Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The idea of earning passive income by selling blank books on Amazon sounds too good to be true—until you realize how simple it is. No writing, no inventory, and no design expertise required. Intrigued, I challenged myself to create and publish a blank book in under 60 minutes, following three strict rules: no original content, laptop-only work, and strict time limits. The result? A live Amazon listing generating $41/week with zero ongoing effort.
Here’s exactly how I did it, broken into actionable steps. Each step starts with why it matters (the critical reason behind it) followed by how to execute it (the exact process). Let’s dive in.
Step 1: Research & Niche Selection
Why This Step Matters
Choosing the wrong niche guarantees failure. Amazon has over 12 million books—yours needs to fill a gap with consistent demand. Evergreen niches (like planners) outperform seasonal trends, ensuring sales year-round.
How I Did It
- Tool Used: Opened Book Bolt’s research tab (a tool designed for low-content book creators) to analyze niches like journals, planners, and diaries.
- Keyword Analysis: Searched for “daily planner” and found it had a high search volume (15,000+/month) and moderate competition. Avoided seasonal keywords like “2024 planners” to ensure long-term relevance.
- Competitor Check: Scanned the top 10 bestsellers in the planner category. Noticed most had generic titles (e.g., “Productivity Planner”) but lacked cohesive branding—a gap I could exploit.
Pro Tip: Use Book Bolt’s “Competition Score” metric to target niches with scores below 40 (low competition).
Step 2: Designing the Cover
Why This Step Matters
Your cover is your first (and only) sales pitch. A cluttered or amateur design means instant scroll-past. Professionalism = credibility.
How I Did It
- Design Software: Used Book Bolt’s drag-and-drop editor (no Photoshop skills needed).
- Imagery: Browsed Pixabay’s free library (integrated into Book Bolt) and chose a minimalist black background for a sleek, premium look.
- Branding: Added my existing brand name (Strike It Big) in bold white text for recognition.
- Technical Settings: Enabled “bleed settings” to extend images beyond the page edges, avoiding printing errors.
Mistake to Avoid: Overcomplicating the design. Simple covers with 1-2 colors and clear fonts convert best.
Step 3: Building the Interior
Why This Step Matters
Blank books need structure to justify their price. Templates add value without effort—think schedules, grids, or prompts.
How I Did It
- Template Selection: Scrolled through Book Bolt’s library and chose an hourly planner template (pre-formatted tables for daily tasks).
- Page Count: Duplicated the template across 365 pages (1 page/day) to create a “yearly” planner. Added 20 blank note pages at the end for flexibility.
- Customization: Adjusted line spacing and margins for readability but avoided over-designing to save time.
Cost-Saving Hack: Shorter books (100 pages) reduce printing fees, but planners need depth to justify a $15+ price.
Step 4: Publishing on Amazon KDP
Why This Step Matters
Poorly optimized listings get buried. Keywords, titles, and categories determine visibility in Amazon’s algorithm.
How I Did It
- File Export: Downloaded the interior and cover as CMYK PDFs (required for professional printing).
- Title Optimization: Named it Strike It Big Daily Productivity Planner—embedding keywords like “daily” and “productivity” for SEO.
- Description: Mirrored phrasing from top sellers (e.g., “Achieve Your Goals Daily”) to align with buyer expectations.
- Tags: Used Book Bolt’s keyword tool to pick 7 high-volume tags (e.g., “productivity journal,” “daily planner”).
- Category Strategy: Listed the book in a less competitive subcategory (e.g., “Office Productivity Planners”) to rank faster.
- Pricing: Set at 14.99 a middle ground price point. Profit:3.69/book after Amazon’s $11.30 cut.
Critical Note: Skip ISBNs for low-content books—they’re unnecessary and cost $125+ each.
The Results: $41/Week With Zero Marketing
Why This Matters
Results validate the process. Passive income requires proof, not promises.
What Happened
- Day 1-3: No sales (Amazon’s algorithm needs time to index new listings).
- Day 4: First sale! (No reviews, ads, or social media promotion).
- Week 2: 14 sales → $ 209.86 revenue.
- Cost Breakdown:
- Amazon fees: $ 158.20 (70% of revenue).
- Book Bolt subscription: $9.99 (Newbie plan).
- Net Profit: $ 41.67
Why This Works
- Passive Scalability: 14 similar books could generate $410/week.
- No Inventory Risk: Amazon’s print-on-demand model means $0 upfront costs.
- Low Time Investment: 1 hour per book vs. 10+ hours for traditional businesses.
Three Lessons to Save You Time (and Money)
1. Simple Covers Sell Better
- Why: Busy designs distract. Minimalism looks premium.
- How: Use solid colors (black/white) and 1-2 design elements (e.g., a subtle border).
2. Keywords > Creativity
- Why: Amazon’s search bar is your traffic source.
- How: Use Book Bolt’s keyword tool to steal tags/titles from top 10 listings.
3. Start Small, Scale Fast
- Why: One book proves the model. Ten books build income.
- How: Batch-create 5 interiors/covers in 2 hours and publish weekly.
Your Turn: How to Start Today
- Grab Tools: Use Book Bolt’s free trial (code MAKEMONYONLINE for 20% off).
- Clone a Best Seller: Copy a top 10 book’s title, tags, and layout.
- Publish in 60 Minutes: Follow the steps above—no perfection needed.
Final Word
Selling blank books on Amazon isn’t about luck. It’s about systems. For 1 hour of work, I unlocked 41/week. Imagine scaling this to10 books (410/week), 50 books (2,050/month) , or even 100 books (4,100/month). The model works—but only if you start.
Your Next Move:
- Today: Sign up for Book Bolt and research your niche.
- This Week: Publish your first book.
- Next Month: Scale to 5+ books.
The only thing standing between you and passive income? A blank page. Start filling it.
➜ Ready? Click here to try Book Bolt.
➜ Your blank page is waiting. Turn it into profit. 📘✨
