countries don’t you have to pay these or something because it’s in a different country. Or even will you have to pay income tax or something? Thank you for your time.
I'm having trouble adding my third pen name. I have three books to add the pen name. I click on the "+Add Pen Name" icon and it takes me to a page to add books to the pen name. But when I did this, it added the books to the current pen name I was logged into. I can't figure out what to do? Plus...I have books under one pen name I want relocated to another pen name, but can't get them to move. Any suggestions?
@@selfpublishingempire I sent an email and got a quick response, but I followed their instructions with no luck. I have three books under a pen name and the pen name doesn't show up anywhere. Guess I'll have to call and hope I can get a real person. Thanks!
Boss, unpublish your last book, football word search with 97 pages because the first word is copyrighted and you can get your account terminated really fast. Rookie mystake to add a foobtall club name without any rights. One report from one of your competitors to your newest book and you are done permanently with kdp. Take care.
Here's the article about Sponsored Brands if you want to read up about more about them advertising.amazon.com/solutions/products/sponsored-brands?tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_4uylgknkk9_e_ps_gg_b_uk_en_d_core_e_646122273494&k_sponsored%20brand%20ads&group_145097275106
Yes, first of all well done on getting organic sales. Take that as a huge win as it's not easy! With ads test them with low bids and set yourself a stop loss of a low amount per month that you're willing to 'invest'.
So I ordered 20 author copies of my book and then cancelled as I noticed a substantial character name was wrong. If those 20 copies were printed will Amazon send them to customers first, even though I've updated the manuscript?
I just watched your first breakdown vid (when you had 20 books) and now this one. Great to see that uptick in sales! And congrats on quitting your job!! I'm a firm believer in having multiple income streams, having dabbled in FBA for nearly a decade now. I'm trying to pivot to digital products, so I've subscribed - hoping to soak up some of your knowledge in the process!! Thanks for the inspiration and transparency 😃
Hi Craig, thank you for this discovery, I will give it a try. 2 questions though: 1) what about adding a mention "IA-generated" on the first page near the copyright to inform the buyers? It may not be the perfect solution but at least, you are "clean" on your side 2) are you designs created by dzine visible only from you? Do you need to create a private space? I am not completely sure but I think this is (was?) the case with Midjourney Regards
Thanks Lilly :). 1. That's completely up to you. You're not obliged to state how the pages were made, so if you'd like to say made with AI that's completely fine but a personal choice. I tried this with one book and it sold very poorly which is why I don't add it currently. 2. Yes now I've upgraded to the professional plan ($30 a month) the designs are private, which is better than midjourney where they're only private on the higher tier.
The program seems great for simple lineart themed pages. What about more intricate subjects like mandelas, stain glass, or horror themed coloring pages?
Yeah for those you can either use a different preset or choose no present and describe the image as you would with midjourney :). I'm not sure about mandalas (not tried that using dzine yet!, but it does more detailed and intricate pages like midjourney does)
Hi Craig, thanks for sharing the tool. There are so many new ones getting released these days and this is defo one to try out. I'm curious, do you still use Midjourney to create coloring books or do you now use the newer tools?
Last two coloring books have been done using this AI and imo they're soooooo much cleaner. I won't use midjourney for coloring books anymore :). I still use it for some others things and my Etsy though
@@selfpublishingempire yeah I guess seen as this tool creates better and cleaner images for coloring books, then there's no point in using midjorney ones
Thanks sir. This tool looks very helpful. I have been following your channel for several months and based on your inspiring videos I decided to start publishing my own books on Amazon KDP and today I have already sold my first 30+ books. thank you and keep up the good work.👍
Hi...I need your help.... Yesterday i run campaign for my books after setting campaign it shows " Your advertising account has been suspended due to suspicious activity We've suspended your account because of suspicious activity in United States" how to solve this...please help me
Thanks for your reply. My KDP account is fine, but my advertising account is suspended. I don't know why this happened. I contacted them and raised a case, and they said to wait for 48-72 hours.
@@selfpublishingempiredoes it affect your current job. Im a full time plumber but in process of making my first and only colouring book. Do you have any means i can contact you for some help for tax as cant get through to HMRC for advice
I'm not a tax person, but all you need to do is track your incomings and outgoings, via a tool like QuickBooks, and then do a self assessment. It won't affect your current job, but as you're currently working your additional income will likely be quite heavily taxed above certain earnings brackets
Have a Google around about side hustle income UK..basically you're allowed to earn 1k a year without needing to declare it. That's how I started off and then when you break that threshold you'll need to do a self assessment.
Hi Craig, interesting video as usual. What is the difference between a puzzle book and an activity book, please? Are puzzle books just one kind of game (sudoku, mazes...) and an activity book a mix of various kinds of games? Or am I totally wrong? Regards
Ah yes that's a good point. Puzzle books = more sudoku, mazes, crosswords etc. activity books are more themed work books with say colouring pages and that sort of thing.... But yeah they're very similar and a lot of overlap :)
