Have you considered the idea of book publishing, but felt intimidated by the thought of writing a novel or complex non-fiction work?
Then medium content books may be the answer you’re looking for.
These unique books offer a blend of minimal text and interactive elements, providing a refreshing contrast to traditional literature. They’re an emerging trend in publishing, captivating readers of all ages and from various backgrounds.
Medium content books come in many forms. Adult coloring books, educational workbooks, guided journals, and logbooks are just a few examples of what you can create. Each of these offers a distinct way to engage readers, adding value, utility, and entertainment to their lives.
The market for such innovative books is growing. If you possess a spark of creativity and a drive to deliver valuable content, creating a medium content book might just be your next exciting project.
Whether you’re an established author or a beginner exploring the vast realms of making money online with books, this guide aims to help you understand and appreciate the potential that medium content books hold.
What exactly are medium content books?
Medium content books are types of books that offer a middle ground between high and low content books. They typically involve more engagement from the reader than low content books, but less than high-content books. Unlike low content books, Medium content books tend to have some sort of unique content (text, pictures, illustrations) on every page. Examples could include books with prompts, such as guided journals or activity books, and partially filled workbooks.
These books bridge the gap between passive reading and active involvement, creating an interactive experience that readers enjoy. Websites like Creative Fabrica offer a wealth of resources for content ideas, graphics, and templates to make designing your own medium content books a breeze.
Another great resource for creating low and medium content books is Book Bolt, which comes with predesigned book interiors and an intuitive cover designer. You can try Book Bolt for free over the next 3 days, afterwards it’s just $9.99 a month for full access.
How do low, medium, and high content books differ?
To fully grasp the concept of medium content books, it’s essential to understand their counterparts: low and high content books.
Low content books usually include materials like notebooks, planners, blank journals, or calendars. They require minimal engagement from the readers and are often used for personal expression or organization.
On the other end of the spectrum, high content books are your traditional books filled with text – novels, how-to guides, textbooks, and so forth. These books demand a high level of engagement from readers.
Medium content books sit comfortably in the middle, offering a blend of readability and interaction. These could be cookbooks with sections for notes, guided self-help journals, or workbooks with pre-filled examples.
Are medium content books profitable?
Absolutely! Medium content books offer an intriguing value proposition to readers, making them a profitable niche in the publishing market. They cater to readers who seek a more engaging reading experience.
Moreover, with print-on-demand services and platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), the upfront costs of publishing are significantly reduced, making the venture even more profitable.
Why should you consider publishing medium content books?
Creating medium content books presents numerous benefits for authors and publishers like yourself:
- Filling a unique niche: Medium content books fill a unique niche in the market, catering to readers who seek more than passive reading but less intensive studying. This unique offering can help you reach a wider audience.
- Creative expression: For authors, medium content books provide an opportunity for creative expression. They offer a break from traditional writing formats and allow authors to interact with their readers in innovative ways.
- Simplified production: These books often require less text creation than high-content books, potentially reducing the time and cost of production. They offer a balanced blend of text and other interactive elements, making the creation process less daunting.
- Highly customizable: Medium content books can be easily tailored to a wide variety of topics and audiences. Whether it’s a guided journal for mindfulness, a workbook for learning a new language, or a recipe book with spaces for notes, the possibilities are endless.
- Profitability: Because of their unique and interactive nature, medium content books can often be sold at a higher price point than low content books. Also, since they can be produced more quickly and cost-effectively than high content books, they can offer a lucrative opportunity for authors and publishers.
KDP medium content books
KDP is a key player in the self-publishing world, offering a platform that’s accessible to everyone. With its user-friendly interface, detailed analytics, and global distribution, it’s an ideal choice for publishing medium content books.
KDP’s print-on-demand service also means you don’t have to worry about upfront printing costs or storage.
What is KDP?
Kindle Direct Publishing is Amazon’s e-book publishing unit launched in November 2007. It allows authors to self-publish books and distribute them through Amazon’s robust ecosystem. Over time, KDP expanded its services to include print-on-demand paperback publishing, offering authors an easy and cost-effective way to publish both digital and physical books.
Why use KDP for medium content book publishing?
Here are some reasons why KDP is an excellent platform for publishing medium content books:
- Reach: Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace, and books published via KDP are available to millions of readers globally.
- Print-on-Demand: KDP operates on a print-on-demand model for physical books. This means books are printed as orders come in, eliminating the need for upfront printing costs or inventory management – a significant advantage for independent authors or small publishers.
- Control: KDP authors retain control over their work. You can set your own list prices, make changes to the book post-publication, and choose the territories where their books are sold
- Royalties: KDP offers competitive royalty rates. For e-books, authors can earn up to 70% royalty on sales to customers in several countries. For paperback, authors earn a royalty of 60% of the list price minus printing costs.
- Ease of use: KDP’s user-friendly interface makes the publishing process straightforward. Its platform also provides useful guides and resources to help authors format their books, design covers, and set up their books for publishing.
15 Medium content book ideas
There’s a wide array of possibilities for medium content books. It could be a travel journal with pre-filled prompts, a workbook teaching a specific skill with examples and practice spaces, or even a recipe book with sections for readers to add notes.
Resources like Tangent Templates can provide you with versatile templates and idea prompts for a head start on your creation process.
Types of medium content books (ideas):
a) Guided journals
Guided journals are a popular form of medium-content books that focus on self-reflection and personal growth.
These journals contain prompts or questions aimed at encouraging the reader to delve deeper into their thoughts and emotions. They can be tailored towards various themes, such as mindfulness, gratitude, personal growth, or even specific life events like pregnancy or a new job.
In a world where mental health is gaining greater recognition, guided journals provide a therapeutic and personal space for users to navigate their thoughts, manage stress, and promote self-care. They can often serve as a catalyst for personal discovery, helping readers understand themselves better and fostering personal growth.
As an author of a guided journal, you have the opportunity to be part of the reader’s self-exploration journey, making your writing an interactive and meaningful experience. With thoughtful prompts and an engaging design, a guided journal can become a cherished item for your readers.
b) Workbooks
Workbooks provide an interactive and hands-on approach to learning. Often found in educational settings, they are designed to complement traditional textbooks by offering exercises that reinforce and apply the concepts being taught.
They can cover a multitude of topics, from language learning, self-improvement, and mathematics to science and art.
By allowing readers to write or draw directly within the book, workbooks foster active learning, which is proven to enhance comprehension and retention. They allow learners to practice and consolidate their knowledge, offering instant feedback on their understanding of the subject matter.
For writers, creating a workbook offers the opportunity to be part of someone’s learning journey. By crafting exercises that engage and challenge, you can make a substantial impact on the reader’s understanding of the topic.
c) Activity books
Activity books are designed to entertain and engage, offering a variety of puzzles, games, and challenges that cater to different age groups and interests.
Examples include:
- Crossword books
- Sudoku books
- Word searches
- Mazes
- Puzzle books
These books serve a dual purpose: they provide entertainment and foster cognitive skills. Depending on the type of activities, these books can enhance problem-solving skills, creativity, attention to detail, and concentration.
Writing activity books can be a creative and enjoyable endeavor. You have the freedom to design unique and challenging activities that not only entertain but also provide mental stimulation for your readers.
d) Planners and organizers
Planners and organizers are practical tools designed to help readers manage their daily tasks, time, and goals. They include elements such as calendars, to-do lists, goal-setting sections, note-taking spaces, and sometimes even habit trackers.
Well-designed planners and organizers can enhance productivity, encourage goal setting and achievement, and foster time management skills. They provide readers with a structure to organize their thoughts, plans, and goals.
Creating these books can be a fulfilling process as you design a tool that aids your readers in their daily lives, helping them to become more organized, efficient, and focused on their goals.
e) Interactive cookbooks
Interactive cookbooks elevate the traditional cookbook by adding an engaging element. Beyond listing recipes and methods, these cookbooks include sections where readers can jot down their notes, variations, ratings, or even stick pictures of their cooked meals.
These cookbooks provide a more personalized and interactive cooking experience. They allow readers to chronicle their culinary journey, making note of successful experiments and modifications for future reference.
As a writer, crafting an interactive cookbook allows you to connect with your readers in a more meaningful way. It’s not just about sharing recipes; it’s about inviting readers to become part of a shared cooking adventure.
f) Self-help books with exercises
Self-help books with exercises are a unique blend of instructive text and interactive activities. They guide readers on a journey of personal development, offering actionable steps to attain their personal or professional goals.
These books serve as a mentor, guiding the reader towards self-improvement and personal growth. They provide valuable insights and equip readers with practical tools and strategies to navigate their personal or professional journey.
Writing a self-help book with exercises can be a rewarding experience. It allows you to share your knowledge, insights, and experiences in a format that actively engages the reader and motivates them to take action towards their goals.
g) Language learning books
Language learning books provide a structured approach to mastering a new language.
They include elements like:
- Vocabulary lists
- Grammar exercises
- Tanslation exercises
- Writing prompts.
These books serve as a practical tool for language learners, offering them an interactive way to practice and reinforce their language skills. They cater to different learning styles, allowing readers to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
As a writer of a language learning book, you’re offering a valuable resource that can make a significant difference in someone’s language learning journey. You have the chance to facilitate understanding, boost confidence, and help readers achieve their language goals.
h) Adult coloring books
Adult coloring books have gained popularity in recent years as a form of relaxation and stress relief. These books feature intricate designs and patterns, often inspired by various themes such as mandalas, nature, architecture, and even pop culture.
Coloring allows adults to engage in a creative activity that doesn’t require artistic skills but still fosters mindfulness and relaxation.
As a creator of an adult coloring book, you can explore various themes and designs to provide a calming and therapeutic experience for your readers.
i) Interactive travel guides
Interactive travel guides take the traditional travel guide to the next level by providing space for readers to document their experiences and reflections.
These could include maps to chart travel routes, spaces for photos, areas for journaling experiences, rating systems for visited places, and more.
As an author of an interactive travel guide, you get to combine informative content with interactive elements to provide a comprehensive travel companion. It can be a memorable keepsake that helps travelers engage more deeply with their experiences.
j) Inspirational quote books
Books filled with inspirational quotes and ample space for readers to reflect on what each quote means to them can serve as a powerful tool for personal growth.
The quotes can be centered around various themes such as love, resilience, success, happiness, or mindfulness.
Creating an inspirational quote book allows you to inspire and motivate your readers. By selecting meaningful quotes and providing space for reflection, you can create a transformative and uplifting reading experience.
k) DIY project books
Do-it-yourself (DIY) project books guide readers through various projects, providing step-by-step instructions along with space for notes or modifications. They can cater to a wide range of interests, from home improvement and gardening to crafts and sewing.
As a DIY book author, you get to share your expertise and passion while inspiring creativity and self-reliance in your readers. You can provide helpful tips, tricks, and techniques to guide your readers through each project.
l) Illustrated storybooks for children
Illustrated storybooks with spaces for children to interact, color, or fill in the blanks can serve as an entertaining and educational tool.
These books can improve a child’s reading skills while encouraging them to be creative and imaginative.
Creating these books involves a blend of storytelling and illustrative skills to produce engaging and age-appropriate content. As the author, you get to spark imagination and creativity while teaching essential skills or values.
m) Gardening logs
Gardening logs or journals help readers plan and track their gardening activities.
They can include sections for:
- Sketching garden layouts
- Noting planting schedule
- Tracking growth progress, and
- Jotting down observations or insights.
Creating a gardening log offers you the chance to combine practical information with interactive elements. You can guide your readers from planning to harvest, helping them to maintain a successful and rewarding garden.
n) Daily challenge books
Daily challenge books can provide a new challenge or task for each day of the year. Challenges can range from simple lifestyle changes like “go for a walk” to more complex tasks like “write a short story.”
Creating a daily challenge book allows you to engage your readers in a fun, year-long journey of personal growth, skill-building, or habit-forming. You can inspire change, motivation, and consistency through your creatively designed challenges.
How do you create medium content books?
Creating a medium content book involves several steps:
- Idea generation: Start by brainstorming what you want your book to offer. Are you teaching a skill, guiding reflection, or offering a creative outlet?
- Design and Formatting: Tools like Canva and Creative Fabrica can help you design an engaging and visually appealing book. Remember to keep it interactive.
- Creating Content: Fill your book with valuable, engaging content. Your book should guide your reader through an enriching experience.
- Publishing and Marketing: Once your book is ready, use platforms like KDP for publishing. Leverage social media and author websites for marketing.
Creating medium content books involves several steps, from brainstorming ideas to designing and publishing the book. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to go about it:
Step 1: Identify your book niche
The first step is to identify your target audience and their needs or interests. This will help you decide the type of medium content book to create. It’s beneficial to choose a niche you are knowledgeable about or passionate about, as this will reflect on the quality of your book.
You can use a tool like Book Bolt to identify profitable low content book niches with low competition that are worth exploring.
Step 2: Brainstorm content
Once you have identified your niche, start brainstorming the content of your book.
What do you want your book to offer? Are you teaching a skill, guiding reflection, or offering a creative outlet?
The contents of your book could include the type of prompts, activities, exercises, or challenges. Make sure the content aligns with the needs or interests of your target audience.
Step 3: Outline your book
Create a detailed outline of your book, breaking it down into sections or chapters. The outline will serve as a roadmap as you create your book, helping you to organize your thoughts and ideas effectively.
You can use an AI writing tool like ChatGPT or Bard AI to help you with book outlines, ideas or even content.
Step 4: Design the layout
The design of your book is crucial. It needs to be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and aligned with the purpose of your book.
You can use design tools such as Canva or Book Bolt (recommended) to create professional and attractive designs.
Keep in mind that your book will often be printed in black and white, so the design needs to look good in grayscale.
Step 5: Write and edit your content
Begin writing the content based on your outline. Keep your audience in mind and make sure the language and tone are suitable.
Be sure to leverage the power of AI writing books to help you with this process.
Here are some of the best AI tools for book writing:
Once the writing is done, go through several rounds of editing to ensure your content is clear, error-free, and engaging.
Step 6: Use tools for interactive elements
For the interactive elements, use tools such as Book Bolt, Tangent Templates, or Creative Fabrica.
These sorts of software and marketplaces can provide templates for various types of interactive content, such as calendars, trackers, puzzles, design elements, etc.
Step 7: Format your book for KDP publishing
Once your content and design are ready, you need to format your book for printing. This involves setting the right page size, margins, and bleed.
Step 8: Publish Your Book
Finally, publish your book through a self-publishing platform such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). You will need to create a captivating book description and choose relevant categories and keywords to make your book easily discoverable.
Creating a medium content book is an iterative process. You may need to go through several revisions before you have a final product that you are satisfied with.
So, stay patient and keep refining until you have a book that provides value to your readers and you are proud of.
How to publish medium content books on KDP Amazon.
To publish your book on Amazon, be sure to follow these steps:
- Create and format your book: First, you need to create your medium content book. You might use tools like Canva, Book Bolt, or even Microsoft Word to design and format your book. Ensure your book’s interactive elements are well-executed and engaging.
- Convert to KDP-supported format: For eBooks, KDP supports a variety of formats like MOBI, EPUB, HTML, and more. For paperbacks, a PDF format is required.
- Create a KDP account and start a New Title: After preparing your book, you need to create a KDP account if you haven’t already. Once logged in, start a new title under the ‘Create a Paperback’ option.
- Enter Book details: Input your book’s details, such as title, author, description, and keywords, and select the relevant categories.
- Upload your book: Upload your book file and preview it using KDP’s online viewer to ensure everything appears correctly.
- Create or upload a book cover: You can either use KDP’s Cover Creator to make a new cover or upload a pre-designed cover.
- Determine pricing and royalty plan: Decide your book’s price based on your target market, content value, and chosen royalty plan.
- Publish: Once you’re satisfied with every detail, hit the ‘Publish Your Paperback Book’ button. It may take up to 72 hours for your book to be available for purchase on Amazon.
Remember, success with KDP medium content books, like any other publishing venture, requires a blend of quality content, strategic marketing, and a deep understanding of your target audience.
Conclusion
To wrap up, medium content books present an enticing opportunity for authors. They provide a platform that combines creativity, usefulness, and reader engagement in a unique way.
Whether you’re interested in crafting adult coloring books to promote mindfulness, designing educational workbooks to support lifelong learning, or developing goal-setting guides to aid personal growth, there are countless possibilities within the Amazon KDP sub-category.
The key to success with medium content books lies in understanding your target audience’s needs and interests. Delivering valuable content and creating an engaging interactive experience is crucial. Luckily, with resources like Book Bolt and Tangent Templates, creating a medium-content book is within your reach.
So why wait? Embark on your self-publishing journey today. Your creation might be the next Amazon bestseller!