Self-Publishing Terms Explained

Amazon KDP

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is Amazon's free self-publishing platform that lets authors publish ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks directly to Amazon's global marketplace, earning royalties of 35% or 70%.

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ISBN

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit unique identifier assigned to a book edition. It allows retailers, libraries, and distributors to identify and track a specific book. Each format (ebook, paperback, hardcover) of a book gets its own separate ISBN.

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Back Matter

Back matter is the content that appears after the main text of a book — after the final chapter. For indie authors, back matter is a critical sales and marketing tool that drives series sales, newsletter signups, and reader engagement.

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Ebook Formatting

Ebook formatting is the process of converting a manuscript (typically a Word or Google Docs file) into a properly-structured ebook file (ePub or MOBI/KFX) with correct typography, chapter structure, table of contents, and styling for display on e-readers and reading apps.

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ePub

ePub (Electronic Publication) is the open standard file format for ebooks. It's used by Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Draft2Digital, and most non-Amazon platforms. Amazon uses its own KFX/MOBI format, though it accepts ePub for upload.

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Front Matter

Front matter is the collection of pages that appear before the main content (Chapter 1) of a book. It includes the title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents, and any other introductory material.

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Vellum

Vellum is a Mac-only book formatting application that converts Word manuscripts into professionally-designed ePub and PDF files. It's considered the gold standard for indie ebook formatting.

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W-8BEN

The W-8BEN (Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for US Tax Withholding) is a US IRS form that non-US individuals file to reduce or eliminate the 30% default US tax withholding on income earned from US sources — including Amazon KDP royalties.

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