Want to make passive income without writing a novel? Low-content books might be your perfect side hustle! With Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can create journals, planners, coloring books, and more—no writing required.
Let’s break down how to start and scale a low-content book business on Amazon KDP.
Step 1: What Are Low-Content Books?
🔹 Definition of Low-Content Books
Low-content books are books with minimal or no written content. Instead, they rely on blank pages, templates, or guided prompts that the user fills in.
🔹 Popular Low-Content Book Ideas
- Journals – Gratitude journals, self-care journals, travel journals.
- Planners – Daily planners, wedding planners, fitness planners.
- Activity Books – Coloring books, puzzle books, word search books.
- Logbooks – Expense trackers, food diaries, workout logs.
💡 Pro Tip: Research trending niches by browsing Amazon’s Best Sellers in Notebooks & Journals.
Step 2: Research Profitable Niches
🔹 How to Find Winning Ideas
- Amazon Best Sellers – Check top-selling low-content books.
- Google Trends – See if interest in a topic is growing.
- Pinterest & Etsy – Spot trending designs and themes.
- Self-Publishing Tools – Use BookBolt or Publisher Rocket for keyword research.
🔹 Avoid Oversaturated Niches
Skip generic lined journals unless they have a unique theme. Instead, niche down to stand out (e.g., “Mindfulness Journal for Busy Moms”).
💡 Pro Tip: Look at customer reviews on similar books—find gaps and improve on them!
Step 3: Create Your Low-Content Book
🔹 Tools to Design Your Book
- Canva – Free & easy for making book interiors.
- Adobe InDesign – Best for professional layouts.
- Affinity Publisher – Budget-friendly alternative to InDesign.
- BookBolt – Amazon KDP-specific design tool.
🔹 How to Format Your Book for KDP
- Size Matters – Common sizes: 6×9” (journals), 8.5×11” (planners).
- Page Count – Aim for 100-120 pages for optimal pricing.
- Margins & Bleed – Follow Amazon’s KDP Print Guidelines.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep your designs clean & user-friendly—cluttered layouts will lead to bad reviews.
Step 4: Upload to Amazon KDP
🔹 Steps to Publish Your Book
- Create a KDP Account – Sign up at kdp.amazon.com.
- Enter Book Details – Title, subtitle, author name, and description.
- Choose Keywords & Categories – Helps your book rank in searches.
- Upload Your Interior & Cover – Use PDF format for KDP.
- Set Pricing & Royalties – Amazon takes a cut; you earn on each sale.
- Hit Publish! – Your book goes live in 24-72 hours.
💡 Pro Tip: Use AI tools like ChatGPT for keyword-rich book descriptions that boost sales.
Step 5: Market & Scale to $1,000+/Month
🔹 How to Get More Sales
- Amazon Ads – Run low-cost PPC ads to boost visibility.
- SEO-Optimized Titles – Include relevant keywords (e.g., “Budget Planner for Moms”).
- Social Media Promotion – Share on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.
- Bundle Books – Create themed collections (e.g., “Self-Care Journal + Planner”).
🔹 Scaling Up Your Business
- Publish Consistently – More books = more chances to sell.
- Test Different Niches – See what works best.
- Use Print-on-Demand – Expand to Etsy & Shopify with printed versions.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t stop at one book—successful sellers have dozens (or hundreds!) of books making passive income.
Final Thoughts
Low-content books are a simple yet powerful way to earn passive income on Amazon KDP. By focusing on niche research, high-quality designs, and smart marketing, you can turn this side hustle into a full-time business.
🔥 Want step-by-step guidance? Check out our Self-Publishing Course and start making money with low-content books today! 🚀
