THE BOOKSMITH JOURNAL

Blog

Guides, tips, and resources for self-publishing authors.

How to Self-Publish a Book on Amazon KDP: Complete 2026 Guide

Everything you need to know about publishing your book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing — from account setup to your first sale.

Learn how AI book writing tools work, what they can and can't do, and how to use them to write a publish-ready book faster than ever.

An honest comparison of self-publishing and traditional publishing — costs, royalties, timelines, creative control, and what's changed in 2026.

A complete cost breakdown for self-publishing — editing, cover design, formatting, marketing, and how AI tools are changing the equation.

A practical, day-by-day plan to go from blank page to finished manuscript in one month. Includes daily word count targets and productivity tips.

Your book description is your sales page. Learn the proven formula for writing Amazon book descriptions that convert browsers into buyers.

Master Amazon KDP keyword research. Learn how to find, evaluate, and optimize the 7 keywords that determine whether readers find your book.

Everything you need to write your first romance novel — from choosing a subgenre to crafting compelling characters, plotting, and publishing.

A comprehensive guide to writing nonfiction — choosing your topic, structuring your content, writing compelling chapters, and getting published.

An honest comparison of AI book writing tools — features, quality, pricing, and what to look for when choosing a platform to write your book.

Step-by-step guide to formatting your manuscript for Kindle — file types, margins, fonts, table of contents, and common formatting mistakes to avoid.