How to Publish Your Book on Amazon KDP

Visit kdp.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account, or create a new one. You will need to complete tax information (W-9 for US residents, W-8BEN for international authors) and add your bank account for royalty payments. This is a one-time setup that takes about 15 minutes. Amazon supports publishers from most countries worldwide. Once your account is verified, you can publish unlimited titles with no upfront cost.

InkLab delivers your manuscript in three formats: PDF, EPUB3, and DOCX. For Kindle eBooks, upload the EPUB3 file — it preserves formatting, table of contents, and chapter navigation perfectly. For KDP Print (paperback), use the PDF file which maintains exact page layout, margins, and typography. The DOCX file is your editable master copy for any last-minute changes before upload. Amazon's system will validate your files and show a preview before publishing.

This is where your book comes to life on Amazon. Enter your title, subtitle, and a compelling book description (up to 4,000 characters). Choose up to two browse categories — pick the most specific ones relevant to your topic. Add seven keywords or keyword phrases that readers might search for. Your description is your sales page: lead with the problem your book solves, highlight what the reader will learn, and end with a clear call to action. Categories and keywords directly impact discoverability.

Upload your EPUB3 (for Kindle) or PDF (for print) manuscript file. For the cover, KDP offers a free Cover Creator tool with templates, but a professional cover design significantly improves sales. Your cover must meet KDP specifications: 2,560 x 1,600 pixels minimum for Kindle, and specific dimensions for print that depend on page count and trim size. The cover is the single most important factor in a reader's purchase decision — invest in a quality design that communicates your book's genre and authority at thumbnail size.

KDP offers two royalty tiers. The 35% royalty option applies to books priced between $0.99 and $200. The 70% royalty option is available for books priced between $2.99 and $9.99 — this is the sweet spot for most non-fiction authors. At $9.99 with the 70% option, you earn approximately $6.99 per sale. For print books, Amazon calculates a minimum price based on page count and printing costs, and you set your margin on top. Most successful non-fiction books price their Kindle edition between $4.99 and $9.99 and their paperback between $14.99 and $24.99.

KDP Select enrolls your eBook in Kindle Unlimited (KU), Amazon's subscription reading service. In exchange for 90-day exclusivity (you cannot sell the eBook on other platforms), your book becomes available to KU's millions of subscribers. You earn royalties based on pages read, typically $0.004–$0.005 per page. For a 250-page book read completely, that's about $1.00–$1.25 per read-through. KDP Select also gives you access to promotional tools like Kindle Countdown Deals and Free Book Promotions.

After clicking “Publish,” Amazon reviews your book within 24–72 hours. Once approved, your book appears on Amazon with its own product page and ASIN. Monitor your sales dashboard daily for the first two weeks — this is when Amazon's algorithm determines your book's initial ranking. Encourage early readers to leave honest reviews; aim for 10 reviews in the first 30 days. Royalty payments are deposited 60 days after the end of each month. Track your author ranking and category position to understand performance trends.