How To Create Your First Colouring Book On Amazon KDP

Introduction.

Creating a colouring book might seem like a fun side project, but did you know it can be a source of passive income?

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform has made self-publishing easier than ever before, and now, people can publish everything from novels to low-content books like journals, planners—and yes, colouring books.

You might think the process of creating a colouring book is reserved for artists or those with extensive design knowledge, but that’s not the case.

I’ll walk through the steps on how to create and publish your first colouring book on Amazon KDP, even if you’re a complete beginner.

Getting Started: What You’ll Need

Before diving in, it’s important to know what tools and resources are required to create a colouring book. Here’s a checklist of things to get started:

1. A Design Tool: You’ll need software like Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, or even simpler programs like Canva to create your designs. If you’re not a designer, there are websites where you can purchase or download free graphics to use in your book, such as Creative Market, Freepik, or Pixabay.
2. An Idea: Your colouring book needs a theme. Popular categories range from mandalas and nature scenes to motivational quotes or even quirky animals. Browse through Amazon’s current offerings to see what’s trending and think about your niche.
3. A Layout Tool: Once you have your pages designed, you’ll need to assemble them into a cohesive PDF. Tools like Canva, Affinity Publisher, or even Microsoft Word can help organize and format your pages correctly for KDP.
4. ISBN and KDP Account: You don’t have to purchase an ISBN for your book, as Amazon will provide one for free. However, you will need an Amazon KDP account to publish your book. If you don’t already have one, signing up is simple and free.

How Do I Create Your First Colouring Book On Amazon KDP?

1. Research the Market.

Before jumping into the design process, it’s crucial to do a bit of market research. This helps identify the types of colouring books that are already successful on Amazon and where there might be gaps. Look at popular titles, customer reviews, and bestseller rankings.

You might find out that adult colouring books focusing on intricate designs and stress relief are in high demand, while kids’ books featuring animals or educational themes never go out of style.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Amazon Best Sellers Rank (BSR) or Publisher Rocket to get insights into competitive keywords and niche opportunities.

2. Create Your Designs.

You don’t have to be a professional illustrator to create a successful colouring book. If you are good with drawing or using a tablet, tools like Procreate or Adobe Illustrator can be used to create custom artwork.

For those who aren’t design-savvy, pre-made vector images can be customized to fit your theme using Canva or Inkscape.

Remember, the beauty of a colouring book lies in its simplicity. Stick to black-and-white line art, which is easier for users to colour in. Keep the designs fun, varied, and engaging.

3. Choose the Right Size and Format.

Amazon KDP allows various book sizes, but popular choices for colouring books tend to be 8.5 x 11 inches or 8 x 10 inches. These sizes are standard for colouring books and provide enough room for detailed designs.

When uploading your book to KDP, you’ll need to format the interior as a PDF and the cover as a JPEG or PNG.

Amazon requires certain bleed settings, so make sure you follow their layout guidelines closely. This ensures that your designs will look professional and print correctly without any cutting issues.

4. Design a Great Cover.

They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but people do! Your cover is the first thing potential buyers see, so it needs to stand out. Make sure it’s visually appealing, communicates the theme of your book, and invites people to click.

You can design the cover using tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator. For a colouring book, bright, eye-catching colours work best.

5. Upload Your Files to KDP.

Once your interior PDF and cover are ready, it’s time to upload them to KDP. Go to your KDP dashboard, click on “Create,” and select “Paperback.” Fill in your book details, including the title, author name, description, and keywords.

For pricing, KDP allows you to set your royalties. Typically, authors earn 60% of the list price minus printing costs, which vary depending on the book’s page count and size.

6. Hit Publish and Market Your Book.

After your files are uploaded, KDP will check for any errors before allowing you to publish. If all goes well, your book will be available for purchase within 72 hours.

Marketing your colouring book is where the fun (and work) begins. Leverage social media, especially Instagram and Pinterest, where visuals thrive. You can also use Amazon Ads to drive traffic directly to your listing.

Pros and Cons of Creating a Coloring Book on KDP

Pros:

1. Low Upfront Costs: Amazon KDP is free to use, and you only pay when a book sells. That makes it low-risk to try out.
2. Passive Income Potential: Once your colouring book is live, it can generate income without much further work.
3. Creative Freedom: You control the design, theme, and content. There are no limits on what you can create.
4. No Inventory: Since Amazon handles the printing and shipping, you don’t have to worry about stock or fulfilment.

Cons:

1. Time-Consuming: Creating a high-quality colouring book takes time, especially if you’re doing the designs yourself.
2. Competition: The market for colouring books is saturated, so standing out can be tough without effective marketing.
3. Royalties Can Be Low: Depending on how you price your book, after printing costs and Amazon’s cut, the profit margin may be slim.
4. Amazon’s Control: Amazon handles the production and distribution, which means you have little control over quality issues or changes in their terms.

Conclusion.

Creating your first colouring book on Amazon KDP can be a fulfilling and potentially lucrative endeavour, but it’s not without challenges.

From market research to design and finally hitting that “publish” button, the process takes a mix of creativity, patience, and strategy.

The good news is, that once your book is live, you’ll have the opportunity to earn passive income while sharing your work with others.

Are you ready to create a colouring book that stands out in a crowded marketplace, or do you feel there are other ways to express your creativity on KDP?