Amazon is testing out a new, cleaner look to the KDP Bookshelf page for indie authors. The section now looks neater, is easier to navigate and gives a useful checklist up front of what content you will need to add when publishing an ebook.
The checklist covers Book Content, Book Cover, Description, Keywords and Categories. In the old version, you could find yourself halfway through the process before realizing that you hadn’t written a description or researched keywords.
When you’ve uploaded everything, the Bookshelf gives a thumbnail of the book cover with clear details of title, author and ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) together with Status and Pricing.
There’s also a link on the right which will take you to opportunities to Promote and advertise your book, while a smaller pull-down menu offers six options:
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Edit Details
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Edit Rights, Royalty, and Pricing
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KDP Select info
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Promote and Advertise
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Enrol in Matchbook
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Unpublish
As it’s testing the new look currently, you might see either the new Bookshelf or the old one on your KDP account. It might be only a small improvement but it’s always encouraging to see a giant company like Amazon taking steps to improve the KDP interface.