KDP Pricing Strategy for Science Fiction Books (Ebook + Paperback + KU)
Practical pricing guidance to help science fiction authors and KDP publishers increase royalties and read-through. No fluff—just a simple strategy you can apply today.
1) Start with a simple ebook price
For most science fiction books, an ebook price in $2.99–$4.99 is a strong default. It balances conversion rate (sales velocity) with royalty per sale.
Rule of thumb: If you’re unknown or launching Book 1, lean toward the low end. If you have reviews/brand/series momentum, test the higher end.
2) Use a series price ladder (the money is in read-through)
- Book 1: cheapest (or promo pricing) to maximize entry.
- Books 2–3: mid-range (where you earn back the acquisition cost).
- Later books: maintain or slightly increase if demand holds.
Many KDP publishers make consistent income by optimizing read-through rather than maximizing Book 1 royalties.
3) Kindle Unlimited (KU): quick math check
KU pays by pages read (KENP). The monthly rate varies, but a common ballpark is $0.004–$0.005 / page.
Example: a 350-page book fully read in KU earns ~$350 × $0.004–$0.005 / page ≈ $1.40–$1.75.
(Illustrative only—actual payout depends on the monthly KU fund and how many pages are read.)
4) Paperback: price for margin + perceived value
Paperback pricing depends on print cost, trim size, and page count. A practical range for many genres is $9.99–$14.99. Don’t price so low that you earn nothing—or so high that buyers bounce.
5) The fastest way to improve revenue (without ads)
- ✓ Improve your first 10% (hook + promise + clarity).
- ✓ Add a strong backmatter CTA to push readers to your next book.
- ✓ Test price changes one at a time and track results for 7–14 days.
If you’re generating books quickly, you can iterate faster—publish, measure, improve.
Want to publish faster?
WriteAIBook helps you draft books quickly so you can spend your time on what makes money: packaging, metadata, and distribution.