Prepare Your eBook and Paperback with Kindle Create

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Prepare Your eBook and Paperback with Kindle Create

You can use Kindle Create to prepare an eBook and paperback with the same manuscript file. If you prepare your paperback with Kindle Create, you can publish it in any trim size. Kindle Create also takes care of complicated paperback formatting tasks for you. When you upload your file to KDP, margins are automatically calculated, and page numbers are added to your paperback's table of contents page and footers. Your first chapter will start on a right-facing page, with subsequent chapters starting on the next available page.

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Prepare your eBook and paperback
Frequently asked questions

Is this feature right for my book?

This feature is designed for text-heavy books with a simple layouts (e.g., novels, essays, memoirs) that you want to publish in eBook and paperback format. Limitations include:

Tables, footnotes, endnotes. Kindle Create doesn't support paperbacks with tables, footnotes, or endnotes.
Images. Sometimes blank spaces are left at the bottom of the page if the image you want to insert doesn't fit on the page. The image moves to the next page. Also, Kindle Create doesn't support paperback images that bleed to the edge of the page.
Margins and font. You won't be able to customize the margins and font. Margins will be automatically calculated to meet KDP's specifications. Font and font size for paperbacks can't be changed

Want to format your paperback yourself? For a step-by-step video guide that walks you through formatting a paperback manuscript in Microsoft Word, check out the KDP Build Your Book guide for Word (PC), Word (Mac), and Pages.

Prepare your eBook and paperback

	Open Kindle Create and import your file Open Kindle Create and start a new project by choosing your file. The tool will automatically find and format your chapter titles, which will create a Kindle table of contents. Learn more about creating new projects.
	Style your book Apply formatting elements. Quickly style elements like your title, subtitle, author name, and chapter titles. Learn more about formatting your title page and other front matter, first pages of chapters, and other text. Change the theme. Give your book the right look and feel by applying a theme that automatically updates the layout and font. Learn more about choosing themes.
	Insert table of contents page and page numbering Table of contents (TOC) page (optional). To get a TOC page: Right-click the thumbnail of your first chapter in the Contents pane. Click Insert Table of Contents. The list of detected chapter titles will appear. Click OK to accept and the TOC page will be added to your book. Page numbers are added to the paperback TOC page when you upload your file to KDP. Page numbers. Kindle Create automatically assigns a page number start location to the first page of your first chapter. To change the location: Go to the Contents pane. Right-click the thumbnail of the chapter where you want page numbers to begin. Click Start page numbering here. When you preview your paperback before publication, make sure the numbers start at the correct chapter.
	Customize headers, footers, page numbers By default, Kindle Create adds the author name to the left-page header and the book title to the right-page header with center alignment. Page numbers are added to the footer with center alignment. To customize your paperback, click the Print Settings button in the top-right corner of Kindle Create. This opens a window with several options to change the alignment and position of the author name, book title, and page numbers.
	Review your file in Kindle Create eBook. Use Kindle Create's built-in previewer to see how your eBook will look on tablets, phones, and E-readers. Learn more about previewing eBooks in Kindle Create. Paperback. You'll review your paperback later, when you upload your file to KDP. Details are in Step 7.
	Export your file for publishing on KDP When you're satisfied with your book, click the Publish button in the upper right-hand corner. If you haven't saved your project, you'll be asked to save it as a KCB file. This is a work file that allows you to update your book later. We recommend saving and backing up the folder that contains the KCB file and related files, which you need to update your book. If you've saved your project, Kindle Create will prompt you to save it as a KPF file. This is the publishable file (KPF) you upload to KDP. Learn more about generating and uploading your file on KDP.
	Upload your file to KDP Go to your Bookshelf and upload the KPF file you saved after formatting in Kindle Create. You need to do this twice, once for your eBook and again for your paperback. Before you upload your paperback manuscript to KDP, you need to choose your print options, including ink and paper, trim size, bleed (only non-bleed books are supported for this feature), and cover finish. Based on the trim size you choose, your margins are automatically calculated and page numbers are added to your book's table of contents and footers.
	Preview your book before publication eBook. After you upload your eBook to KDP, do one final check in the Online Previewer. Paperback. It's required to preview your paperback before you submit it for publication. Learn more about the paperback submission process.

Frequently asked questions

I used Kindle Create to prepare my eBook. How do I convert it to a paperback?

Open Kindle Create.
Open the KCB file you saved after preparing your eBook. Kindle Create will automatically assign a page number start location (the first page of your first chapter) for your paperback.
If the page number start location is correct, click the Publish button in the upper right-hand corner to create the KPF file you'll upload to KDP to publish your paperback.

Learn how to change the page number start location.

Is the start page number location the same thing as the Start Reading Location for eBooks? Will it affect how my royalties in Kindle Unlimited are calculated?

No, we don't use the page number start location in Kindle Create to measure the number of pages customers read in your eBook. Learn more about Kindle Edition Normalized Page Count.

What size margins will my paperback get? Can I change them?

The margins are calculated based on your book's trim size and page count so they meet KDP's specifications. If you use Kindle Create to prepare your paperback, you won't be able to change the margins.

Do I have to add a table of contents (TOC) page to get page numbers in my paperback?

No, adding a TOC page is optional. Paperbacks with and without TOC pages will have page numbers added automatically when the file is uploaded to KDP.

I chose a specific font for my paperback, but Kindle Create changed it. Can I change it back?

No, at this time, you can't change the font. When we prepare your file for publication, the font is converted so that it provides the best possible typesetting for readers. We're working on improvements that give authors more font choices for paperbacks.

I previewed my paperback and want to change the font size and line spacing. How can I do this?

Today, you can't change the font size and line spacing with Kindle Create. If you'd like to customize your paperback's font size and line spacing, we recommend formatting your book in Microsoft Word. See our step-by-step guide.

Can I modify my table of contents page in Kindle Create?

Yes. When you add or remove chapters, or change your chapter titles, the TOC page updates automatically.

How can I give feedback on Kindle Create?

We're still working on this feature, so we'd appreciate your feedback! Please go to the Help menu in Kindle Create and click Provide Feedback.

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Help Topics

Contact Us

Prepare Your eBook and Paperback with Kindle Create

Contents

Is this feature right for my book?

Prepare your eBook and paperback

Open Kindle Create and import your file

Style your book

Insert table of contents page and page numbering

Customize headers, footers, page numbers

Review your file in Kindle Create

Export your file for publishing on KDP

Upload your file to KDP

Preview your book before publication

Frequently asked questions

I used Kindle Create to prepare my eBook. How do I convert it to a paperback?

Is the start page number location the same thing as the Start Reading Location for eBooks? Will it affect how my royalties in Kindle Unlimited are calculated?

What size margins will my paperback get? Can I change them?

Do I have to add a table of contents (TOC) page to get page numbers in my paperback?

I chose a specific font for my paperback, but Kindle Create changed it. Can I change it back?

I previewed my paperback and want to change the font size and line spacing. How can I do this?

Can I modify my table of contents page in Kindle Create?

How can I give feedback on Kindle Create?

Was this article helpful? Yes | No