How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP in 2026: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
To publish a book on Amazon KDP in 2026, create a free account at kdp.amazon.com, click + Create, and enter your book details (title, author, description, keywords, categories). Then upload a print-ready interior file (PDF is safest) sized to your chosen trim size — 6″×9″ is the default for most novels and nonfiction — and a full-wrap cover PDF. Set your rights, price and royalty, order a proof copy, then hit Publish. Your ebook goes live in 24–72 hours; paperbacks and hardcovers are print-on-demand, so Amazon prints each copy only when a reader orders it and deducts the printing cost from your royalty. You pay nothing upfront. A black-ink 6″×9″ paperback costs $1.00 + $0.012 per page to print on Amazon.com, so a 300-page book costs about $4.60 per copy. The whole process is free to set up; your only unavoidable costs are optional (editing, cover, formatting). Below is the complete workflow, the specs that get files rejected, and how to decide between doing it yourself and hiring help.
Step 1: Set Up Your Free KDP Account
Go to kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon account (or create one). You will complete a one-time setup with your author/publisher details, tax information (a W-9 for US authors or a W-8BEN for international authors, filled in through KDP's tax interview), and bank details for royalty payments. This takes about 15 minutes and is required before you can receive a single payout. There is no fee to open an account or to publish.
Step 2: Prepare Your Manuscript and Pick a Trim Size
Your trim size is the physical dimensions of your printed book, and it is the one decision you cannot undo: KDP does not let you change trim size after publishing — you would have to re-upload the book as a new listing. Choose deliberately.
| Book type | Recommended trim | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Novels, memoir | 6″ × 9″ | Default trade size; looks authoritative, fewer pages |
| Romance, thriller | 5.5″ × 8.5″ | Digest size, intimate feel, genre-standard |
| Nonfiction, self-help | 6″ × 9″ | Professional, roomy for headings and lists |
| Workbooks, journals | 8.5″ × 11″ | US Letter; buyers expect the larger writing space |
Note that any trim wider than 6.12″ or taller than 9″ is classified by KDP as “large” and costs more per page ($0.017 vs $0.012 for black ink), which lowers your royalty. Format your document to the exact trim size before exporting.
Step 3: Format the Interior to KDP's Specs
This is where most first-time files get rejected. KDP requires clean, embedded, single-page files — not spreads. The non-negotiable specs:
- Page size set to your exact trim (e.g. 6″×9″), single pages, not two-up.
- Margins: outside margin ≥0.25″; inside (gutter) margin scales with length — 0.375″ for 24–150 pages, 0.5″ for 151–300, 0.625″ for 301–500.
- Bleed (if images run to the edge): extend images 0.125″ past trim and size the PDF 0.25″ taller and 0.125″ wider.
- Embed all fonts and images; flatten transparency and layers.
- All images ≥ 300 DPI; no crop marks, comments, bookmarks or placeholder text in the file.
- Spine text only prints if your book has 79+ pages — thinner books get a blank spine.
Accepted interior formats are PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, HTML and TXT (KDP converts them to PDF), but a properly exported PDF gives you the most control and the fewest surprises at review.
Step 4: Design a Full-Wrap Cover
Print books need a single full-wrap cover PDF — back cover + spine + front cover in one file — sized precisely for your trim, page count and paper type. Spine width is calculated as page count × per-page thickness (0.002252″ for white paper, 0.0025″ for cream). Use KDP's Cover Template Generator to get the exact dimensions, or use KDP's free Cover Creator. Ebooks only need a front-cover image (at least 1600×2560 px, 300 DPI).
Step 5: Upload, Set Pricing, and Understand Royalties
Upload your interior and cover in the title setup wizard. KDP runs an automated print-quality check and shows you an online previewer — review every page. Then set your list price. Royalties are tiered:
- Paperback/hardcover: you earn 60% of list price minus print cost when priced $9.99 or above, and 50% below $9.99. Royalty = (list price × rate) − print cost.
- Ebook: 70% (only for prices $2.99–$9.99, minus a small delivery fee) or 35% (any price, all territories).
Example: a $14.99, 300-page paperback earns ($14.99 × 0.60) − $4.60 = $4.39 per sale. KDP shows your exact print cost and minimum price in the Rights & Pricing step. Verify your numbers against KDP's official Printing Cost & Royalty page.
Step 6: Order a Proof, Then Publish
Always order a physical proof copy (you pay print cost + shipping, roughly $5–$10) before publishing. Screens hide problems — gutter margins that swallow text, off-color covers, spine misalignment. Once the proof looks right, click Publish. Ebooks typically go live within 24–72 hours; print books take a little longer for the first review. Congratulations — you are published.
DIY or Hire a Pro? The Honest Two-Path Decision
Every author faces the same fork, and both paths are legitimate:
- DIY with AI tools — cheapest ($0–$200 with tools like Vellum or Atticus), and very doable if you enjoy software. The risks are real: a locked-in wrong trim size, files rejected at review (bad margins, unembedded fonts, low-DPI images), miscalculated spine text, and an amateur interior (widows, orphans, inconsistent running heads) that quietly costs you reviews and sales. First-timers often spend 15–40+ hours learning the tools.
- Hire an agency — professional formatters charge $150–$1,500 per book. You get print-ready files and never touch software, but the top of that range is out of reach for many first-time authors.