How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)

Publishing an Ebook and Paperback on Amazon KDP

Martin from Reedsy walks through publishing an ebook and paperback on Amazon KDP. Uploading a book is simple, but decisions about discoverability, pricing, distribution, and presentation can have lasting business consequences.

KDP Setup and Book Positioning

• Use an existing Amazon account if you have one. The presenter warns that creating multiple accounts can result in both being flagged.
• Complete your account details before publishing: provide your legal name and address, banking information, and tax details. Non-US authors generally need a recognized tax ID from their country.
• Write the book description as a sales pitch, not a synopsis. Make the opening lines compelling, since readers initially see only a preview. Formatting—such as bolding the hook—can help it stand out.
• Choose a primary marketplace based on where your main audience is. The presenter suggests Amazon.com as a default if you are unsure.

Discoverability Playbook

• Select up to three categories and seven keyword fields.
• Choose categories that are relevant and large enough to attract traffic, but not so competitive that a new book gets buried. Research comparable titles to see where similar successful books appear.
• Use specific, multi-word search phrases rather than broad, generic terms. The speaker describes the keyword fields as a pool Amazon may combine, rather than seven isolated labels.
• Consider pre-orders if you already have an audience, such as a newsletter or social media following. Pre-order sales count toward launch-day sales figures and may help build early rank and visibility.

Files, Cover, and Publishing Control

• Amazon recommends EPUB for ebooks. The presenter advises against relying on automatic conversion from a Word document when formatting control matters.
• For ebook covers, use a JPEG or TIFF at 2,560 × 1,600 pixels. Design for thumbnail viewing: the title should remain readable and the genre should be clear at a glance.
• Decide whether to apply DRM. The speaker recommends leaving it off, arguing that it can make legitimate use—such as moving a book between a reader’s devices—more difficult.
• You can use Amazon’s free ISBN for a paperback, but Amazon will be listed as the publisher of record. Authors who want greater distribution flexibility may prefer to buy their own ISBN.
  • Figures cited: a single ISBN costs $125 in the US or £89 in the UK. The speaker notes that ISBNs may be free in some countries.

Distribution Decision: KDP Select

KDP Select grants Amazon ebook exclusivity for a renewable 90-day period. In return, the ebook can be included in Kindle Unlimited, where authors are paid based on pages read.

It may suit novel-length genre fiction—particularly romance, fantasy, and thriller—when an author wants to reach Kindle Unlimited readers and has limited traction elsewhere. The trade-off is that, during enrollment, the ebook cannot be sold through other retailers or the author’s own website.

The speaker cautions that nonfiction and short books may earn less from page reads. The recommendation is to test Select for 90 days if it fits the book and its audience, then actively decide whether to renew rather than letting it roll over automatically.

Ebook Pricing and Revenue

The presenter says Amazon’s 70% royalty rate applies to ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99; prices outside that band receive 35%. This difference is the “royalty cliff.”

Pricing guidance:

• Debut fiction: often $3.99–$5.99, rather than pricing at the top of the band alongside established authors.
• Nonfiction: can generally be priced higher, depending on the book.
• First book in a series: consider a lower price—even $0.99—to acquire readers who may later buy the sequels at higher prices. This loss-leader tactic is most suitable when the series is complete or nearly complete.

Review Amazon’s automatically calculated international prices and consider adjusting them to clean, rounded amounts—for example, £2.29 instead of £2.22.

Paperback Operations

A paperback can expand the audience without requiring inventory if published through KDP’s print-on-demand service, which prints copies as customers order them.

• Upload a print-ready PDF and a full cover file that includes the front, spine, and back.
• Amazon supplies cover templates based on page count, trim size, and paper thickness.
• For trade paperbacks, the speaker recommends cream paper as the publishing standard.
• Use KDP’s printing-cost calculator to compare royalties at different prices. Review the digital proof and consider ordering a physical proof copy before release.

Timeline and Final Checks

• Review all three ebook setup tabs before publishing. Changes can take time to go live, so accuracy matters on launch day.
• Amazon titles generally appear within 72 hours; some country-specific stores may take up to five days.
• The central business takeaway: uploading is not the same as launching. The book’s metadata, cover, price, distribution choices, and marketing plan all affect whether it is found and bought.

Presenters and Sources Mentioned

• Presenter: Martin, Reedsy
• Platforms and resources: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Kindle Unlimited, the IRS website, Reedsy’s book-description template, How to Market a Book, and Reedsy Studio.