You’re asking two separate, but distinct questions.

I would suggest changing your identity from ‘writer’ to ‘author.’

According to Wikipedia: Author vs Writer We often use the words author and writer interchangeably. But indeed, both these words are quite different. A writer is a person who writes a book, article, or any literary piece, while an author is essentially the person who originates the idea, plot, or content of the work being written.

When you first upload your books to Amazon it allows you to choose two browse categories. After your book is published, you can request them to add it to another 8 or so categories. Some will tell you can have a maximum of 10 categories, while others say you can go higher. I have found it a challenge to find more than 10 categories for my books.

There are several steps to the process. First off, login to your Kindle Direct Publishing account and click on the Bookshelf link.

Locate the book you want to add categories to. You will need to do it for both your paperback version and for your E version.

Using one of my books as an example, click on the … on the right-hand side.

Clicking on the … will open up this drop-down box. Click on Edit e-book details.

Here’s an example using Healthy Living and holistic nutrition as search items.

I use a software product called Publisher Rocket to locate Amazon categories.

Here are some possible categories for you to consider adding a book about Healthy Living and holistic nutrition book to:

For Paperbacks:

Books>education & teaching>schools & teaching> instruction methods>health

Books> health, fitness & dieting>alternative medicine

Books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine> holistic

Books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine> homeopathy

Books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine> naturopathy

Books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine> reference

Books> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> American Heart Association

Books> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> other diets

Books> health, fitness & dieting> diseases & physical ailments

Books> health, fitness & dieting> diseases & physical ailments> physical impairments

Books> teen & young adult> personal health> diet & nutrition

Books> teen & young adult> personal health> diseases, illnesses & injuries

Books> textbooks> medicine & health sciences> alternative medicine> diet therapy

Books> textbooks> medicine & health sciences> alternative medicine> holistic medicine

Here are some possible categories for e-books:

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> alternative medicine> homeopathy

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> diets

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> diets> healthy

Kindle store> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> diets> weight loss

 Kindle store > Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diets & weight loss> diets> weight maintenance

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diseases & physical ailments> chronic pain

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diseases & physical ailments> endocrine system

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> diseases & physical ailments & physical impairments

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> disorders & diseases

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> nutrition

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> personal health

Kindle store> Kindle e-books> health, fitness & dieting> personal health> healthy living

Now let’s look at how to add your categories to your book. It’s a tedious process and you need to do one category at a time with Amazon.

In your Amazon Author Central click on the Contact us link on the top left-hand corner.

It will take you to a page that looks like this:

Click on My Books.

The next box will ask you to select details. Click on update information about a book.

The next box prompts you to make a selection. Click on Browse Categories.

In the next box click on I want to update my book’s browse categories.

The next section asks you how you want Amazon to contact you. Click on e-mail.

You will then be prompted to add your name and your e-mail address. You will add your query in the question/feedback field.

Here is an example of a request to add your paperback book to a new category.

Hi there!

I’d like my paperback book, Blow Your Own Horn! Personal Branding for Business Professionals with ISBN-10: 1777156513 & ISBN-13: 978-1777156510 to be added to the following category:   

Books>Business & Money>Marketing & Sales> Sales & Selling

Thanks in advance.

Rae A. Stonehouse

~~~

You need to send these messages to Amazon one at a time then wait for them to acknowledge that they have made the changes.

The above example illustrated a request to change a paperback. To change an e-book’s categories, it’s basically the same however instead of adding the ISBN numbers you would add Amazon’s ASIN numbers. You can get that number by locating your book ad in the Amazon store.

Closely related to editing and proofreading, yet a separate step of the publishing process, is that of determining your layout and formatting your book.

To some readers, errors in your formatting will jump out at them as much as the old saying of "˜what happens when you wave a red flag in front of a bull?" You don't want to give your reader any reason to dismiss the value of your creative work.

Different styles of books or publication versions i.e. pixel or print, require different formatting techniques.

LFEP uses Scrivener, a powerful word-processing program and outliner for authors, to format your manuscript and make it publication-ready.

If you have created your manuscript in Scrivener, we can easily access your file and make the required changes.

Talk to us about creating the layout and the formatting for your book.

 1. Follow your passion. If you are passionate about your subject, bring others along with you in your writing. The old saying comes to mind 'you can't push a rope.' Your books should bring your reader on a journey of discovery with you, not pushing them where they may not want to go.

2. Find a group of like-minded individuals. Look for local writers/authors groups. They may have an on-line or community get-togethers. Meetup can be a great source of local writers/authors groups.

3. Believe in yourself and your creative work. It was only after writing and self-publishing five books that I started calling myself Author, Writer & Speaker. I have come to the realization that I am not as good as many however, I am significantly better than most at those three activities.