Low-Content and Medium-Content Books on Amazon KDP: The Smart Passive Income Strategy for Self-Publishers
What if you could publish a book on Amazon without writing thousands of words?
That’s the power of low-content and medium-content publishing — a business model on Amazon KDP that is simple to start, scalable, and in surprisingly high demand.
In this post, you’ll learn what these books are, why they sell, and how you can join thousands of successful publishers building income from notebooks, puzzle books, activity workbooks, and more.
What Are Low-Content and Medium-Content Books?
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Low-content books are books with little to no text. They’re primarily designed for the user to fill in, interact with, or enjoy visually.
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Medium-content books contain structured content or activities but do not rely on long-form writing. They require more planning than low-content books but are far easier to create than traditional books.
Examples of Low-Content Books:
- Notebooks and journals
- Daily planners and logbooks
- Puzzle books (Sudoku, Word Search, Mazes)
- Coloring books
- Guest books and sketchbooks
Examples of Medium-Content Books:
- Activity books for kids
- Learning workbooks
- Writing prompt books
- Cognitive therapy books
- Guided habit trackers
Unlike novels or nonfiction, these books are faster to produce, easier to scale, and can be created even if you’re not a writer.
Why These Books Work (and Sell)
1. Consistent, Evergreen Demand
Parents buy activity books for their kids. Teachers buy workbooks for classrooms. Seniors buy puzzle books. Entrepreneurs buy planners. There is a global, year-round audience for this type of content.
2. Low Barrier to Entry
You don’t need to be a writer, editor, or designer. With tools like Canva, Puzzle Generator, or PowerPoint, anyone can build a marketable book with minimal learning curve.
3. Scalable Product Model
One interior template can be repurposed into dozens of variations across different niches, languages, themes, or seasons.
Popular Low- and Medium-Content Niches
| Book Type | Use Case | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Sudoku Puzzle Book | Brain training, entertainment | Adults, seniors |
| Word Search Book | Vocabulary building, ESL practice | Kids, students, adults |
| Maze Book | Logic and focus development | Children, therapy clients |
| Coloring Book | Stress relief, creativity | Adults, kids |
| Activity Book | Learning through play | Ages 3–8 |
| Gratitude Journal | Mindfulness, wellness tracking | Teens, women |
| Handwriting Workbook | Penmanship practice | Kindergarten students |
| Daily Planner | Organization, habit tracking | Entrepreneurs, students |
These books often cost under $5–$10 for buyers but generate long-tail royalties for publishers year after year.
How to Get Started in 5 Steps
1. Choose a Niche
Think in terms of audience + function:
- Who will use this book?
- What problem does it solve?
- Can it be part of a series?
Research on Amazon by typing terms like “activity book for 5-year-olds” or “sudoku puzzle for seniors” and exploring Best Seller Ranks (BSRs).
2. Create Your Interior
- For puzzle or game books, use a tool like Puzzle Generator to export print-ready interiors.
- For planners and journals, use Canva or PowerPoint.
- For activity or learning books, include light instructions or questions.
Keep it clean, readable, and visually aligned to your audience’s expectations.
3. Design a Compelling Cover
Use bold fonts, colors, and clear titles. Your cover sells the book more than anything else. Canva, Adobe Express, or BookBolt can help.
4. Format to KDP Standards
- Trim size: Most common are 6 x 9 inches or 8.5 x 11 inches
- Interior: Export as print-ready PDF (no hyperlinks, fonts embedded)
- Cover: Use KDP’s cover calculator to get exact dimensions based on page count
5. Upload to Amazon KDP
Set your:
- Title and subtitle
- Keywords (use relevant long-tail phrases)
- Categories (choose correct BISAC codes)
- Price (often $4.99–$9.99 for paperback)
Use the KDP previewer to ensure everything looks correct before publishing.
Who Buys These Books?
- Parents and homeschoolers looking for educational fun
- Teachers who use workbooks and trackers in class
- Seniors seeking cognitive activity (puzzles, word games)
- Therapists using guided journals for clients
- Students and professionals needing organization tools
- Gift buyers — many low-content books are perfect stocking stuffers
Low-content and medium-content books often sell as impulse buys or in bulk — making them ideal for holidays, back-to-school, and seasonal promotions.
Income Potential
Some books may earn $20–$50 per month. Others can reach $200–$500+ if they hit the right market with the right keywords and presentation.
When you scale your portfolio to 20, 50, or 100+ titles, the passive income adds up — especially with niche targeting and quality production.
Top creators in the space report four- and five-figure monthly incomes — all without writing a single novel.
Common Questions and Concerns
“Isn’t this market saturated?”
There’s competition, yes — but the demand is even bigger. Success depends on niche targeting, quality design, and smart keyword research.
“Do I need to be a designer?”
Not at all. Templates, generators, and drag-and-drop tools make design accessible to everyone.
“Can I really make money without writing?”
Yes — as long as you provide value. These books solve problems, even if they aren’t word-heavy.
Why You Should Try It (Now)
- Low upfront costs
- No need for ads or huge audience
- Scalable and repeatable
- Massive evergreen demand
- Great intro to the KDP ecosystem
If you want a low-risk, high-potential path into self-publishing — this is it.
Final Thoughts
Low-content and medium-content books are more than just a side hustle. They are a legitimate business model with real potential — accessible to creatives, teachers, parents, and entrepreneurs alike.
You’re not just selling notebooks. You’re delivering solutions: structure, entertainment, learning, peace of mind.
So if you’ve been sitting on the sidelines wondering how to enter the world of Amazon publishing without writing 50,000 words — this is your sign.
Start small. Think niche. Create value. Grow your library.
Ready to create your first puzzle, activity book, or planner? Try PuzzleGenerator.org — an easy way to generate professional content for your KDP books.
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