How to Publish a Book on Amazon:A Step-by-Step Guide

By Olivia Bennett, Senior Publishing Strategist 16 min read · 3,400 words

12+ years in book publishing, editing, and Amazon KDP strategy. Supports authors with formatting, keyword setup, metadata optimization, publishing guidance, and launch planning.

You have finished writing your book. What most publishing guides skip, the actual step-by-step mechanics of getting it onto Amazon, formatted without errors, priced correctly, and visible to real buyers, is exactly what this guide covers.

This is written by the same team that has helped authors go from finished manuscript to live Amazon listing in under 72 hours, including titles now generating ongoing royalties. We have done this repeatedly across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and children’s books. Every recommendation below comes from that direct experience.

• 1,000+ Authors guided through KDP
• 72 hrs Avg. manuscript to live listing
• 10 yrs Combined KDP experience
• 70% Max KDP royalty rate

What Is Amazon KDP?

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is Amazon’s free self-publishing platform. It lets any author publish and sell Kindle eBooks and print-on-demand paperbacks on Amazon.com and its global marketplaces, without a literary agent, without a traditional publisher, and without upfront fees.

Authors retain full rights to their work, set their own prices, and earn royalties of 35% to 70% per sale. KDP books typically go live within 24–72 hours. There are no minimum sales requirements and no locking contracts.

2026 Update

Amazon introduced mandatory AI content disclosure requirements in late 2024. If any part of your book’s text, images, or translation was AI-generated, you must disclose this during the KDP upload process. Non-disclosure can result in listing removal. Hillshire Media ensures full compliance with this policy for every manuscript we handle.

Feature	Kindle eBook (KDP)	Paperback (KDP Print)
Cost to publish	Free	Free
Royalty rate	35% or 70%	60% of list price minus print cost
ISBN required	No (Amazon assigns ASIN)	Free from Amazon, or purchase your own
Recommended format	EPUB or properly styled DOCX	Print-ready PDF
Review time	24–72 hours	24–72 hours (slightly longer in print search)
Inventory risk	None	None — printed per order
Global distribution	Amazon marketplaces worldwide	Expanded Distribution option available

Before You Upload: Four Things That Must Be Ready

• Your manuscript file. For eBooks: an EPUB or properly formatted DOCX. For paperback: a print-ready PDF with correct margins, bleed, and trim size.
• Your book cover. For Kindle eBooks: minimum 2,560 × 1,600 pixels (JPG or TIFF). For paperbacks: a full wraparound cover sized to your exact page count. KDP provides a free cover template calculator.
• Your book description. Up to 4,000 characters. Open with a hook, include 2–3 core keywords naturally, and end with a call to action.
• Your 7 backend keywords. Research these using Amazon’s keyword guidelines or Publisher Rocket before you upload, not while sitting in the KDP dashboard.

Common first-timer mistake: Uploading an unformatted DOCX and assuming KDP will fix it. KDP converts exactly what you give it. Inconsistent heading styles, missing chapter breaks, and incorrect indentation will appear in your published book exactly as they are in the file.

“Hillshire Media made publishing my first book a lot less intimidating. They walked me through the process step by step and always kept communication open. I never felt lost or ignored.”

How to Publish on Amazon KDP: Step by Step

01. Create Your KDP Account

Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account or create one free. Complete your tax information (W-9 for US authors, W-8BEN for international) and bank account details. This does not block uploading, but it does block royalty payments until it is done.

02. Start a New Title: Kindle eBook or Paperback

From your KDP Bookshelf, click + Kindle eBook or + Paperback. If publishing both formats — which we recommend, start with the Kindle eBook. After it goes live, KDP offers you a linked paperback option. Both formats appear on the same product page, combining reviews and increasing social proof.

03. Enter Book Details: Title, Subtitle, Author Name

Your title and subtitle are indexed by Amazon’s search algorithm. Include your primary keyword naturally in the subtitle where it fits. Your author name must match exactly how it appears on the cover. If publishing a series, fill in the series name and volume number — this helps Amazon surface your book in “also bought” recommendations.

04. Write Your Book Description

Amazon gives you up to 4,000 characters. Structure it as: hook → overview → key takeaways → call to action. Use <b> for bold, <em> for italics, <br> for line breaks. Do not include URLs, pricing references, or review claims.

05. Choose Your 7 Backend Keywords for Kindle eBook Publishing

Use long-tail keyword phrases, not single words. “cozy mystery with recipes for beginners” outperforms “mystery” every time. Do not repeat words already in your title — Amazon indexes those automatically. For a full keyword strategy, see our guide: How to Find High-Performing Book Keywords for Amazon KDP.

06. Select 2 Categories, Then Request More

Amazon lets you choose 2 BISAC categories during upload, but you can request up to 10 additional categories by emailing KDP support with your book’s ASIN. More categories mean more chances to earn a “Best Seller” or “Hot New Release” badge. For a full category strategy, read: Step-by-Step Guide to Picking the Right Amazon Categories.

07. Decide on KDP Select

KDP Select requires your Kindle eBook to be sold only on Amazon for 90-day renewable periods. In return: Kindle Unlimited enrollment, 5 free promotion days per period, and Countdown Deals. For most first-time authors with no existing audience on other platforms, KDP Select is worth enrolling in during your launch phase.

08. Upload and Preview Your Manuscript

Upload your EPUB (eBook) or PDF (paperback). Use Amazon’s Kindle Previewer tool to check rendering across devices. Check: chapter headings, image sizing, paragraph spacing, and page breaks. Fix issues in your source file and re-upload before publishing.

09. Upload Your Book Cover

For Kindle eBooks: JPG or TIFF at a minimum of 2,560 × 1,600 pixels. For paperbacks: use KDP’s Cover Calculator for your exact dimensions. A professional cover is one of the highest-return investments you can make. One of our clients, a first-time memoir author, doubled her product page click-through rate after a professional cover redesign.

10. Set Your Price and Choose Your Royalty Plan

Pricing between $2.99 and $9.99 unlocks the 70% royalty rate for Kindle eBooks. Outside this range defaults to 35%. For paperbacks, royalty is 60% of the list price minus Amazon’s printing cost. The KDP pricing dashboard shows your exact per-unit royalty before you publish. Always verify the figure there before going live.

11. Publish, Then Set Up Author Central

Click Publish Your Kindle eBook or submit your paperback for review. Your book goes live within 24–72 hours. Immediately after publishing, go to authorcentral.amazon.com and claim your book. Add a biography, author photo, editorial reviews, and social links. A complete Author Central profile significantly improves conversion.

Not sure if your manuscript is ready for KDP?

Our team reviews your formatting, cover, keyword strategy, and pricing setup, and tells you exactly what to change before you go live. Free, no pressure, 30 minutes.

→ Book Your Free Publishing Consultation

Understanding KDP Royalties: What You Will Actually Earn

35% Standard Royalty

Applies to eBooks priced under $2.99 or above $9.99, books not enrolled in KDP Select, and sales in certain international territories outside the 70% zone.

70% Premium Royalty, Best for Most Authors

For eBooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 in qualifying territories. The plan includes a small per-megabyte delivery charge, negligible for text-only books but worth monitoring for image-heavy titles.

Paperback Royalty Breakdown (2026 Estimates)

List Price	Amazon’s 40% Cut	Est. Print Cost (200pp, B&W)	Your Royalty
$9.99	$4.00	~$2.85	~$3.14
$12.99	$5.20	~$2.85	~$4.94
$14.99	$6.00	~$2.85	~$6.14
$19.99	$8.00	~$2.85	~$9.14

Printing costs vary by page count, trim size, and color. Verify in the KDP pricing dashboard before publishing.

Manuscript Formatting for Kindle eBook Publishing: What Most Authors Get Wrong

eBook Formatting

Kindle eBooks are reflowable, readers can change font size, and the text adjusts. Your job is to clean the semantic structure: proper heading styles, consistent paragraph spacing, and no manual tabs or double spaces at paragraph starts.

• Best format: EPUB, most consistent rendering across Kindle devices and apps
• Acceptable: DOCX, works well when using proper Word Styles, not manual formatting
• Avoid: PDF for eBooks, KDP’s conversion produces unpredictable results
• Tools: Vellum (Mac only, paid), Atticus (cross-platform, paid), Calibre (free)

Paperback Formatting

• Trim size: 6″ × 9″ is most common for nonfiction and most fiction genres
• Margins: KDP requires a minimum inner margin of 0.375″–0.75″, depending on page count
• Fonts: Serif font (Garamond, Palatino, Times New Roman) at 11–12pt body text
• Tools: Adobe InDesign (professional standard), Affinity Publisher (affordable), Atticus (author-friendly)

6 Mistakes First-Time KDP Authors Make

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Skipping keyword research	The book becomes invisible in the Amazon search	Use Publisher Rocket or Amazon autocomplete before uploading, not after
Uploading unformatted DOCX	Broken layout reaches customers, killing reviews	Use proper heading styles; preview in Kindle Previewer 3 before publishing
Choosing only 2 categories	Misses easy sub-niche Best Seller badge opportunities	Email KDP support after publishing to add up to 10 total categories
Launching at full price	No sales velocity → no algorithm signal → no organic traffic	Use $0.99 launch pricing or KDP Select free days for the first week
Weak book description	The author page looks empty, reducing reader trust	Structure: hook → overview → CTA, with HTML bold and line breaks
No Author Central profile	Author page looks empty, reducing reader trust	Set up authorcentral.amazon.com immediately after publishing

Pre-Publish Checklist for First-Time KDP Authors

• Manuscript formatted: heading styles, no manual tabs, correct paragraph spacing
• Book cover meets KDP minimum resolution (2,560 × 1,600 px for eBook; wraparound PDF for paperback)
• Title and subtitle include a primary keyword naturally
• Book description uses HTML formatting and opens with a strong hook
• All 7 backend keyword fields filled with distinct long-tail phrases
• 2 categories chosen; KDP support email drafted to request more after publishing
• KDP Select decision made (enroll for launch benefits, or publish wide)
• Price set for launch week strategy, not permanent full price from day one
• Kindle Previewer review completed with no formatting errors
• Tax information and bank account entered in KDP account
• Author Central account created and claimed after publishing
• AI content disclosure completed if any part of the book used AI assistance (Amazon policy since 2024)

What Hillshire Media Clients Say

“I just wanted to take a moment to share how grateful I am for everything Hillshire Media has done for me. They helped me publish two books. With A Brief History of Sin, they handled US distribution, designed both book covers, built my author website, and handled the entire audiobook production. The print quality was excellent, and now that I have started receiving royalties, it is clear their process works. They are not just professionals, they actually care.”

“Their publishing and marketing package worked smoothly together. I didn’t have to chase anyone or keep reminding them of deadlines.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How much does it cost to publish a book on Amazon KDP?

Publishing on Amazon KDP is completely free. Amazon takes a percentage of each sale: 30% on the 70% royalty plan, or 65% on the 35% plan. Costs for editing, cover design, and formatting are your own optional investments.

Q2. How long does it take to publish on Amazon KDP?

After submitting, Amazon’s review typically takes 24 to 72 hours. Paperbacks may take slightly longer in print search results. Changes to a live listing usually reflect within 24 to 48 hours.

Q3. Do I need an ISBN to publish on Amazon KDP?

For Kindle eBooks, Amazon assigns its own ASIN. For paperbacks, Amazon provides a free ISBN. If you want to sell through external bookstores, you will need your own ISBN from Bowker (US) or your national ISBN agency.

Q4. What format should my manuscript be in for Amazon KDP?

For Kindle eBooks: EPUB is recommended for the most consistent rendering. DOCX works well when formatted using Word’s built-in Styles. Avoid PDF for eBooks. For paperbacks: a print-ready PDF with correct margins, trim size, and bleed settings.

Q5. What is KDP Select, and should I use it as a first-time author?

KDP Select requires your Kindle eBook to be sold only on Amazon for 90-day renewable periods. In return you get Kindle Unlimited enrollment, 5 free promotion days per period, and Countdown Deals. For most first-time authors, KDP Select is worth enrolling in during the launch phase.

Q6. Can I publish both a Kindle eBook and a paperback on KDP?

Yes. Both formats are managed from the same KDP account. After your Kindle eBook is live, KDP offers a linked paperback option. Amazon typically displays both on the same product page, sharing reviews between them.

Q7. What royalty percentage does Amazon KDP pay?

Kindle eBooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99 earn a 70% royalty minus a small delivery fee. eBooks outside that range earn 35%. Paperbacks earn 60% of list price minus Amazon’s printing cost. Review the exact structure in the KDP royalties help center.

Related Guides from Hillshire Media

• How to Find High-Performing Book Keywords for Amazon KDP
• Step-by-Step Guide to Picking the Right Amazon Categories
• Hybrid Publishing: The Author’s 2026 Guide to Smart Choices

Ready to publish, but want an expert to review your setup first?

Hillshire Media’s publishing team offers a free 30-minute consultation for first-time KDP authors. We review your manuscript readiness, cover, keyword strategy, and pricing plan so you launch with confidence.

→ Book Your Free KDP Publishing Consultation