How do I upload a paperback to Amazon?

Before uploading

Before starting an upload, it helps to have the manuscript in its final, edited form, a finished cover file, and decisions already made about ISBN, pricing approach and territories. Starting the upload process with an incomplete manuscript "just to see the previewer" is fine for testing formatting, but do not submit for publication until everything is genuinely final, since readers can order a book the moment it goes live.

KDP account

A KDP account should be set up in the name of the author or the publishing entity that will control it long-term, since it holds sales history, tax and payment details, and the ability to edit or unpublish the book. If a third party sets up or manages KDP on your behalf, make sure you retain access and control, not just visibility. For more on how this fits into a wider service relationship, see rights and royalties, explained.

Metadata

Metadata includes the title, subtitle, series information, description, author name, categories and keywords. This is the information readers and Amazon’s search actually use to find the book, so it deserves real drafting time rather than being an afterthought filled in quickly during upload.

ISBN

During setup you will be asked to choose between a free KDP-provided ISBN or supplying your own. This is a meaningful decision about how the book is identified and who is listed as the publisher of record, and it is worth understanding before you reach that screen rather than deciding on the spot. See do I need an ISBN for Amazon KDP? for the detail.

Print settings

Print settings typically include interior type (such as black-and-white or colour), paper type where a choice exists, and cover finish. These choices affect both the look of the finished book and its printing cost, so check current options and their cost implications on KDP’s pages rather than assuming settings from an earlier project still apply.

Trim

Trim size is selected during setup and must match the size your interior file was actually designed for. Mismatches here are a common source of upload errors; see what size should my paperback be? if this decision has not already been made.

Bleed

If your interior includes full-page images or artwork that runs to the edge of the page, it needs to be prepared with bleed according to KDP’s current specifications; text-only interiors generally do not require it. Getting this wrong is a common cause of files being rejected or printed with unwanted white edges.

Manuscript file

The interior manuscript is generally uploaded as a single, correctly sized PDF with embedded fonts. See how do I format a book for KDP? for the detail on preparing this file properly before you reach the upload screen.

Cover file

The cover file is typically a single wraparound file covering the back cover, spine and front cover, sized precisely to your trim size and final page count, since spine width depends on how many pages the interior actually runs to. KDP provides a cover template tool based on your specific trim size and page count; use the current version of that tool rather than an old template.

Previewer

Once files are uploaded, KDP generates a preview showing how the book will actually look when printed. Check the full manuscript in the previewer, not just the first few pages, paying particular attention to chapter openings, page breaks near images, and the very back pages, since errors often hide in places authors do not think to check.

Errors

KDP will flag certain technical errors automatically, such as insufficient margins or incorrect file dimensions. Not every problem is caught automatically, however; a file can pass automatic checks and still contain formatting mistakes that only a careful human read-through, or a physical proof, will reveal.

Proof copy

Ordering a physical proof copy before making the book available for sale is strongly worthwhile. Screen previews cannot show you paper weight, true colour reproduction, or how the spine text actually sits once bound. For example, one non-fiction author found that a chart which looked perfectly legible on screen printed with text too small to read comfortably, something only the physical proof revealed.

Pricing

Print pricing needs to cover the printing cost with enough margin left for the royalty structure to make sense, and this varies by trim size, page count and marketplace. Check KDP’s current royalty and pricing calculator directly when setting a price, rather than assuming figures from a previous book still apply.

Rights

During setup you will confirm that you hold the rights to publish the content and select the territories in which you want the book to be available. Get this right the first time; territory and rights settings affect where the book can legally be sold.

Submission

Once everything is checked, submitting sends the book for review before it goes live. Review times can vary, so avoid promising readers an exact publication date until the book has actually cleared review.

Post-publication updates

After publishing, most details, including price, description, categories and even the interior or cover files, can typically be updated later, though changes to a live book go through a further review. It is worth knowing that "published" does not mean "unchangeable," but also that frequent, sloppy revisions are worth avoiding by getting the initial upload right.

Common mistakes

• Uploading before the manuscript is truly final. Any later text change affects page count and spine width, creating extra rework on the cover file.
• Skipping the proof copy. Screen previews cannot show paper feel, true colour or how the physical spine actually sits.
• Filling in metadata quickly as an afterthought. Title, description, categories and keywords materially affect discoverability and deserve proper drafting time.
• Not checking current trim and cover specifications. Using outdated template dimensions is a common cause of avoidable upload errors.
• Publishing without control of the account. Make sure the KDP account is in your name or under your control, not solely a third party’s.

Frequently asked questions