Understanding Book Royalties
Printing Costs
Print-on-demand (POD) services like KDP or IngramSpark charge a fixed cost per book plus a charge per page. Color interior is significantly more expensive than black and white.
Retailer Cut
Standard industry math follows a 60/40 split for Amazon's direct sales, where the author gets 60% of the list price (minus printing) and Amazon takes 40%.
Expanded Distribution Explained
When you choose expanded distribution, your book is available to libraries and non-Amazon stores. Because middle-men need a cut, your royalty rate typically drops from 60% to 40%.
Amazon KDP Royalty Cheat Sheet
| Format | Standard Royalty | Key Variable |
|---|---|---|
| Kindle Ebook | 35% or 70% | Price & Delivery Fee |
| Paperback (Direct) | 60% | Printing Cost |
| Hardcover | 60% | High Fixed Base Cost |