How To Sell Journals On Amazon Using KDP (2025 Guide)

Selling physical products on Amazon is common, but did you know you can sell journals and make a passive income without ever handling inventory? Thanks to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you can design and upload your journals, and Amazon will print and ship them on demand whenever someone orders.

This means no upfront printing costs, no storage, and no packaging or shipping hassle—Amazon does it all for you. If you’ve ever wanted to start a low-risk, high-reward online business, selling journals on Amazon is a great option.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from researching your journal idea to publishing and marketing it successfully.

How To Sell Journals On Amazon (Step-by-Step Guide)

Selling journals on Amazon isn’t complicated, but following a step-by-step process will make it much easier. Below, I’ll walk you through the entire journey—from idea to first sale.

1. Research & Plan

Before you start designing your journal, it’s important to do proper research to make sure there is demand for your product. Creating a journal blindly without research might result in low sales. Instead, you should find a profitable niche where demand is high but competition is manageable.

Not all journals sell well. Some categories are too competitive, while others have low demand. Research helps you:

• Identify profitable niches that have a good balance of demand and competition.
• Understand customer preferences by analyzing what sells well.
• Avoid wasting time on a journal that no one wants to buy.

How to Find a Profitable Journal Niche?

Here are some of the best ways to research profitable journal ideas:

• Search on Amazon – Type in “journal” and check the best-sellers. Look for journals with high ratings and reviews.
• Analyze customer feedback – Read reviews on top journals to see what people like and what’s missing.
• Use keyword research tools – Tools like Publisher Rocket and Helium 10 can help you find popular keywords with lower competition.

Some popular journal niches include:

• Gratitude journals
• Daily planners
• Self-care journals
• Fitness & wellness journals
• Travel journals
• Budget planners

Once you’ve identified a profitable niche, you’re ready for the next step!

2. Create Your Journal

Once you have a solid journal idea, it’s time to start designing it. The quality of your design plays a big role in attracting buyers, so you want to create something that is useful, visually appealing, and easy to use.

What Type of Journal Should You Create?

There are different types of journals, and choosing the right one depends on your audience. Here are some popular options:

• Lined notebooks – Simple blank notebooks for writing and journaling.
• Guided journals – Include prompts for self-reflection (e.g., gratitude journals).
• Planners – Help people organize their tasks, goals, or habits.
• Activity-based journals – Include checklists, goal-setting pages, or challenges.

How to Design Your Journal Interior?

Now that you’ve picked a niche, it’s time to design your journal’s pages. You can use:

• Canva – It is easy to use and free. Best for beginners.
• Adobe InDesign – A Professional tool for advanced layouts.
• Affinity Publisher – A cheaper alternative to InDesign.

Pro Tip: Keep the design clean, easy to use, and visually appealing to attract buyers.

3. Format For Publishing

Formatting is a crucial step before uploading your journal to Amazon KDP. If your journal isn’t formatted correctly, Amazon could reject your file, or the final printed product might not look right.

Proper formatting ensures that:

• Your journal meets Amazon’s print requirements
• Your journal looks professional and well-structured
• You avoid printing errors that could lead to bad reviews

Key Formatting Guidelines

• Choose the right size – The most popular journal sizes are 6×9 inches and 8.5×11 inches.
• Set margins & bleed – If your design extends to the edge of the page, include a bleed area so nothing gets cut off.
• Save as a PDF – Amazon only accepts PDFs for the journal interior.

Amazon provides free templates that you can use to make sure your formatting is correct.

4. Choose A Publishing Method

Now that your journal is ready, you need to decide how you want to sell it. There are two main methods:

Amazon KDP vs. Other Printing Options

There are two ways to sell journals:

1. Amazon KDP (Best Choice) – Print-on-demand, no upfront costs. Amazon prints and ships journals only when someone orders.
2. Third-party printers – Print journals in bulk and sell through Amazon or your website, but you handle storage and shipping.

For most beginners, Amazon KDP is the best option because it’s low-risk and completely automated.

5. Set Up An Amazon KDP Account

Before you can publish your journal, you need to create an account on Amazon KDP.

To get started, go to kdp.amazon.com and create a free account.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your name & email
• Tax and banking details (for payouts)
• Business details (if applicable)

Once your account is set up, you’re ready to publish your journal!

6. Upload Your Journal

Now that your account is ready, it’s time to upload your journal and make it available for sale.

1. Log into Amazon KDP and click “Create” → “Paperback.”
2. Enter your title, subtitle, and author name.
3. Upload your interior PDF and cover design.
4. Choose your categories and keywords to improve discoverability.

Make sure your journal’s cover and description are optimized so buyers can easily find and understand your product.

7. Set Pricing

Amazon lets you set your own price, but you should:

• Check competitor prices – Most journals range from $5.99 to $14.99.
• Factor in printing costs – Amazon charges a printing fee per copy.
• Choose a profitable price – Aim for at least a 40-50% profit margin per sale.

8. Publish & Market Your Journal

Once your journal is published, you need to market it effectively. Here’s how:

• Use relevant keywords in your title, subtitle, and description.
• Invest in Sponsored Ads to boost visibility.
• Share your journal on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Offer free journal templates in exchange for emails and build an audience.

Tools You Need To Get Started

Not everything you can do on your own while creating or launching your first journal on Amazon – you will need help from some tools. Here are some of them: 

Design & Formatting Tools

• Canva – This is a Free and easy-to-use design tool.
• Adobe InDesign – Professional layout and formatting.
• Affinity Publisher – A budget-friendly alternative to Adobe.

Research Tools

• Publisher Rocket – Helps find profitable keywords and categories.
• Helium 10 – An Advanced keyword research tool for Amazon sellers.

Marketing Tools

• Amazon Ads – For paid advertising.
• Pinterest & Instagram – Great for organic promotion.

Things To Consider Before Listing Your Journal On Amazon KDP

Before publishing your journal on Amazon KDP, there are a few key factors to check to ensure your listing is optimized, follows guidelines and is ready for sales. Taking the time to review these elements can prevent listing issues, poor visibility, or low sales.

• Follow KDP formatting rules – Ensure your interior file is a properly formatted PDF with the correct margins and bleed settings.
• Check for copyright issues – Do not use trademarked phrases, images, or designs that could get your listing removed.
• Pick the right keywords and categories – Research high-ranking, low-competition keywords and choose the most relevant categories.
• Set a competitive price – Check similar journals and set a reasonable price while keeping a good profit margin.
• Design an eye-catching cover – Your cover should be high-quality, visually appealing, and easy to read in thumbnail size.
• Test your listing in preview mode – Before publishing, use Amazon’s preview tool to check how your journal will look when printed.

Tips For Selling Your Journal On Amazon

Publishing your journal is just the first step—getting consistent sales requires optimization and marketing. Here are some simple yet effective ways to boost sales and visibility.

• Optimize your listing – Use strong keywords in your title, subtitle, and description to improve search rankings.
• Run Amazon Ads – Start with a small daily budget ($5-$10) to test ad performance and increase visibility.
• Promote on social media – Share journal previews on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to attract buyers.
• Encourage reviews – Add a “Thank You” page inside your journal asking customers to leave a review.
• Expand your product range – Publish multiple journals in different niches to increase sales opportunities.
• Track performance and adjust – Analyze which keywords, ads, and designs work best and refine your strategy accordingly.

Suggested Reads:

• Is Selling On Amazon Worth It?
• Best Amazon Seller Tools For Success
• Best Amazon Chrome Extensions

Conclusion: Sell Journals On Amazon KDP And Make Passive Income From Home

Selling journals on Amazon through KDP is a great way to earn a passive income without worrying about inventory or shipping. By following the steps outlined above—researching, designing, formatting, publishing, and marketing—you can successfully launch and grow your journal business.

Now it’s time to take action—start designing your first journal, upload it to KDP, and watch your online business grow!