KDP Publishing Complete Guide
Everything you need to publish your book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Free checklist, essential tools, and step-by-step walkthrough.
1Manuscript Preparation
KDP accepts .doc, .docx, .pdf, .epub, .mobi, and .kpf files. For the best results, use a clean Word document with simple formatting:
- Standard fonts (Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial)
- 1" margins on all sides
- Page breaks between chapters (not extra line breaks)
- No headers or footers (KDP adds page numbers)
- Front matter: Title page, copyright page, table of contents
- Back matter: Author bio, other books, call to action
2Cover Design
Your cover is your book's #1 sales tool. Requirements:
- eBook: 2,560 × 1,600 pixels minimum (1.6:1 ratio)
- Paperback: Use KDP's cover calculator for exact dimensions
- Format: JPEG or PNG, sRGB color, 300+ DPI for print
- Spine text: Requires 100+ pages
Pro tip: Look at the top 10 books in your category. Your cover should clearly signal the same genre while standing out in the thumbnail grid.
3KDP Account Setup
Create your free account at kdp.amazon.com. You'll need:
- Tax information (SSN for US, or W-8BEN for international)
- Bank account for royalty deposits
- Pen name decision (real name or pseudonym)
Note: Once published, your author name is permanently linked to that book. Choose carefully—especially if writing in different genres.
4Compliance Check
Critical step. Violations here can get your book removed or account terminated.
- Trademark scan: Check your title against USPTO database
- Policy words: Avoid "bestseller," "guaranteed," "#1," "award-winning"
- AI disclosure: Declare if AI generated text or images
- Cover text: No misleading claims or competitor names
5Metadata Optimization
Metadata determines how readers find your book:
- Title: Clear, searchable, genre-appropriate (max 200 chars)
- Subtitle: Include keywords naturally
- Description: Hook in first 200 chars, HTML formatting allowed
- Keywords: 7 fields × 50 chars = 350 total characters
- Categories: Select 2, request up to 10 via support
6Pricing Strategy
Balance competitiveness with profitability:
- eBook $2.99-$9.99: Qualifies for 70% royalty
- eBook $0.99-$2.98: Only 35% royalty
- Paperback: Price high enough for $3-5 profit to support ads
- KDP Select: 90-day exclusive for Kindle Unlimited page reads
7Publish & Launch
After clicking "Publish," your book enters review (24-72 hours typical). Then:
- Verify your book page looks correct
- Check the "Look Inside" preview
- Order a print proof (for paperback)
- Set up Author Central profile
- Begin promotion: social media, email list, ads
Launch week matters: Amazon's algorithm weighs early sales and reviews heavily. Consider a launch promotion to build momentum.
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