If you are wondering if you can self-publish and sell public domain books on Amazon, the short answer is yes, you can.
The longer answer is that you need to be aware of copyright restrictions and that you must publish a version of a book that is substantially different from the original.
It’s a tempting option because you don’t need to write a book. However, although you can find thousands of works that have expired copyright, you still have work to do before you can publish.
As with self-publishing any book, you need to offer good value and an excellent reading experience for readers. You will also need to promote the title to have a chance of selling copies.
What Are Public Domain Books?
Books available in the public domain are literary works no longer protected by copyright law.
This makes them freely available for use without legal restrictions.
Copyright expiration laws differ between countries. In the US, for example, there have been numerous changes to the law, with the last change in 1978.
However, as a general rule, a work usually enters the public domain 70 years after the death of the author, or if the book was published before 1924.
Once a work enters the public domain, it becomes a resource for readers, educators, scholars, and creators.
Then, anyone can use, copy, adapt, translate, and publish these works without needing to seek permission or pay royalties to the original author or their estate.
If you plan to publish an out-of-copyright work, you must check carefully to ensure you have the legal right to do so.
Another point is that only the original text is free to use.
Any new editions or adaptations that include original content may still be protected by copyright.
Where to find copyright-free texts
You can find numerous sources of full original texts, but here are a few of the most popular.
Project Gutenberg is one of the oldest and largest digital libraries.
It offers over 60,000 free ebooks in various formats, including epub, Kindle, and plain text.
The site focuses on classic literature and is an excellent resource for public-domain texts.
Google Books allows you to access many public domain works that can be read online or downloaded in PDF.
The platform’s search capabilities make it relatively easy to find specific titles.
The Internet Archive is another vast digital library with a wide range of public domain texts and books.
You can download books in multiple formats, including PDF, epub, and Kindle.
HathiTrust Digital Library offers a large collection of digitized books.
It is particularly useful for finding academic and historical texts.
Many of these works are available for download, but some are restricted to members only.
To republish a work, you should carefully choose your source and the available formats.
When downloading, make sure that you can select a high-quality version of the text.
This will minimize the formatting you will need to do. The best file types are epub and text files. PDF files can sometimes be a challenge to convert to text.
Converting and basic formatting
Once you download a public domain text, the first step is to convert it into a usable format to open it in Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, or Google Docs.
Whether you plan to publish in ebook or print, you will have to clean up a text in a word processor before you can apply formatting.
Issues might include removing unnecessary line breaks or correcting major formatting inconsistencies.
Public domain texts often contain errors from scanning or digitization or can result from your conversion from PDF.
When you have your full text in a readable format in your word processor, the next step is to proofread the text for errors or typos carefully.
A common issue is special characters or words with accents.
Only when you are 100% sure that the text is clean, can you use it as the basis for the new version you plan to publish.
How to differentiate your version
To be able to publish public domain work on Amazon or any other self-publishing service, your version must be different.
Amazon recognizes only three categories of differentiation: translated, annotated, or illustrated.
These are defined as original translations, original annotations (additional content like study guides, literary critiques, detailed biographies, or historical context), or ten or more original illustrations relevant to the book.
Additionally, the title of your book must include one of these three differentiations, such as Pride and Prejudice (Annotated).
The product (book) description must also include a summary of how the book is original in bullet point format at the beginning of the product description (maximum 80 characters). This allows for about four points of difference.
You also must declare that your book is a public domain work in your publishing rights details.
To make your book different, you can try these options.
1. Add value by including a new introduction, annotations, or commentary that provides modern context or analysis.
2. Use visually appealing formatting or illustrations to make your book enjoyable to read.
3. Create a high-quality book cover design to attract readers and make your version stand out in a crowded marketplace.
4. Combine related public domain works into a single volume, offering readers added value.
Marketing and promoting
Even though you’re publishing established content, it still requires effective marketing to attract readers and book sales.
Sure, classic literary works are always popular, but you have to make your version shine above the rest.
The first step is to make sure you choose the most appropriate three categories and be selective about your seven search keywords.
Choosing the best listing options for your book will help it appear in Amazon book searches.
You can do your research using free tools or use specialized software for the task.
Other options for promotion include social media, email campaigns, and your blog or website. But there are lots of ways to promote any book, so use as many as possible.
Conclusion
Self-publishing public domain works is a potentially profitable venture.
Although it seems like an easy way to publish, given that you can use thousands of titles, it is not a quick copy-and-paste exercise.
You need to add a lot of extra content and value to be eligible to publish.
However, because the manuscript is already written, you can focus your efforts on adding content, editing, formatting, and marketing.
Related Reading: When To Self-Publish Directly Or Use An Aggregator
