Publishing a book on Amazon KDP involves more than uploading a Word file. You need an approved manuscript, production ready files, accurate book details, the correct rights and pricing settings, and a careful preview before submission.
KDP divides setup into three broad parts: book details, book content, and rights and pricing. The exact fields differ for Kindle eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. Each format is a separate edition, even when the title and author name are the same.
The safest approach is to finish editing and file preparation before opening a new title. KDP can process and distribute the files you provide. It cannot decide whether the manuscript is ready, correct weak design, or replace a full quality review.
The KDP Publishing Process at a Glance
For most books, the sequence is:
Complete the manuscript and required editing.
Choose the editions and distribution plan.
Prepare the KDP account and tax or payment details.
Finalize title, contributor, description, keyword, and category information.
Prepare the eBook or print interior and cover files.
Create the title in the KDP Bookshelf.
Enter book details.
Upload and preview the content.
Confirm ISBN, territories, pricing, and royalty settings.
Review a proof where appropriate.
Submit the edition for review.
Check the live detail page and linked formats.
Infographic: The KDP workflow moves from account and metadata readiness to files, preview, pricing, review, and live page checks.
1. Make Sure the Book Is Ready Before KDP Setup
Start with the book, not the platform.
The manuscript should have completed the editing stages it needs. Resolve tracked changes and comments. Confirm chapter order, front matter, back matter, image permissions, citations, and the final title information.
If you plan a print edition, choose the trim size, paper, ink, and bleed before the interior is finalized. The page count affects the full cover wrap and spine. An eBook needs its own reflowable or fixed layout file.
Ask four questions:
Is the manuscript approved and version controlled?
Which formats will be available at launch?
Are the final interior and cover files ready for those formats?
Do the title, author, edition, and identifier details match everywhere?
Not Sure Your Files Are Ready for KDP?
Liberty can review your manuscript stage, planned editions, cover files, and metadata before you begin title setup.
Request a KDP File Readiness Review2. Decide Which Editions to Publish
KDP supports Kindle eBooks and print editions. You create each format as a separate title setup in your account.
Kindle eBook
A standard Kindle eBook is usually reflowable. The reader can change the font, size, spacing, and device orientation. The file needs reliable headings, navigation, image handling, and a working table of contents.
KDP currently accepts several eBook file types. Its official supported eBook formats page includes DOC or DOCX, KPF, EPUB, and other accepted formats. KDP recommends validating an EPUB with Kindle Previewer.
Paperback
A paperback needs a fixed interior file and a separate full cover. The cover includes the front, spine, and back. The interior must match the selected trim, margins, and bleed.
KDP’s paperback formatting guidance separates the interior manuscript from the cover file and provides tools for trim, margins, cover templates, and previewing.
Hardcover
A hardcover is also a separate edition. It can sometimes use the same interior as a paperback when the trim and content match, but the cover dimensions and template differ.
Do not assume every format or print option is available in every marketplace. Confirm the current KDP options before promising a format to readers.
3. Prepare Your KDP Account
Create the account in the name of the person or business that should control the book. Complete identity, payment, bank, and tax information through KDP’s secure account settings.
Keep the login, recovery information, and payment account under the publisher’s control. If a service provider helps with setup, the author should still understand who owns the account and where royalties are paid.
Before creating a title, collect:
The final title and subtitle.
Author and contributor names.
Series and edition information, if relevant.
A final book description.
Audience and language details.
Keywords and categories.
Publishing rights and territories.
The ISBN choice for each print edition.
The publication or release plan.
List price decisions.
4. Prepare Accurate Book Metadata
Metadata creates the product record readers see. It also connects editions and supports retailer discovery.
Title and Subtitle
Use the exact wording that appears on the title page and cover. Do not add search phrases to the metadata if they are not part of the book’s real title.
Some fields become difficult or impossible to change after publication. Review them before submission.
Contributors and Series
Enter author, editor, illustrator, translator, or other contributor roles accurately. Use consistent spelling across every edition.
If the book belongs to a series, confirm the series name and number before publication. A careless difference can interfere with how editions or series pages connect.
Description
The description should tell the right reader what the book is, what it offers, and why it is relevant. It is not a plot summary dump or a string of keywords.
Use short paragraphs and a clear opening. Remove unsupported claims and any formatting KDP does not accept.
Keywords and Categories
Choose terms and categories that fit the book’s actual subject, genre, audience, and buying context. Avoid names, trademarks, misleading comparisons, and irrelevant popular terms.
Review these choices after publication. Categories and search behavior can change.
5. Prepare the Manuscript and Cover Files
File preparation is where many avoidable delays begin.
Print Interior
The print interior should be built to the selected trim and bleed. Check page order, margins, fonts, images, chapter openings, page numbers, running heads, blank pages, and front or back matter.
KDP’s current print manuscript guidance covers accepted files, embedded fonts and images, single page files, bleed, and manual review checks. A file with bleed must be uploaded as a PDF.
Print Cover
The full cover depends on trim, binding, paper, and final page count. Use the current KDP cover calculator or template for the selected edition.
Check the title, author name, spine, barcode area, bleed, safe zones, and image quality. Do not reuse a paperback cover file for a hardcover.
eBook File
Test navigation, paragraph spacing, chapter breaks, images, links, footnotes, and the table of contents. View the file at several screen sizes.
Remove print only elements such as running heads and fixed page numbers. A reflowable eBook should not depend on a specific page position to make sense.
Metadata and File Match
KDP requires key details in the files to match the title setup. Check the title page, copyright page, headers, footers, cover, spine, and ISBN.
Do this before upload. Fixing the source file is cleaner than patching several versions after submission.
6. Create the Title in Your Bookshelf
In the KDP Bookshelf, choose the edition you want to create. The setup will move through details, content, and rights and pricing.
KDP’s current Create a Book guidance explains that the details entered during setup feed the Amazon detail page. It also notes that some fields cannot be changed after publication.
Do not rush the details section because the files are ready. Treat metadata as part of the publication.
7. Enter the Book Details
Complete each field from the approved metadata sheet.
Select the language.
Enter the exact title and subtitle.
Add series and edition details when relevant.
Enter author and contributor names.
Write or paste the approved description.
Confirm publishing rights.
Add audience information when requested.
Choose keywords and categories.
Select any release or preorder options that are currently available for that format.
Save a copy of the final metadata outside KDP. You will need it to keep all editions and other platforms consistent.
8. Upload and Preview the Content
Upload the manuscript and cover files for the edition. Wait for processing to finish, then use the correct preview tool.
eBook Preview
KDP’s Online Previewer shows the eBook on different device types and can flag some spelling or image issues. It is useful, but it does not replace proofreading.
Check chapter navigation, heading levels, image size, spacing, notes, links, and the first and last pages. If an error comes from the source file, correct the source and upload a new version.
Print Preview
Print Previewer checks the fixed interior and cover. Review every page, not only the warning list.
Look for cut text, margin problems, unwanted blank pages, poor image placement, inconsistent headers, cover alignment, spine issues, and metadata mismatches.
The official upload and preview guidance explains the current preview workflow for eBooks and print editions.
Want Help With KDP Setup and Preview Corrections?
Liberty can coordinate print and eBook files, metadata entry, preview review, and corrections before the final submission.
Discuss Your Amazon Publishing Setup9. Choose the ISBN for Print Editions
KDP currently requires an ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers. Kindle eBooks do not require one on KDP and receive an Amazon identifier.
Authors can use an eligible KDP assigned ISBN or an ISBN they obtained through the proper agency. The choice affects the imprint shown and how the identifier can be used elsewhere.
Read the current KDP ISBN and imprint guidance before deciding. If wider distribution through another service is part of the plan, make the ISBN decision before either platform is set up.
Each print format and edition normally needs the correct unique identifier. Do not use the same paperback ISBN for a hardcover.
10. Set Rights, Territories, and Pricing
Only select territories where you hold the required publishing rights. If the rights are limited, choose the matching territories rather than worldwide distribution.
Set the list price after reviewing printing costs, the current royalty option, taxes, marketplace differences, and the position of comparable books. KDP displays estimates during setup.
Platform pricing changes. Use KDP’s current book pricing guidance and calculators instead of copying an old table.
For eBooks, review the current royalty choices and eligibility rules. For print, check how page count, ink, format, and marketplace affect cost and estimated earnings.
11. Decide About Expanded Distribution
KDP Expanded Distribution can make eligible paperbacks available to distributors outside Amazon. It does not guarantee that a bookstore or library will order the book.
KDP’s current Expanded Distribution guidance states that hardcovers are not eligible. It also lists current ISBN, format, territory, and content requirements.
If you plan to use another print distribution service, confirm how the ISBN and distribution settings interact before enrollment. Do not submit the same ISBN to conflicting distribution arrangements without understanding the consequences.
12. Order and Review a Print Proof
A digital preview cannot show paper, physical size, binding, color shift, cover alignment, or the feel of the margins.
Order a proof for each print format that matters. Check:
Cover color, trim, spine, and barcode area.
Paper and ink choice.
Type size and line spacing.
Inner and outer margins.
Images, tables, and captions.
Blank pages and chapter starts.
Page numbers and running heads.
The title page, copyright page, and ISBN.
The final call to action or author page.
If corrections affect pagination, generate a new interior and cover from the updated specifications. Review again before publication.
13. Submit the Book for Review
Complete a final check before selecting Publish. Confirm that no draft file, test cover, placeholder text, or old metadata remains.
KDP review is a platform compliance step. It is not a professional edit or design approval. A book can pass technical review and still contain reader facing problems.
KDP’s current publishing timeline guidance lists estimated processing windows by format and marketplace. The page states that timing can vary. Build extra room into any public launch date.
14. Check the Live Detail Page
When the edition becomes live, review it as a reader would.
Confirm title, subtitle, author, and cover.
Read the description and check its formatting.
Verify format and price.
Test the sample when it becomes available.
Check categories and product details.
Confirm that eBook, paperback, and hardcover editions link correctly after processing.
Verify author profile and series connections where relevant.
Save the live URLs for marketing.
Some elements update on different schedules. Do not assume a missing sample or unlinked edition is permanent on the first day. Check the current KDP timeline page before opening a support request.
Common KDP Mistakes
Uploading before editing is complete.
Using one interior file for print and eBook without separate preparation.
Entering metadata that does not match the files.
Choosing an ISBN without considering wider distribution.
Building the print cover before page count is stable.
Ignoring preview warnings or reviewing only a few pages.
Publishing without a physical proof.
Selecting worldwide rights without holding them.
Copying old royalty or pricing information.
Assuming Expanded Distribution guarantees bookstore placement.
Letting a third party control the account or payment details.
Announcing a release date with no room for corrections or review.
Frequently Asked Questions
KDP does not charge a basic upload fee for creating a title. Publishing still has costs in time or professional work, including editing, cover design, formatting, proofs, and marketing. Printing costs and royalty calculations depend on the format and sale.
No. KDP reviews files and metadata for platform requirements. It does not provide developmental editing, copyediting, proofreading, or a full design review.
KDP currently requires an ISBN for paperbacks and hardcovers. Kindle eBooks do not require one on KDP. Check the official guidance because identifier choices affect imprint and distribution options.
Yes, but each format has its own setup and file. Keep the title and author metadata consistent so KDP can link the editions after they become live.
KDP publishes current estimates by format and marketplace. Many standard submissions are processed within a few business days, but exceptions occur. Use the live timeline page rather than treating an estimate as a guarantee.
Many files, descriptions, prices, categories, and keywords can be updated. Some title details have stricter limits and may require a new edition. Review the current update rules before publishing information you may want to change later.
Ready to Publish on KDP With Clear Files and Settings?
KDP setup becomes easier when the manuscript, formats, metadata, account, and distribution choices are settled first. Liberty Book Publishings can support editing, cover and interior design, print and eBook file preparation, KDP setup, distribution planning, and final checks according to the scope your book needs.
Get a Publishing Consultation