How to Publish a Book on Amazon: Current KDP Steps and Requirements

To publish a book on Amazon, prepare an edited manuscript and cover, complete your Kindle Direct Publishing account, create the correct book format, enter accurate metadata, upload and preview the files, choose rights and pricing, and submit for review. Publication is not a sales guarantee. Keep the book-production process separate from its marketing plan.

This guide focuses on the Kindle eBook workflow, with print-format differences noted where relevant. KDP screens and requirements can change, so use the linked official documentation and the prompts in your account when submitting.

1. Prepare the book before opening the upload form

• An edited manuscript with a stable title and author name.
• A description that accurately explains the book and intended reader.
• A cover and interior assets you have the rights to use.
• A source and permissions record for quotations, illustrations and other third-party material.
• Appropriate navigation, chapters and references for the book type.
• A budget for editing, design, formatting, proofs and launch work.

Front matter may include a title page, copyright information, contents and an introduction. A foreword, if used, is a separate contributor’s introduction; it is not spelled “forward.” Back matter can include references, acknowledgments and relevant author resources. Choose a citation style suited to your subject rather than assuming every book requires MLA.

2. Complete your KDP account and choose a format

Use your own account at Kindle Direct Publishing and complete the requested publisher, payment, tax and identity details. Do not put sensitive account information in a shared content brief.

Create the eBook, paperback or hardcover format you intend to publish. Their files, cover layouts and cost structures differ. A Kindle eBook cover is not a complete paperback wrap; print work also needs the correct trim, margins, bleed and spine setup.

3. Enter accurate book details

Review the title, subtitle, series, contributors, description, publishing rights and intended audience. Keep the cover and listing consistent. The description should help readers decide whether the book addresses their interests, without unsupported bestseller or outcome claims.

KDP currently lets authors select three categories during setup. Choose relevant categories for the audience and marketplace rather than trying to claim ten unrelated placements. See KDP categories.

You can use up to seven keywords or short phrases. Describe actual content and likely reader language; avoid misleading terms. Follow the official keyword guidance. Search results can help understand the buying context, but do not establish another author’s sales or profit.

4. Upload a supported manuscript

Use an appropriate EPUB, DOCX or KPF file for your eBook workflow. KDP no longer accepts new MOBI uploads: support ended for reflowable books in 2021 and fixed-layout books on March 18, 2025. Its MOBI transition guidance explains the alternatives.

Check headings, navigation, special characters, tables, image descriptions and links in the preview. A manuscript that looks correct in a word processor can behave differently on a reading device. Do not assume a formatting tool has completed editorial review.

5. Check the cover dimensions and orientation

KDP recommends an eBook cover 2,560 pixels high by 1,600 pixels wide. The portrait ratio is 1.6:1 height to width, not width to height. Review the full cover-image requirements for file type, color and quality details before uploading.

Preview the cover at thumbnail size as well as full size. Check title readability, author-name consistency, crop and image permissions. For print formats, use their specific cover requirements instead of stretching the eBook image into a wrap.

6. Disclose AI-generated content correctly

KDP requires disclosure of AI-generated text, images or translations, including generated covers and interior artwork. Substantial editing does not change generated content into assisted content under that definition. When you created the content and AI only helped improve it, KDP distinguishes that as AI-assisted. You remain responsible for rights and compliance. Read the content guidelines.

Keep a record of how the actual text and images were produced. Do not use a writing tool’s marketing label to decide what to disclose; apply KDP’s definition to your process.

7. Choose pricing and understand royalties

KDP offers 35 percent and 70 percent eBook royalty options, with eligibility and calculation rules. Applicable VAT and, for the 70 percent calculation, delivery costs can affect payment. Territory and price requirements matter. Use the eBook royalty documentation and the estimate for your actual title rather than assuming 70 percent is always available or best.

Calculate the economics after editing, design, production, advertising and other costs. Print royalties have a different cost model; do not apply an eBook calculation to paperback sales.

8. Decide whether KDP Select fits your distribution plan

KDP Select is an optional 90-day eBook program with digital exclusivity conditions. During enrollment, the eBook can only be distributed through KDP and public libraries under the stated rules. Check enrollment guidance before also distributing the digital book through your website or another outlet.

The original guide incorrectly made the 70 percent royalty choice a universal requirement for Select. Evaluate the program’s current terms and your title’s eligibility directly, including what happens at renewal.

9. Preview, submit and leave review time

Complete the preview and confirm the files, rights, disclosure, metadata and price before submission. KDP’s current timeline page says submitted books or updates take three business days to become live. Check your book status and the applicable timeline rather than promising readers a fixed 24-to-48-hour launch.

Do not assume every field can be changed freely after publication. Resolve important title, author and format decisions before submission and follow KDP’s update guidance for later changes.

10. Build a truthful launch plan

Prepare a book page, useful excerpt, author introduction and launch communications for readers who want them. Track actual sales and costs; a listing or category placement does not prove demand.

Use authentic reader feedback and comply with current review rules. Do not manufacture reviews, dictate praise or offer rewards for positive reviews. Discounts and promotions need an economic purpose, clear terms and a way to assess results.

Use RankWell for supporting author content

RankWell in the BrandWell portal can support briefs and drafts for an author’s website articles. Supply original expertise and verified sources, review the result and organize approved work in the Content Hub. It is not a KDP upload, print-formatting or royalty-management tool.

Frequently asked questions

Is publishing profitable?

Profit is uncertain. Compare actual royalties with full production and marketing costs, including your time. No publishing strategy guarantees sales.

Can I upload MOBI?

No new MOBI uploads are accepted under the current guidance. Choose an appropriate supported format and preview it before submission.

Do I need to disclose generated cover art?

Yes, KDP’s AI-generated-content requirement includes cover and interior artwork. Follow its current definitions and verify image rights.

Does RankWell publish my book to Amazon?

No. Use it for reviewed supporting website content. KDP account setup, book formatting, disclosure and publication remain separate tasks.

Reviewed and updated October 3, 2026.

Written by

Julia McCoy

Julia McCoy has contributed articles to BrandWell on content marketing, writing, and search engine optimization. This archive retains her original bylines; individual articles may be updated by the BrandWell editorial team.