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Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP

A practical, end-to-end walkthrough of self-publishing a book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. You leave with a print-ready manuscript, a covered cover brief, correct metadata, and a working launch playbook.

Authors and aspiring writers with a finished or near-finished manuscript who want to self-publish on Amazon KDP without guessing.

Course content

How KDP Formats Differ: Reflowable Ebook vs. Fixed Paperback45m
Setting Trim Size, Margins, and Styles for the Paperback50m
Front Matter, Back Matter, and File Validation45m
What a Cover Has to Do in a 50-Pixel Thumbnail45m
KDP Cover Specs: Ebook Image and Full-Wrap Print50m
Writing the Brief and Hiring a Designer45m
Account Setup and the Title Creation Flow45m
ISBNs: Free KDP, Your Own, and What Imprint Means45m
Royalty Bands and Pricing Your Book55m

Workbook & downloads

Put the course into practice — a printable workbook plus editable templates you can fill in and reuse.

Download workbook (PDF)14 KBDownload (XLSX)8 KBDownload (DOCX)8 KBDownload (CSV)1 KB
Preview the workbook
This workbook turns the course into the actual artifacts you need to publish. Work through each section as you reach that module: you will produce formatting decisions, a complete cover brief, your pricing math, a keyword and category shortlist, and a dated launch plan. By the end you can publish a book on KDP from this workbook alone.

Preparing a Print-Ready Manuscript

Lock in your format decisions and confirm both files validate before you commit.
Worksheet: Format Decision Sheet
Fill in every field before you begin laying out the interior. Confirm margin values against the current KDP page-count table for your trim and page count.
  • Book title (exact)
  • Trim size (5x8, 6x9, or other)
  • Estimated final page count
  • Body font and point size
  • Line spacing / leading
  • First-line indent (inches)
  • Inside (gutter) margin
  • Outside / top / bottom margins
  • Layout tool (Word / Kindle Create / Atticus / Vellum / InDesign)
  • Format order (ebook first or print first)
Exercise: Build Your Front and Back Matter List
Draft the supporting pages your book needs. Write the actual copy for the short ones now so you are not improvising during layout.
  1. List every front-matter page in order (half-title, title, copyright, dedication, table of contents).
  2. Write your one-line copyright statement including year, name or imprint, and rights line.
  3. Draft the exact wording of your end-of-book review request (2 to 3 sentences).
  4. Write your 50-word author bio and list the titles for an also-by page.
Checklist: File Validation Before Publish
  • Exported ebook as EPUB and opened it in Kindle Previewer on phone, tablet, and e-ink views
  • Confirmed no manual line breaks or fixed page numbers in the ebook
  • Exported paperback as a print PDF with fonts embedded
  • Walked every page in the KDP online Print Previewer for gutter and off-page text
  • Ordered one physical proof copy at author cost
  • Approved the proof in person before pressing publish

Cover Design and the Designer Brief

Produce a designer-ready brief and confirm the cover meets KDP's technical specs.
Exercise: Thumbnail and Genre Audit
Study how your book will actually be seen and which visual language it must speak. Spend at least 30 minutes on the live Amazon bestseller list for your exact subcategory.
  1. Screenshot the top 20 covers in your subcategory; note the recurring fonts, colors, and layouts.
  2. Describe the single focal point your cover will use so it reads at 100 to 150 pixels wide.
  3. Name the three genre cues a reader must see in under one second on your cover.
  4. Identify two covers you will list as comps and explain exactly what works in each.
Worksheet: Cover Design Brief
Complete every field. This document goes directly to your designer or guides your premade-cover selection. Do not leave the deliverables and rights fields blank.
  • Title / subtitle / author name as they appear on cover
  • Genre and specific subcategory
  • Trim size and final page count (for spine width)
  • Formats needed (ebook JPEG + full-wrap paperback PDF)
  • Bleed requirement (e.g. 0.125 inch)
  • Three to five comp covers (links)
  • Mood / feeling the cover should evoke
  • Target reader (one sentence)
  • Colors or imagery to include
  • Colors or imagery to avoid
  • Series look to match (if any)
  • Deliverables (layered source, print PDF, ebook JPEG)
  • Rights granted (full commercial usage, in writing)
  • Budget and deadline
Checklist: KDP Cover Spec Check
  • Ebook cover supplied as a single image at roughly 2560 x 1600 px, 1.6:1 ratio
  • Generated the print cover template from the KDP Cover Calculator using exact page count
  • All text and logos kept inside the safe zone on the template
  • Bleed added on all outer edges of the full-wrap PDF
  • Spine text added only if 100-plus pages, centered with margin
  • Lower-right back cover left clear for the KDP barcode
  • Print artwork exported in CMYK, flattened PDF
  • Regenerated the template if page count changed after editing

The KDP Dashboard, ISBNs, and Pricing

Configure the listing correctly and run the royalty math before you set a price.
Checklist: Account and Title Setup
  • Completed the KDP tax interview and claimed treaty benefits if non-US
  • Entered payee name and bank deposit details and confirmed they are valid
  • Created the ebook title through the three setup screens
  • Created the paperback and confirmed it is linked to the ebook on one product page
  • Answered the AI-content disclosure question accurately
  • Wrote a hook-first book description using allowed HTML formatting
Worksheet: ISBN Decision Record
Record your ISBN choice and the reasoning so it is documented for future editions and formats.
  • Country of residence (affects whether ISBNs are free)
  • Selling on Amazon only, or wide distribution?
  • Ebook (no ISBN needed; ASIN assigned)
  • Paperback ISBN choice (free KDP vs. own)
  • If own: source and cost (Bowker block, national agency, etc.)
  • Imprint / publisher name to display (if using own ISBN)
  • Reason for the choice (one line)
Exercise: Run Your Royalty Math
Do the actual numbers for your book at two or three candidate prices. Use the printing cost KDP shows for your page count and ink type.
  1. Ebook at your candidate list price: which band (35% or 70%) and what is the royalty per copy?
  2. Compare a USD 9.99 (70%) ebook vs. a higher price (35%) and state which earns more per copy.
  3. Paperback: 60% of list price minus printing cost; show the arithmetic for your trim and page count.
  4. Confirm your chosen list prices clear the KDP minimum that covers printing.

Discoverability and the Launch

Choose winnable categories and keywords, then commit to a dated 30-day launch.
Worksheet: Categories and Keywords Plan
Fill in your three categories and seven keyword phrases. Verify categories with the top book's Best Sellers Rank and keep all keywords honestly descriptive and policy-compliant.
  • Category 1 (aspirational) and top book's BSR
  • Category 2 (reachable) and top book's BSR
  • Category 3 (reachable) and top book's BSR
  • Keyword phrase 1
  • Keyword phrase 2
  • Keyword phrase 3
  • Keyword phrase 4
  • Keyword phrase 5
  • Keyword phrase 6
  • Keyword phrase 7
Exercise: KDP Select Decision
Decide whether to enroll your ebook in KDP Select (90-day Amazon exclusivity in exchange for Kindle Unlimited and promo tools).
  1. List the benefits Select gives you (Kindle Unlimited page reads, Countdown Deals, Free Promotions).
  2. State the cost: ebook exclusivity to Amazon for 90 days; can you live without selling the ebook elsewhere?
  3. Write your decision (enroll or not) and the single main reason.
  4. If enrolling, pick a target day (around day 60) for a Countdown Deal or free promotion.
Checklist: 30-Day Launch Execution
  • Set up the ebook pre-order before publication day
  • Recruited an advance reader team and delivered the file via BookFunnel
  • Finalized description, keywords, and categories before launch morning
  • Announced exact launch date and price to email list and social audience
  • Concentrated buyers into the first 48 hours to lift sales rank
  • Used a low launch price, then raised to the planned price
  • Started a modest Amazon Ads campaign on keywords and comp books
  • Adjusted ad bids weekly based on converting keywords
  • Scheduled a day-60 Countdown or free promo (if in Select)
  • Began outlining the next book

Your Action Plan

  1. Finalize the edited master manuscript and complete the Format Decision Sheet.
  2. Lay out the ebook and paperback interiors, then validate both files in Kindle Previewer and the KDP Print Previewer.
  3. Complete the Cover Design Brief and commission or select the cover, insisting on full rights and the source file.
  4. Set up the KDP account, finish the tax interview, and create the linked ebook and paperback titles.
  5. Record the ISBN decision and run the royalty math to set ebook and paperback prices.
  6. Choose three winnable categories and seven compliant keyword phrases using autocomplete and a keyword tool.
  7. Decide on KDP Select enrollment and set the ebook pre-order live.
  8. Recruit advance readers, deliver the file, and gather launch-day reviews.
  9. Execute launch week: concentrate sales, verify the linked listing, and start an Amazon Ads campaign.
  10. Run the 30-day post-launch plan, tune ads weekly, schedule a day-60 promo, and start the next book.

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