Guides
How to publish an ebook on Amazon KDP
Publishing on Kindle Direct Publishing is free and takes about an hour once the book is ready. The steps below are in the order KDP asks for them, with the details that trip people up: cover size, file formats, categories and the AI question.
1. Create the KDP account
Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with an Amazon account. Fill in author details, a payment method (bank account) and the tax interview. Non-US authors fill in a W-8BEN; it takes ten minutes and decides how much tax Amazon withholds.
2. Prepare the files
- Manuscript: EPUB is the safest upload. DOCX also works; PDFs are converted poorly for ebooks.
- Cover: JPEG, ideal 1600 × 2560 pixels, ratio 1:1.6, under 50 MB. Text must be legible at thumbnail size.
- create-ebook exports both, already at those specifications.
3. Fill in the book details
Title and subtitle (the subtitle is searchable: put the benefit in it), author name, description (up to 4,000 characters, HTML allowed for bold and lists), up to seven keywords, and two categories. Pick categories by browsing what similar books use; the right small category is worth more than a big one you never rank in.
4. Answer the AI question
KDP asks whether AI tools created text, images or translations. If the book was written with an AI tool, answer yes and tick the categories that apply. Buyers do not see the answer. Our disclosure helper covers the edge cases.
5. Upload and preview
Upload the manuscript and the cover, then open the online previewer. Check the table of contents, chapter breaks and a few pages on the phone view. Fix and re-upload if needed; nothing is public yet.
6. Price and rights
Choose territories (all is normal), the royalty option (70% for $2.99 to $9.99), and a price per marketplace or automatic conversion. Decide on KDP Select: exclusive to Amazon for 90 days in exchange for Kindle Unlimited page reads and promotion tools.
7. Publish, then wait
Review takes 24 to 72 hours. Then claim the book in Author Central, add an author photo and bio, and link the book from your site. The listing improves for weeks as you add reviews and adjust keywords.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to publish on KDP?
Nothing upfront. Amazon takes 30% or 65% of each sale depending on the royalty option.
Do I need an ISBN?
No, Amazon assigns an ASIN. An ISBN is optional for ebooks.
How long until the book is live?
Usually within 72 hours of clicking Publish.
Can I publish the same book on other stores?
Yes, unless it is enrolled in KDP Select.
What if the preview shows layout problems?
Upload an EPUB rather than a PDF, and keep the interior simple. Reflowable text is what Kindle wants.