Raenest Diaries with Big Josh: 6 mistakes to avoid as a beginner on Amazon KDP

These days, making money has taken up residence in the background of almost every thought, like a radio playing in another room that you’re not fully listening to but somehow still know the lyrics of. It appears in the arithmetic of daily life. Budgets that never quite match market prices. Exchange rates that change just as you think you are starting to get a handle on them. Side ideas drafted in note apps at odd hours, written with conviction and forgotten with equal speed. In that atmosphere, people think of more ways to make money, and in the same vein, platforms like Amazon KDP. 

If you’ve been wondering what Amazon KDP is about, or you’re yet to read our other diary session on how to make money on Amazon KDP. We’ve gone an extra mile to have our second episode of Raenest Diaries with Big Josh, a full-stack web developer and Amazon KDP practitioner who runs a growing community of over 500 people focused on self-publishing and digital publishing strategies, to help guide you through the process. 

In this episode, he’d be sharing 6 mistakes you should avoid if you want to make money on Amazon KDP. Be sure to stick to the end, as we have something for you.

Before we get into the session, this is a good time to revisit the first episode of Raenest Diaries. Now, without further ado, here are the 6 mistakes you should avoid.

1. Starting with the wrong mindset

One of the first mistakes people make when starting on Amazon KDP is having the wrong mindset and expectations. While explaining how impactful a resilient, consistent mindset is in this space, Josh stressed that beginners need to establish that shift from the start. He added that many people expect quick success or assume the process is easier than it actually is. In reality, making money on Amazon KDP requires consistency and patience, and people who do not adjust their mindset early often give up too quickly when results do not come immediately.

2. Ignoring niche research

Still on establishing a framework, Big Josh made it clear that niche research is critical. A common mistake beginners make is publishing without properly checking demand. Successful books are built on niches where people are already searching and buying. Beginners who skip research often end up choosing topics that lack sufficient demand or are too competitive, especially when big brands or established authors already dominate the market. This, in turn, leads to reduced visibility and, down the line, no profit.

3. Not optimising titles, subtitles, and keywords

Another major mistake is failing to optimise the book listing properly. According to Big Josh, titles and subtitles are not just creative elements. They are tools for ranking and visibility. Keywords also play a major role in how Amazon surfaces books. Beginners who skip this step often struggle with visibility even after publishing because the book isn't positioned correctly in search results.

4. Not marketing the book after publishing

Like with every business and creation, Big Josh emphasised that publishing alone is not enough. A mistake beginners make is assuming Amazon will handle discovery automatically. In reality, authors need to market their books actively. This includes using free platforms like Pinterest, Medium, and Facebook groups, or paid options like Amazon ads, which he noted often perform best because they are already within the platform.

5. Not having a reliable platform to receive earnings

Another often overlooked mistake is not setting up a reliable way to receive payments once sales begin. Big Josh pointed out that while setting up an Amazon KDP account is possible with a Nigerian ID, authors still need a proper payment infrastructure to receive their earnings smoothly.

This is where platforms like Raenest become important. With Raenest, you can open multicurrency accounts in USD, GBP and EUR and receive your earnings. If you don’t have a Raenest account, be sure to create one today because, without a reliable account in place, the publishing process can become frustrating even after achieving traction, simply because the money cannot be accessed easily or consistently.

6. Not joining a community

Finally, Big Josh highlighted the importance of community. As we all know, trying to figure everything out on your own can be daunting. Also, the strategies of success on Amazon KDP change over time, and what works today may not work tomorrow. 

Being part of an active community helps authors stay up to date and avoid wasting time on outdated methods. In that spirit, for the surprise I mentioned before, here’s the link to join Big Josh’s community to get first-hand information on how to get the most from Amazon KDP.

And that brings us to the end of this diary session. I hope you have everything you need, not just to get started with Amazon KDP, but also to make the most of it. 

See you next time!