KDP Book Series

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Start Here — Browse Amazon Best Sellers for Inspiration

Browse the top 100 lists in non-fiction, health, self-help, and business before defining your series concept. Look for: (1) consistent sub-niches, (2) series that are selling well, (3) gaps you could fill. Open Amazon KDP Best Sellers →

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Joe's Action Items

Series concept decisions — all four needed before Bart can research

Define Series Concept + Niche

Choose a specific topic/niche for the series. The more specific, the better — "Health Journals for Caregivers" outperforms "Health Books." Browse the best sellers first for validated niches.

Niche ideas to consider (tap to add to notes):

Caregiver Guides Health Tracking Journals Senior Living Resources Medical Prep Guides Chronic Illness Support Remote Work Productivity

🔓 This decision unlocks all of Bart's research tasks (B1–B4)

Define Target Reader

Who is the ideal reader? Be specific: age range, situation, pain point, and what they're hoping to achieve with the book. Example: "Adult children (40–60) managing care for an aging parent with memory issues." The tighter this is, the better Bart can position the series.

Confirm Number of Books in Series

How many books do you want in the series? Common approaches: (1) 3-book starter series — low risk, easy to test. (2) 5–7 books — strong series read-through income. (3) 10+ books — deep niche domination. Start with 3 unless the concept clearly supports more.

Approve First Title

Review and approve Bart's title + subtitle options for Book 1 (B2). The title drives searchability — needs a clear keyword, a benefit, and a series hook. Final approval gates the cover design and production spec (B3 + B4).

⏳ Waiting for: Bart to deliver title options (B2)

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Bart's Action Items

Research, positioning, and series infrastructure

Research Category + Competition

Deep-dive into the confirmed niche: top 20 competing books, BSR ranges, pricing analysis, cover trends, review sentiment gaps, and keyword density. Delivers a competitive positioning brief. Waiting on: J1 + J2.

⏳ Blocked on: J1 (niche) + J2 (reader profile)

Draft Series Concept + First Title Options

Full series concept document: series name, individual book titles (all X books), series tagline, and 3 title/subtitle options for Book 1. Includes positioning rationale for each option. Waiting on: J1 + J2 + J3.

⏳ Blocked on: J1 + J2 + J3 (concept, reader, and series length)

Production Spec Template

Standardized production spec for every book in the series: trim size, page count target, interior formatting guide, chapter structure template, and KDP upload checklist. Ensures consistent quality across all titles. Waiting on: J4 (title approved).

⏳ Blocked on: J4 (title approval — confirms format direction)

Cover System + Naming Convention

Visual cover system for the series: consistent typography, color palette, design grid, and element placement that makes all books instantly recognizable as a series. Includes naming convention for files and ISBNs. Waiting on: J4 (title approved).

⏳ Blocked on: J4 (title approval — needed for cover mockup text)

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Whiteboard — Visual Reference

Cover concepts and series branding ideas

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Cover Design Concepts

Series cover mockups — pending niche + title approval (J1, J4)

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Series Branding

Typography, color palette, and design system — pending Bart delivery (B4)

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Competitor Cover Analysis

Screenshots of top 20 competing books — Bart adds after B1 research

📎 Drop cover inspiration images, competitor screenshots, or brand references here (images/videos only)

📖 KDP Book Series

Start Here — Browse Amazon Best Sellers for Inspiration

Joe's Action Items

Bart's Action Items

Whiteboard — Visual Reference