Help Topics
- Help
- Accounts
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Prepare, Publish, Promote
- Getting Started
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Prepare Your Book
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Format Your Manuscript
- eBook Manuscript Resources
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Paperback Submission Overview
- Paperback Interior Design
- Paperback Manuscript Templates
- Build Your Book - Format a Paperback Manuscript (Word for Windows)
- Build Your Book - Format a Paperback Manuscript (Word for Mac)
- Build Your Book – Format a Paperback Manuscript (Pages for Mac)
- Format Images in Your Paperback
- Paperback Fonts
- Create a Paperback PDF File
- Paperback Submission Guidelines
- Formatting on a Mac
- Create Your Cover
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Format Your Manuscript
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Publish Your Book
- Enter Book Details
- Upload Content
- Set Rights and Pricing
- Timelines
- Amazon Search Results
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Promote Your Book
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- Legal
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User Guides
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Kindle Publishing Guidelines
- Getting Started
- General Best Practices
- Guidelines for Specific Types of eBooks
- Appendices
- KDP Jumpstart
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Kindle Publishing Guidelines
Contact Us
Have feedback? Can't find your answer in our Help pages?
Contact UsFormat Your Paperback
When you create a paperback book on KDP, you need to format and upload two files: a manuscript file, which is the interior of your book including front matter, body matter, and back matter, and a cover file, which is the outside of your book including the front, back, and spine. Here we provide steps on how to format both files, plus tools and resources to help you get started.
Alternatively, use Kindle Create to turn your completed manuscript into a beautiful book. We recommend Kindle Create for text-heavy books with simple layouts.
Note: Kindle Create isn’t supported for paperbacks with tables, footnotes, or images that bleed.
Format your interior manuscript file
Format your interior file by following the steps below:SET TRIM SIZE AND MARGINSSet the size of your book and margins. If you have visual elements that reach the edge of the page, set up your interior file with bleed. |
CREATE FRONT, BODY, AND BACK MATTERCreate your front, body, and back matter elements such as title pages, copyright page, chapter headings, and author bio. |
SAVE MANUSCRIPT FOR UPLOADSave your interior file the right way to avoid errors. Once saved, upload and preview your file. |
Alternatively, use Kindle Create to turn your completed manuscript into a beautiful book. We recommend Kindle Create for text-heavy books with simple layouts.
Note: Kindle Create isn’t supported for paperbacks with tables, footnotes, or images that bleed.
Format your cover file
Choose one of three ways to create your paperback cover:USE OUR FREE RESOURCESTry our free cover creator tool or download a cover template. Our calculator can help with your book dimensions. |
DO IT YOURSELF USING OUR GUIDESee a guide with detailed file type, size, image, barcode, and color requirements. |
Check out our Paperback Formatting Essentials and Creative Cover Solutions webinars:
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