40 Steps to Self-Publishing Success
The complete step-by-step guide for independent authors and self-publishers uploading a print book to Amazon KDP — from account setup to a live sales page.
For GPS Clients
Amazon KDP
The GPS Publishing Philosophy
The book is the doorway, not the destination.
KDP is simply the manufacturing dock where a finished book file becomes a sellable asset. Uploading is production. Publishing is positioning. The book gets placed on Amazon — but the ecosystem turns the author into a semi-celebrity. Keep that distinction front of mind throughout every step of this checklist.
Seven Phases to a Live KDP Book
Each phase builds on the last. Complete them in order — skipping ahead creates rework and delays going live.
Phase 1
Create and Prepare the KDP Account
Go to KDP.Amazon.com
Click Sign In or Join KDP. Use the email address that should control the publishing account long-term.
Accept the KDP Terms
This grants Amazon the legal right to publish and sell the book through its platform. Required before any book can go live.
Complete Account Information
Use the legal name or business name that should receive payments and tax forms. Do not use the pen name here — KDP says pen names are entered later during book setup.
Complete Payment Information
Add bank account details so royalties can be deposited directly. Double-check routing and account numbers carefully.
Complete the Tax Interview
Navigate to Your Account → Tax Information. Answer all required questions, then save and submit. KDP displays the status as "Complete" once validated.
Phase 2
Prepare Final Book Files
Before uploading anything, the interior and cover files must be precisely configured. The two most critical decisions are trim size and bleed — everything else flows from those two choices.
Step 6 — Confirm Trim Size
Common nonfiction sizes: 6×9, 5.5×8.5, 8.5×11. The interior PDF and cover file must both match this size exactly.

Pick the trim size before final formatting. Changing it afterward can disturb page count, margins, spine width, and cover dimensions.
Step 7 — Decide on Bleed
No bleed — for standard text-only books.
Bleed required — for full-page images, colored backgrounds, worksheets, or any graphic touching the page edge. KDP requires objects reaching the edge to extend 0.125 inches past the trim line.
Interior File: Margins, Export, and Final Check
Step 8 — Set Margins Correctly
Margins must provide enough room for printing and binding. KDP warns that improper trim size, bleed, or margins can cause rejection or print quality issues. Consult KDP's margin requirements table for your specific trim size and page count.
Step 9 — Export Interior as Print-Ready PDF
Before exporting, verify: page numbers, chapter starts, blank pages, headers and footers, image resolution and clarity, and the final page count. This page count will directly determine the spine width.

The final page count is the single number that ties the interior file to the cover file. Do not finalize the cover until the interior is locked and exported.
Building the Cover File
Step 10 — Create Cover After Final Page Count
The spine width is calculated from page count, paper type, and trim size. Build the cover only after the interior manuscript is final and the page count is confirmed.
Step 11 — Add Cover Bleed
All print covers require bleed. KDP requires cover backgrounds to extend 0.125 inches beyond the final trim line on all outside edges to prevent white border gaps after cutting.
Use KDP's Cover Calculator to generate the exact cover template dimensions for your trim size, page count, and paper type before building the file.
Phase 3
Create the Book in KDP
Go to the KDP Bookshelf → Click Create
This opens the book setup wizard where all metadata, files, and pricing will be entered.
Choose Format: Paperback First
For most GPS clients, start with Paperback. Add the Kindle eBook version after the print edition is approved and live.
Enter Language
Select the book's primary language — the language in which the book is written.
Enter Book Title and Subtitle
The title must match the cover and interior title page exactly. KDP metadata guidelines state the title field should contain only the actual title as it appears on the cover — no added keywords or promotional text.
Author, Series, and Contributors
Step 16 — Series Information
Skip this field unless the book is formally part of a series. Adding a series name creates a series page on Amazon — only use it when intentional.
Step 17 — Edition Number
Use only for a true revised edition. Leave blank for a first-time publication. Misusing the edition field can confuse buyers and metadata systems.
Step 18 — Author Name
This field accepts the legal name, brand name, or pen name. This is where the pen name is properly entered — not in the account details.
Step 19 — Contributors
Add co-authors, editors, foreword writers, illustrators, or translators as applicable. Use the correct contributor role for each person — KDP uses these roles on the Amazon sales page.
Phase 4
Implement Metadata
Metadata is the book's discoverability infrastructure. It tells Amazon who should see the book, where to list it, and how to connect it with the right reader. Every field matters.
The Book Description
The book description becomes the Amazon sales page copy. KDP recommends keeping it simple, compelling, and professional. This is not a summary — it is a sales letter.

GPS Description Formula: Pain. Promise. Proof. Path. Purchase.
Start with the reader's pain. Promise the transformation. Show proof it's credible. Describe the path inside the book. Close with a clear call to purchase.
Pain
Open with the problem the reader is experiencing right now. Make them feel seen immediately.
Promise
State the transformation the book delivers. Be specific and outcome-focused.
Proof
Establish why the author has the credibility to deliver on that promise.
Path
Briefly describe what the reader will discover or do inside the book.
Purchase
Close with a direct, confident call to action that invites them to grab the book.
Keywords and Categories
Step 22 — Keywords
KDP allows up to 7 keyword fields. Use reader-search language — the exact phrases a buyer would type into Amazon, not internal industry terms.
Examples:
  • self publishing for beginners
  • write your first book
  • Christian leadership book
  • Black men healing
  • business book for speakers
Step 23 — Categories
Categories help Amazon place the book where the right readers are already browsing. Choose up to 2 categories based on buyer intent, not author ego.

The question is not "Where do I want to be seen?" The question is "Where is my reader already shopping?"
Step 24 — Adult Content: Answer the adult content question accurately. Misrepresenting this can trigger account-level issues.
Phase 5
Upload Print Files
1
Choose ISBN Option
Use a free KDP ISBN or bring your own. If using KDP's ISBN, Amazon is listed as the imprint. If brand identity matters, bring your own.
2
Choose Publication Date
Usually use the current date. Reserve a future date only for a coordinated launch with pre-planned marketing activity.
3
Choose Print Options
Select trim size, interior type (B&W or color), paper type (white or cream), bleed setting, and cover finish (matte or glossy).
4
Upload Manuscript PDF
Upload the final, locked interior PDF. Confirm it matches the trim size and bleed settings selected above.
The GPS Print Options Recommendation
For most nonfiction brand-building books, use 6×9 trim, black and white interior, white paper, no bleed, matte cover.
6 × 9 Trim
The industry standard for nonfiction. Familiar to readers, efficient for printing, and looks authoritative on a shelf.
Black and White Interior
Keeps printing costs low, which keeps royalties strong and list price competitive. Use color only when the content genuinely requires it.
Matte Cover Finish
Matte reads as premium and professional for most nonfiction audiences. Glossy is better suited for children's books and cookbooks.
Upload the Cover and Use the Previewer
Step 29 — Upload Cover PDF
Upload the full wraparound cover PDF — back cover, spine, and front cover as a single file. Ensure bleed is included and the spine text is centered within the safe zone.
Step 30 — Launch the Previewer
KDP's built-in Previewer renders the book as it will print. Review every single page. Look for:
  • Cutoff or clipped text
  • Low-resolution images
  • Margin warnings from KDP
  • Blank page errors
  • Cover alignment and spine centering
Step 31 — Approve Only After Visual Review
Do not rush the Previewer step. The Previewer is the last gate before the marketplace. Once the book is approved and goes live, a reprint requires uploading corrected files and waiting for another review cycle.

A book approved with errors will disappoint readers and generate returns. Slow down here to protect the author's reputation.
Phase 6
Pricing and Distribution
Pricing a book is a positioning decision, not just a royalty calculation. The right price signals the book's value and fits within the author's broader business ecosystem.
Setting the Right Price
Step 32 — Choose Territories
Select worldwide rights if the author holds worldwide publishing rights. KDP allows authors to limit distribution to specific territories if rights are restricted.
Step 33 — Set Primary Marketplace
For U.S.-based GPS clients, set Amazon.com as the primary marketplace. KDP will auto-calculate prices for other marketplaces based on the primary price.
Step 34 — Set List Price
Use KDP's royalty display to see estimated earnings per copy. The printing cost is deducted before royalty is calculated. Use the KDP royalty calculator to test price scenarios before committing.

GPS Pricing Rule: Do not price only for royalty. Price for positioning. A book that opens a $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000 client ecosystem does not have to carry the whole business on paperback profit.
Expanded Distribution
Step 35 — Decide on Expanded Distribution
Expanded distribution makes the book available through retailers and libraries beyond Amazon. It can increase discoverability — but it comes with trade-offs that must fit the author's specific strategy.
  • May require a higher minimum list price
  • Royalties are lower on expanded distribution sales
  • Can limit flexibility if moving to another distributor later
  • Best suited for authors with broad retail goals, not just Amazon focus
GPS Guidance
Most GPS clients are building an author brand around speaking, coaching, or consulting. For those authors, Amazon-only distribution is often the cleaner, more profitable starting point.
Revisit expanded distribution after the first print run is reviewed and the marketing ecosystem is active.
Phase 7
Publish and Verify
Click Publish Paperback Book
KDP submits the book for internal review. Publishing typically goes live within 24–72 hours after approval.
Wait for Approval
Amazon reviews both the files and the metadata before the book goes live. KDP will send an email notification when the book is approved and published.
Order an Author Copy
Order a physical author proof to inspect cover color, spine alignment, margins, readability, page order, and overall print quality before promoting the book widely.
Review the Amazon Sales Page
Check: title, subtitle, author name, description, categories, price, cover image, and the "Look Inside" feature when available. Confirm everything matches the intended brand presentation.
Update Metadata if Needed
KDP allows post-publication updates to description, keywords, categories, territories, and price. Metadata is never permanently locked — improve it as the book matures in the market.
The GPS Operator's Final Rule
Do not let the client confuse uploading with publishing strategy. Uploading is production. Publishing is positioning. The book gets placed on Amazon — but the ecosystem turns the author into a semi-celebrity.
Uploading = Production
Getting the files live on Amazon is a technical milestone. It is the starting line, not the finish line.
Publishing = Positioning
The book's real power comes from the ecosystem it anchors — speaking engagements, consulting, coaching, and authority-building.
The Goal = Authority
A published book on Amazon signals credibility. The ecosystem built around it creates a semi-celebrity author brand that generates real revenue.