How to self-publish a novel on Amazon KDP (a practical checklist)
You wrote the book. Here's what it takes to actually put it on the shelf.
By InkSmith6 min readUpdated
To self-publish a novel on Amazon KDP you need a correctly formatted interior (reflowable EPUB or print-ready PDF), a genre-accurate cover, and complete metadata — up to seven keywords and three categories. InkSmith exports the KDP-ready file, generates the cover, and returns a launch kit of price, keywords, and comparable titles.
Get the file right
KDP accepts reflowable EPUB and print-ready PDF. Your interior needs consistent styling, a title page, and front/back matter (copyright, dedication, about the author).
InkSmith exports KDP-ready PDF, EPUB, and DOCX directly, with illustrations flowed into the file, so formatting isn't a separate ordeal.
Cover that fits the genre
Your cover is the single biggest click-through factor. It should signal genre instantly and read well as a thumbnail.
InkSmith's painter agent (Iris) generates cover, spine, and back art derived from the finished book.
Metadata, keywords, and categories
KDP gives you seven keyword slots and up to three categories. These, plus your title and description, decide whether readers ever find the book.
InkSmith's launch agent (Artemis) reads the finished manuscript and returns a recommended price, seven keywords, categories, and comparable titles to position against — ready to paste into KDP.
Price and publish
Price within your genre's norms and consider the 70% royalty band. Publish, then iterate on keywords and the description based on performance.
Ready to write yours? InkSmith is free to start.