Formatting your manuscript for Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is one of the most important steps in self-publishing. A well-formatted book ensures that readers enjoy a seamless and professional reading experience—whether they're reading a Kindle eBook or a paperback. Poor formatting, on the other hand, can frustrate readers, lead to negative reviews, and hurt your sales.
This article will walk you through how to properly format your manuscript for both Kindle eBook and paperback editions, highlighting best practices, tools you can use, common formatting issues, and everything you need to know to make your book publication-ready on KDP.
Why Formatting Matters
Formatting is more than just making your manuscript look neat. It involves structuring your text in a way that adapts to the format you’re publishing in. A Kindle eBook requires reflowable text that adjusts to various screen sizes. A paperback requires a fixed layout that looks exactly the same on every printed copy.
Good formatting improves readability, keeps your book looking professional, and ensures the content flows correctly with chapters, headings, and page breaks where they should be.
Understand the Format You’re Publishing
Before diving into formatting, decide whether you're preparing your manuscript for an eBook, a paperback, or both. Each format has its own requirements.
For eBooks, the manuscript must support reflowable text—meaning readers can adjust font size, style, and spacing on their devices. The layout must be simple and clean, with few fixed design elements.
For paperbacks, the manuscript must be formatted for print, with fixed margins, page numbers, headers, and a specific trim size that matches your chosen print dimensions.
Formatting an eBook for Kindle
To format your eBook manuscript properly, follow these steps:
Start with a clean document. Use Microsoft Word (.docx), Google Docs (converted to .docx), or a professional tool like Scrivener or Vellum. Kindle Create, Amazon’s free tool, can also help you format your manuscript and convert it to Kindle format.
Structure your content with clear elements:
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Title page
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Copyright page
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Dedication (if any)
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Table of contents (TOC)
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Main content divided into chapters
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About the author or back matter
Use heading styles consistently for chapters. Apply “Heading 1” to chapter titles. This will allow Kindle to generate a clickable table of contents automatically.
Avoid using tabs or spaces to indent paragraphs. Instead, use the paragraph formatting tool to set first-line indents. Left-align your text; full justification is optional but acceptable.
Use standard fonts like Times New Roman or Georgia in 11 or 12-point size. eBooks override font settings to match the reader’s device preferences, so there’s no need to get creative with fonts.
Avoid hard page breaks unless you want to start a new chapter. For eBooks, page numbers should not be included, as pagination varies by device.
Save your document as a .docx file. You can upload this directly to KDP, or import it into Kindle Create for additional styling. Kindle Create lets you preview your book across different devices and exports a .kpf file (Kindle format) ready for KDP upload.
Use the KDP Previewer tool to check for formatting errors and readability. Test your headings, links, spacing, and TOC functionality.
Formatting a Paperback for KDP
When preparing your manuscript for print, layout and precision matter more. The printed book must match your intended size, margins, and appearance exactly.
Start with a Word document or PDF file. The final version must be uploaded to KDP as a print-ready PDF.
Choose your trim size before you begin formatting. Common sizes include 6” x 9”, 5.5” x 8.5”, and 5” x 8”. Set your Word document page size to match this trim size exactly.
Set up proper margins and gutters. KDP provides guidelines for margin settings based on page count. The gutter (inner margin) is critical for printed books so that text doesn't disappear into the binding.
Use a readable serif font such as Garamond, Georgia, or Times New Roman at 11 or 12 points. Line spacing should be set to 1.15 or 1.5, depending on the look you want.
Insert proper page breaks after each chapter to ensure each chapter starts on a new page. Add headers with the book title or author name and insert page numbers in the footer.
Create a front matter section. This typically includes:
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Title page
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Copyright
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Dedication
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Table of contents (optional in print)
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Foreword or introduction (if applicable)
The main content follows, formatted with uniform paragraphs, consistent indentation, and clear chapter headings. Start each new chapter on a right-hand page, leaving the left-hand page blank if needed.
Avoid widows and orphans—single lines of text at the top or bottom of a page. Many word processors have settings to prevent these issues.
Once your layout is complete, export your file as a PDF with all fonts embedded. Check that images (if any) are at least 300 dpi resolution to meet print quality standards.
Use the KDP Print Previewer to review how your book will appear in print. Fix any margin or layout errors before proceeding.
Tools for Formatting
You can format manually using Word or Google Docs, but many authors prefer dedicated tools for efficiency and quality.
Kindle Create: Free from Amazon, works well for formatting eBooks and paperbacks. Ideal for authors who want a simple, guided solution.
Vellum: A professional formatting tool for Mac users. Excellent for creating both eBook and print versions with beautiful design templates. Not free, but widely recommended.
Scrivener: A powerful writing tool with formatting capabilities, though it has a steeper learning curve.
Atticus: A newer tool for both writing and formatting books across platforms, compatible with Windows and Mac.
Reedsy: An online tool that allows you to format eBooks and print books with templates. Free to use and exports professional-quality files.
Professional formatters: If you want to avoid technical work, you can hire someone to format your manuscript for you. Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Reedsy offer qualified freelancers.
Common Formatting Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t use multiple spaces to align text. Use alignment tools instead.
Avoid using underlining for emphasis. Use italics instead. Underlining is outdated in digital and print publishing.
Do not insert manual page numbers in an eBook. They make no sense in a reflowable format.
Don't copy-paste from websites or PDFs. This brings in hidden code that can cause formatting errors.
Avoid excessive fonts, colors, or design features that distract from readability. Keep the layout clean and professional.
Make sure all images used are high-resolution and royalty-free. Low-quality images appear pixelated in print and on screens.
Don’t forget to test your file. Upload and preview the book on different devices (Kindle, tablet, phone, desktop) to ensure consistency.
Final Steps Before Uploading to KDP
Double-check your document for spelling, grammar, and layout issues. Ask beta readers or proofreaders to review it if possible.
Save your final eBook file as .docx or .kpf, and your paperback file as PDF.
Log in to your KDP dashboard, create a new title, and upload the correct formatted file for each version.
Use the previewer tools to check how the book looks in each format before clicking Publish.
Conclusion
Formatting your manuscript for KDP may seem technical at first, but it’s a skill every self-publishing author can learn. Whether you’re creating an eBook or a paperback—or both—proper formatting ensures your book is easy to read, professionally presented, and ready for the marketplace.
Take the time to structure your document carefully, use the right tools, and preview your files thoroughly before uploading. Doing it right the first time will save you revisions later and help you deliver a great experience to your readers. When your book looks polished, it not only earns trust but also sets you apart in a competitive publishing landscape.
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