- Andy Weir, most recognised for his 2011 self-published Amazon novel “The Martian”, has sold 5 million copies in North America alone.
- The hit science-fiction book was turned into a movie in 2015, grossing $630 million worldwide.
- Weir has since sold film adaptation rights for his book “Project Hail Mary” to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $3 million, in 2020.
- Marie Force (multiple New York Times best-selling author) has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.
- As of 2016, 80% of her revenue came from 30 self-published titles.
- She expected this to trend towards 70% through later contract opportunities.
- Her business also hit eight-figure revenue figures that year.
- Marie Force believes self-publishing through KDP created a huge positive impact on her career.
- Hugh Howey, author of “Wool”, claimed in 2012 that due to Kindle Direct Publishing, he was achieving six-figure monthly revenue numbers.
- As of early 2023, its television series is set to premiere on Apple TV+.
Self-published Amazon authors
Marie Force
- Worldwide, her books have sold over 12 million copies.
- She specializes in contemporary, suspense and erotic romance novels.
- Her books have also been translated into 12+ languages.
- As of 2016, her business also hit eight-figure revenue figures
- During the same year, 80% of her revenue came from 30 self-published titles.
- At the time she expected this to trend towards 70% through future contracts.
- She believes the greatest positive impact on her career was created by her decision to become self-published.
- Marie Force’s career highlights include:
- New York Times bestseller list over 30 times
- USA Today bestseller
- #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller
- Der Spiegel bestseller (Germany)
LJ Ross
- LJ Ross has sold over 8 million book copies globally.
- She found her success in writing romance suspense thrillers.
- Holy Island (2015) was her debut book, becoming an instant bestseller across the globe.
- Her novels have also reached the #1 spot more than 20 times.
- In 2020, she became the first self-published author to receive a nomination for a British Book Award.
Stephanie Bond
- Across multiple formats and languages, Stephanie Bond has sold over 7 million copies.
- Overall, she has published over 100 novels, predominantly within the genres of romance and mystery.
- In 2012, she attained the best-selling self-published Kindle book with “Our Husband”.
- 4 years later, The Hallmark Channel decided to adapt her romantic comedy “Stop the Wedding!” into a movie.
- Her project “COMA GIRL”, an online daily serial, was also chosen as an option for a television series by CBS Studios in 2018.
Rebecca Zanetti
- She has sold more than 5 million copies of her books worldwide.
- A best-selling author of paranormal, contemporary and suspense romance novels.
- Overall, the author has published 60+ novels, with translations spanning several languages.
- Her novels have also been included in Amazon’s best books of the year.
- Rebecca Zanetti’s career highlights include:
- #1 Amazon bestseller
- New York Times bestseller
- USA Today bestseller
- Publishers Weekly bestseller
Andy Weir
- Andy Weir is most recognised for his 2011 novel “The Martian”, which has sold 5 million copies in North America alone.
- He originally decided to self-publish its full manuscript on Amazon, where it achieved bestseller status.
- The book was turned into a movie in 2015, grossing $630 million worldwide.
- Weir has since sold film adaptation rights for his 2021 book “Project Hail Mary” to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for $3 million, in early 2020.
- Film rights to his 2017 book “Artemis” have also been purchased by 20th Century Studios alongside New Regency.
- Due to these successful works, he is revered within the sci-fi and fantasy communities.
Rachel Abbott
- 4 million copies of her books have been sold in English.
- Her works have also been translated into over 20 different languages.
- With an overall focus on psychological thrillers, she is most recognized for her “DCI Tom Douglas” series of books.
- Rachel Abbott’s career highlights include:
- Amazon’s most popular independently published author: UK (2015)
- Amazon’s number one e-book seller: crime and thriller writing (2015)
- 14th best-selling author over the last five years on Amazon’s Kindle: UK (2015)
A.G Riddle
- In total, his sci-fi novels have sold 4+ million copies worldwide across 24 languages.
- “The Atlantis Gene” was his debut novel, selling 3 million copies across the globe.
- He attributes part of the success of his first book to Amazon’s ability to promote trending books.
- A selection of his books are also in development for feature films.
Hugh Howey
- With a focus on science-fiction, his works have sold over 3 million copies globally.
- Howey first published his novel “Wool” through Amazon KDP in 2011.
- He opted for the platform as he wanted to allow himself more freedom by means of self-publishing.
- The film rights to “Wool” were eventually sold to 20th Century Fox in 2012.
- Despite this, he retains the personal right to fully continue distributing “Wool” online.
- The author claimed that due to Kindle Direct Publishing, he was achieving six-figure monthly revenue numbers, as of the same year.
- As of early 2023, a TV series of “Wool” is set to premiere on Apple TV+.
Tricia O’Malley
- Sold over three million copies, spanning the genres of contemporary romance, paranormal romance and mystery.
- She has been a best-selling author on the New York Times, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.
- The author claims that the decision to publish with Amazon and KDP positively changed her life.
Mark Dawson
- Has achieved 2 million+ book downloads in multiple countries and languages.
- As of 2015, he had made $750,000 from self-published Amazon books since his first release.
- He has 20+ books published across the thriller genre, as of 2022.
Jeff Carson
- Over 2 million copies sold worldwide.
- An Amazon #1 international best-selling author of thriller novels.
- Famous for the series of David Wolf and Ali Falco.
- He chose to self-publish with Amazon due to the platform’s ability to reach the most readers in the simplest way.
Joanna Penn
- A best-selling author on the New York Times and USA Today.
- She has sold just under 1 million copies through 35+ fiction and nonfiction books.
- Amazon sales accounted for 62% of her revenue in 2019 and 55% of her revenue in 2021.
Self-publishing through kindle direct publishing FAQ
When was KDP launched?
Why was KDP created?
- Kindle Direct Publishing was created in 2007 in order to encourage writers to publish new material through a user-friendly platform.
How many authors use KDP?
- Kindle Direct Publishing has been used by millions of self-published writers, contributing to a vast number of successful careers.
What are the benefits of KDP?
- KDP allows indie authors to publish books across different formats for free.
- The platform also makes books easily available to consumers in multiple marketplaces and countries.
