Paul Marles has established himself as one of the most recognized voices in the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing community, particularly in the world of low content and no content book publishing. Through his YouTube channel Self Publishing Central and his comprehensive educational content, Marles has guided thousands of aspiring publishers toward building their own profitable self publishing businesses on Amazon KDP.
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From Aspiring Publisher to Industry Educator
Paul Marles entered the self publishing world with a focus on creating simple, practical books that solve everyday problems for consumers. Rather than writing traditional novels or full length nonfiction works, Marles discovered the lucrative opportunity within low content books like journals, planners, coloring books, puzzle books, and notebooks. These products require minimal writing but demand strong skills in market research, keyword optimization, and cover design.
His YouTube channel, Self Publishing Central, now serves as a comprehensive resource where he shares everything needed to publish books on Amazon KDP, covering both low content books and full length books. What sets Marles apart is his transparency and willingness to share the real, actionable strategies that work in the increasingly competitive Amazon marketplace.
Marles focuses specifically on creating low content and no content books, which require simple and basic interiors with an emphasis on creating compelling covers and using strategic keywords to get books listed and discovered on Amazon. His approach emphasizes keeping the process simple while using quality resources and templates to create professional products.
Why His Content Is Genuinely Helpful
Paul Marles’ teaching content stands out in the crowded self publishing education space for several critical reasons that directly benefit his audience:
1. Practical, Implementation Focused Teaching
Marles uses resources like Tangent templates, which he finds to be of great quality, and he demonstrates how to edit them to fit specific needs. Rather than just teaching theory, he shows exactly which tools work, how to use them efficiently, and how to adapt existing resources to create unique products. This saves his students countless hours of trial and error.
2. Real World Keyword Research Strategies
One of Marles’ key teaching areas is performing KDP keyword research to get self published books ranked and seen by customers on Amazon. In the Amazon ecosystem, visibility is everything. Without proper keyword optimization, even the best designed books will never be found by potential buyers. Marles breaks down the complex process of keyword research into understandable, actionable steps that beginners can implement immediately.
3. Embracing Modern Tools and AI
In conversations about the future of self publishing, Marles explores the implications and impact AI tools have on Amazon KDP and all areas of self publishing, encouraging publishers to reconsider their stance on leveraging AI for growing their businesses. While some publishers resist technological change, Marles understands that AI powered editing, design tools, and research software are becoming essential for staying competitive. His willingness to adapt and teach new methods keeps his content relevant and forward thinking.
4. Comprehensive Business Systems
Marles doesn’t just teach how to make one book. He teaches how to build a publishing business. This includes understanding market trends, managing a portfolio of products, pricing strategies, using Amazon’s marketing tools, and thinking about the business holistically. His interview with Ryan Hogue about his KDP business provided viewers with step by step processes and strategies that actually worked in real publishing businesses.
5. Focus on Value Creation Over Volume
While some educators promote the “publish 100 books and hope something sticks” approach, Marles emphasizes creating books that provide genuine value to the marketplace. He teaches publishers to identify real customer needs, understand their target audience, and create products that solve problems or fulfill desires. This approach leads to better reviews, repeat customers, and sustainable income.
His Unique Edge in Content Creation
Paul Marles possesses several distinctive advantages that make his educational content uniquely valuable to aspiring Amazon KDP publishers:
Specialization in Low Content Publishing
While many self publishing educators focus on traditional books or ebooks, Marles has carved out expertise in the specific niche of low content publishing. This specialization means his strategies are laser focused on the unique challenges and opportunities within this market segment. He understands the nuances of creating products with minimal text that still provide maximum value.
Emphasis on Simplicity and Accessibility
Marles consistently advocates for keeping the publishing process simple and accessible. He recognizes that many of his students are complete beginners or people looking for side income opportunities. By focusing on low content books, which can be created relatively quickly with the right tools and knowledge, he provides an entry point that doesn’t require years of writing experience or massive upfront investments.
Product Diversification Teaching
Through his Gumroad store, Marles offers various products including low content book resources, KDP keyword tools, KDP niche guides, and KDP interior templates. This demonstrates that he practices what he preaches about creating multiple income streams within the publishing ecosystem. He doesn’t just teach theory; he actively builds products that serve his community.
Community Building and Collaboration
Marles has participated in interviews and collaborations with other successful KDP publishers and educators, sharing success stories and strategies within the low content book publishing community. This collaborative approach benefits his audience by exposing them to diverse perspectives and strategies beyond just his own methods.
Transparent Communication Style
Marles communicates in a straightforward, no nonsense manner. He doesn’t overpromise overnight riches or present publishing as effortless passive income. Instead, he provides realistic expectations while showing that consistent effort with the right strategies can build substantial income over time.
The Self Publishing and Amazon KDP Industry: A Field With Massive Opportunity
Paul Marles’ decision to build his educational business around Amazon KDP and self publishing comes at an extraordinarily opportune time. The industry data overwhelmingly demonstrates that this field offers substantial opportunity for those who approach it strategically:
Explosive Market Growth
The self publishing industry is experiencing unprecedented expansion that far exceeds most traditional industries:
The global self publishing market reached approximately $1.85 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.7% from 2025 to 2033. This explosive growth rate is more than double the expected growth of real estate and healthcare industries.
The market is projected to reach $6.16 billion by 2033, more than tripling from today’s market size. This represents an unprecedented opportunity for individuals to enter and build businesses in a rapidly expanding market.
By 2025, the global self publishing market is projected to exceed $20 billion in annual revenue when considering all aspects of the ecosystem, reflecting its status as a powerhouse in the literary world.
The self publishing market size reached USD 1.95 billion in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 14.2% from 2025 to 2033, reaching a projected value of USD 5.46 billion by 2033.
Massive Volume Opportunity
The sheer number of books being self published creates a market where success is achievable for those with the right approach:
In both 2022 and 2023, self published titles outpaced traditionally published books by more than two million titles, an eye opening margin showing the dominance of independent publishing.
The number of self published titles with ISBNs surpassed 2.6 million in 2023, representing a 7.2% increase over 2022, with this explosive growth showing no signs of slowing down.
Roughly 1.7 million books were self published in the United States alone in 2023, a number that has more than doubled since 2018, proving that independent authors are accelerating their publishing output rather than slowing down.
Strong Author Economics
Self publishing offers compelling financial advantages compared to traditional publishing:
The median self publisher income was $12,759 in 2023, up 53% year over year, while typical traditionally published authors earned only $6,000 to $8,000 and were trending downward. Self published authors are now earning substantially more than their traditionally published counterparts when comparing like for like situations.
Self publishing typically offers royalty rates around 60% to 80% of the book’s listed price, compared to much lower rates in traditional publishing. This higher royalty structure means authors keep significantly more of each sale.
Amazon KDP offers up to 60% royalty on paperback and hardcover books sold through the platform, providing authors with industry leading compensation for their work.
Low Content Books Specific Opportunities
Within the broader self publishing market, low content books represent a particularly accessible and profitable niche:
Once a low content book is live on Amazon KDP, publishers can earn up to 60% in royalties, and the low production cost means profitability begins after just a few sales.
On average, publishers can make $1.90 per sale from Amazon KDP selling a 120 page paperback book with black and white interiors, and following the 80-20 rule, the top 20 books from a 100 book catalog each selling one copy per day could generate $1,140 per month.
Research shows that successful low content books have the potential to earn nearly $1,000 from sustained sales, as long as publishers choose categories and niches that are profitable. Individual books can become significant income generators when positioned correctly.
The appeal of low content books extends beyond just profitability. Publishing low content books is an incredibly profitable business model because compared to actual books, it takes a minuscule fraction of time to create them, with next to no overhead expenses, allowing for exponential returns on investments of time and minimal dollars.
Technology Driving Accessibility
Multiple technological advances are making self publishing more accessible than ever:
The continued growth is being fueled in part by the emergence of increasingly efficient and user friendly services such as Draft2Digital, IngramSpark, and Amazon’s market leading Kindle Direct Publishing. These platforms have dramatically lowered the barriers to entry.
AI powered editing and cover design tools saw a 45% jump in user adoption in 2023, helping first time authors cut costs and time spent in early production stages. Technology is making professional quality publishing achievable for individuals without large budgets or technical teams.
The online self publishing services market, including cover design, editing, formatting, and distribution services, is valued at around $268.6 million in 2025 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.4% through 2033. This growing ecosystem of supporting services makes it easier for publishers to create professional products.
Direct to Consumer Advantages
Self publishing through platforms like Amazon KDP offers unique advantages over traditional publishing:
Amazon KDP is a platform that allows authors to sell their books to Amazon’s massive audience without the hassle of going through a traditional publishing company, with authors creating ebooks and paperback books without any upfront costs or inventory orders. The print on demand model eliminates traditional publishing risks.
KDP gives authors full rights to their books, something that a traditional publishing house typically won’t do, and authors won’t pay fees to Amazon until they make a sale. This rights retention and zero upfront cost model revolutionizes publishing economics.
Publishers can track their sales in real time, adjust pricing strategies instantly, update content when needed, and directly reach their readers without intermediaries. This level of control and flexibility was impossible in traditional publishing.
Demographic and Cultural Shifts
Fundamental changes in how people consume content are creating sustained demand:
Fewer than 50% of authors under 45 now want their next book traditionally published, meaning a majority actively prefer the self publishing route. Younger generations are “born indie,” viewing self publishing as the default rather than the fallback option.
Publishers have recognized this shift, with several traditional publishers creating imprints and programs specifically dedicated to bringing in self published authors, particularly in hot genres like romance, horror, and romantasy which were largely pioneered by independent authors. The traditional industry is adapting to the reality that self publishing has become mainstream.
Print sales saw a slight increase in 2024 proving that the format remains vital, with unit sales totaling 782.7 million in the year, underscoring the importance for independent authors to offer multiple formats to maximize reach and sales.
Global Reach Potential
Self publishing enables truly global distribution that was previously impossible for independent creators:
Digital publishing platforms enable authors to reach vast audiences with minimal investment, with the ability to update content, track sales in real time, and experiment with pricing strategies further enhancing the appeal of ebooks in the self publishing market.
Authors can simultaneously sell in dozens of countries, translate works into multiple languages, and tap into emerging markets without the geographic limitations of traditional print distribution. This global reach democratizes publishing success.
Emerging Growth Opportunities
Several trends are creating new opportunities within the self publishing ecosystem:
The rise of audiobooks represents a significant additional revenue stream. While low content books don’t translate to audio format, publishers who understand Amazon KDP can easily expand into audiobook creation for narrative content.
According to Reedsy data, it costs independent authors between $2,940 and $5,660 to publish a book in 2025 including editing, book design, and marketing. While this represents an investment for full length books, low content books require a fraction of this investment, making them an accessible entry point.
Niche markets continue to emerge as consumer interests diversify. From specialized planners for specific professions to activity books for underserved demographics, the opportunities for targeted low content products continue expanding.
Realistic Assessment of Competition
While opportunity is substantial, it’s important to acknowledge the competitive realities:
Around 64% of self published authors struggle with visibility and discoverability, often citing limited marketing tools and algorithm biases on platforms like Amazon KDP. Success requires more than just uploading books; it demands strategic positioning and ongoing marketing effort.
Creating low content books for Amazon KDP used to be a fantastic way to publish books, but low content books have become extremely saturated over the years, requiring publishers to be more strategic about niche selection and quality.
However, this competition creates opportunity for educated publishers. Those who understand keyword research, target specific underserved niches, prioritize quality design, and implement effective marketing strategies can still achieve significant success. The market rewards those who approach publishing as a real business rather than a get rich quick scheme.
The Challenge Paul Marles Addresses
The biggest challenge in the Amazon KDP ecosystem isn’t a lack of opportunity, it’s a lack of proper education. Thousands of people attempt to publish on Amazon KDP every month, but most fail because they:
- Choose oversaturated niches without proper research
- Create low quality products that don’t stand out
- Don’t understand keyword optimization and discoverability
- Fail to think strategically about pricing and positioning
- Treat publishing as a one time effort rather than an ongoing business
- Don’t diversify their catalog or build multiple income streams
Paul Marles’ educational content directly addresses these gaps. By teaching proper research methodologies, emphasizing quality and value creation, explaining the technical aspects of keyword optimization, and promoting a business minded approach, he equips his students with the knowledge needed to succeed where others fail.
His focus on low content books specifically addresses the needs of people who want to enter self publishing but either lack traditional writing skills, don’t have time to write full length books, or want to create multiple products more quickly. This opens self publishing to a much broader audience than traditional book writing.
The Future Is Bright for Educated Publishers
The self publishing industry, and specifically the Amazon KDP ecosystem, is at an inflection point. The market is growing rapidly, technology is making creation easier, and direct to consumer platforms are more powerful than ever. However, competition is also intensifying.
This creates a clear dividing line: educated, strategic publishers who treat this as a real business will thrive, while those who approach it casually or without proper knowledge will struggle. Paul Marles’ educational content helps move aspiring publishers from the latter category to the former.
The convergence of multiple favorable factors, including massive market growth projections of 14% to 16% annually, increasing author preference for self publishing over traditional routes, technological tools that reduce creation barriers, and Amazon’s dominant position in the book marketplace, creates an environment where informed action can lead to substantial results.
For publishers willing to learn proper strategies, invest in quality, conduct thorough research, and approach publishing as a real business rather than passive income fantasy, the opportunities are substantial and growing. The key is education and strategic execution, exactly what Paul Marles provides through Self Publishing Central.
Conclusion
Paul Marles represents a new generation of publishing educators who have achieved success in the Amazon KDP ecosystem and are committed to helping others do the same. His content is helpful because it’s practical, focused on implementation, transparent about challenges, and rooted in strategies that actually work in today’s competitive marketplace.
His unique edge comes from his specialization in low content publishing, his emphasis on simplicity and accessibility, his willingness to embrace modern tools including AI, and his collaborative approach to building community within the publishing world.
Most importantly, he’s teaching in an industry with extraordinary opportunity. With the self publishing market projected to grow from $1.85 billion to over $6 billion by 2033, with over 2.6 million self published titles released annually, and with self published authors now earning more than their traditionally published counterparts, the fundamental economics strongly favor independent publishing.
Low content books represent an especially accessible entry point within this ecosystem, requiring minimal writing ability while still offering substantial profit potential when approached strategically. For aspiring publishers willing to learn, implement proper systems, focus on quality and value creation, and treat publishing as a real business, the future is remarkably bright.
Paul Marles and Self Publishing Central have created a roadmap for navigating this opportunity successfully. The market is growing, the tools are improving, and the barriers to entry continue falling. For those ready to learn and take action, self publishing through Amazon KDP offers a genuine path to building profitable publishing businesses in 2025 and beyond.
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