I've helped dozens of authors get their first ebook published on Amazon KDP. The ones who fail almost always make the same mistakes.

1. Writing the whole book before validating the idea. You can check demand in 20 minutes using Amazon's search bar and the "also bought" section. If no one's buying books in your niche, writing 200 pages won't change that.

2. Ignoring the product page. Your book cover, subtitle, and description do 80% of the selling. Most first-timers spend months on content and 15 minutes on their listing. Flip that ratio.

3. Launching without a review strategy. Zero reviews = zero trust. You need at least 10-15 honest reviews in the first two weeks. Build a launch team before you hit publish.

4. Pricing too low or too high. For a first ebook in a proven niche, €2.99-€9.99 is the sweet spot on KDP. Price it based on the competition, not your feelings.

5. Treating the launch as the finish line. Publishing is day one. The authors who actually earn from their books keep optimizing keywords, running promos, and building an email list after launch.

If you're working on your first ebook and want the full system — from idea validation to bestseller list — that's exactly what we built at ClearSight Books.