If your books are sold on Amazon, readers may click your name to find out more about you. Amazon Author Central lets you manage the author page they see, including your biography, photograph and list of books. It is free to join and worth setting up even if you have only published one book.
What is Amazon Author Central?
Author Central is a tool for managing your presence as an author on Amazon. Your public author page brings your books together and gives readers an introduction to the person behind them.
It is different from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). If you self-publish through KDP, that is where you manage your book files and publication details. Author Central is where you manage your author profile and claim the books that belong on it. You can use Author Central for books published by a publisher as well as books you have self-published.
How to set up your Amazon author page
If you use KDP, Amazon’s current instructions are:
- Sign in to KDP and open the Marketing page.
- Find Author Central and select Amazon.co.uk as your marketplace.
- Choose Manage author page, then Join for free.
- Search for one of your books by title, author name, ISBN or ASIN.
- Select the book and confirm that you are its author.
You can also start at Amazon Author Central UK. If your book is published by someone else, you can still claim it; Amazon may need to verify your connection to the book.
Your book needs to be published before you can create an author page, so this is a useful task for your publication checklist rather than something you must complete months in advance.
Add a useful biography and photograph
Once you have claimed your page, add a clear author photograph and a short biography. Readers usually want a quick sense of what you write, what interests you and which book they might enjoy first. A few specific details will tell them more than a long list of general claims.
For example, a historical novelist might mention the period they write about and what drew them to it. A non-fiction author might explain their experience with the subject. Write naturally for readers, and keep the information consistent with the biography on your own website.
Amazon allows biographies in different languages, which may be useful if your books reach readers in more than one market.
Check that all your books appear
Do not assume that every title will appear on your author page automatically. In Author Central, check the Books section and add any missing titles. Amazon says you can search by book title, ISBN, ASIN or author name.
Look at the public page afterwards, too. Check that the right books are attached to your name and that readers can find the formats you expect. If paperback, hardback and Kindle editions are showing as separate, unlinked listings, check that their publication details match. Amazon explains that matching details help it link different formats of a book.
What else can you see in Author Central?
Author Central lets you check customer reviews, Amazon Best Sellers Rank and the number of readers following you on Amazon. The Follow button gives interested readers a way to hear about eligible new releases through Amazon, although notifications depend on Amazon’s conditions and the reader’s settings.
Features differ between marketplaces. For example, Amazon currently lists editorial reviews and BookScan sales information as US features, so a UK author should not expect every feature mentioned in an American tutorial to appear in their account.
How does this fit with your author website?
Your Amazon author page is helpful when someone is already browsing Amazon. Your own website has a wider job: it can introduce your writing, share news and events, provide information for journalists or book groups, and give readers a way to contact you or join your mailing list.
The two can work together. Link from each book page on your website to the correct Amazon listing, alongside any other retailers you want to feature. You can also link to your Amazon author page where it is useful. Before adding the links, open them yourself and check that they lead to the right book and marketplace.
A quick Author Central checklist
- Claim your author page on Amazon.co.uk.
- Add a current photograph and a concise biography.
- Check that all your books are listed under the correct name.
- Review the public page on a phone as well as a computer.
- Revisit it when you publish a new book or change your author photograph or biography.
Author Central will not do your book marketing for you, but it is a simple way to make the information readers find on Amazon more complete and accurate. Once it is set up, an occasional check is usually all that is needed.
How Bookwebs can help
Your Amazon author page helps readers find your books on Amazon. Your own website gives them a place to explore your work in more depth, find your latest news and choose how to keep in touch.
Bookwebs has been creating and supporting websites for authors and publishers since 2006. We can give each book its own page, make buying links easy to find, and help you keep your website up to date as you publish more. If you are planning a new author website or updating an existing one, contact Bookwebs to discuss your plans.
Related articles
- Common Mistakes on Author Websites (and How to Avoid Them) — practical ways to help readers find your books and learn about you.
- How Often Should I Update My Author Website? — what to review when you publish a new book or your details change.
- Can I Build My Own Author Website? — things to consider when deciding how to create your website.
If you are unsure which approach is right for you, contact Bookwebs to discuss your plans.