If you’ve considered writing a Kindle ebook, you’ve probably thought about what the best-seller lists usually look like – a whole lot of fiction peppered with a few breakout self-help books. 
So, is it logical to say thee’s no money to be made in non-fiction ebooks? I say NO!
Who am I to say there’s money to be made? Well, I’m someone who has ONLY published non-fiction books and who is making close to $1k a month from those books. (You can check them out at http://booksangiewrote.com!)
(To be fair, I’m sure there are plenty of people doing better than I am with Kindle ebook sales – but if you’re looking to build from where you are, this is a great way to get started from where you are.)
So, which categories are the highest-earning for non-fiction authors on Kindle?
There’s really no simple answer here, because there are so many non-fiction categories found in Amazon’s Kindle store that have lots of buyers. You can find non fiction books on business and leadership or self help topics. You can find books on health and books on crafts or cooking – oh my!
Some marketers say that non-fiction doesn’t bring in the same kind of money that fiction does, and while there may be some amount of truth to that, it’s minimal. The fact is that regardless of your book topic and genre, your marketing has a lot to do with your bottom line – and we can all agree that there’s no doubt that this category still sees tons of revenue.
Related: Amanda Hocking’s eBook-selling secrets
How to Write a Non-Fiction Kindle eBook That Sells: 7 Self-Publishing Hacks
So you’re ready to write your first non-fiction Kindle ebook? Great! Here are 7 self-publishing hacks to make your Kindle process go smoothly.
Hack #1 Don’t worry about being a leading expert. Many people get intimidated because there are already other experts out there and they fear being a nobody competing with bigger players. When consumers buy non-fiction, they generally buy several books on the same topic by multiple authors – that’s good for you. Don’t be afraid to use it to your advantage!
Hack #2 Page count won’t make or break your success. It’s not necessary to pace your book according to any set number you feel your book should be. Some Kindle books are short – about 25 pages or so – and others are novel length. Tell what you need to tell – no more, no less.
Hack #3 Choose a topic you feel comfortable with. Don’t write a book solely based on what you think will sell. Pick a topic you have an interest in or some sort of personal experience with so that your writing will come more easily.
Hack #4 Plan ahead with a comprehensive outline. Create an outline that’s comprehensive in nature. Outlines for non-fiction will help you organize your content in a logical manner. It also helps speed the writing process along, because you won’t have to sit and think of where it should go next.
Hack #5 Be yourself! Share personal insight, stories and opinions. A sterile non fiction book might do okay, but a book that has a lot of personality injected into it is one that’s remembered – one that’s recommended – one that goes viral.
Hack #6 Remember that most people will discount your word if your book is too full of typos. Proofread your work and format it correctly. To ensure your book is well received, go through it yourself and then preferably have someone else go through it for a quick edit for spelling and grammar. Check the formatting to see if it’s in line with Amazon’s guidelines before you publish it.
Hack #7 Take reviews personally – but in a good way! Watch reviews and address any problem issues. When you start promoting it, you want to see several positive reviews coming in. If anything is less than five stars, carefully read it to see what their complaint was. The good news is, you’re able to edit everything on Kindle and resubmit it, so you can correct anything that initially went wrong.
Need more help? Check out The Great Kindle Publishing Experiment.
Your turn! Tell me your best publishing hacks for Kindle ebooks – share your thoughts and experiences with the OWP community in the comments.
