Publishing on KDP: 2026 Glossary for First-Time Authors

TLDR

Publishing on KDP means using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform to self-publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. The upload process follows three main steps (book details, content upload, rights and pricing), but the terminology around ISBNs, KDP Select, royalty options, file specs, and distribution settings can create costly mistakes for first-time authors. This glossary translates every important KDP term into plain English and explains which choices are reversible and which are not.

What Publishing on KDP Actually Means

KDP is Amazon’s self-publishing platform for print and digital books. Authors can publish eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers, reach readers around the world, retain ownership, set list prices, and earn royalties. Amazon describes the process as three simple steps. And it is simple, in the same way that opening a restaurant is simple: find a location, cook food, serve customers.

The hard part of publishing on KDP is not pressing the publish button. The hard part is everything before and after: editing, cover design, formatting, metadata strategy, pricing decisions, distribution choices, and marketing. According to the Written Word Media 2025 Indie Author Survey, 83% of indie authors named Amazon as their top revenue source. Amazon matters enormously. But getting a book onto Amazon and getting it to sell are two different problems.

Practitioners on Reddit put it bluntly. In a 2026 r/KDP discussion about first sales, multiple commenters warned that KDP is not a passive income machine. Sales depend on cover quality, genre fit, editing, marketing, and whether the book tells a story readers actually want or solves a real problem.

This glossary exists to help authors understand what each KDP term means, where it appears in the dashboard, and what decision it represents. If you want a step-by-step KDP publishing walkthrough, that guide covers the full process from start to finish.

If you want professional help preparing your files, cover, ISBNs, and distribution before you publish on KDP, Alpaca Authors’ publishing packages cover editorial, formatting, cover design, ISBN setup, and distribution to 40+ platforms while you retain creative control and copyright ownership.

How KDP Publishing Works in Five Steps

Before the definitions, here is the basic workflow. Every term in this glossary maps back to one of these steps.

1. Create a KDP account. Set up your author account with tax information, bank details, and payment preferences. Do this weeks before launch, not the day you want to publish.

2. Enter book details. Add your title, subtitle, author name, description, categories, keywords, and series information. These details create the Amazon product page and must match your manuscript and cover exactly.

3. Upload manuscript and cover files. Upload formatted interior files and a cover file that meet KDP’s specifications. eBook files and print files have different requirements. Preview everything before submitting.

4. Set rights, territories, pricing, and distribution. Choose publishing territories, your royalty option, list price, and whether to enable Expanded Distribution for print. If you are publishing a Kindle eBook, decide whether to enroll in KDP Select.

5. Submit for review. Amazon checks formatting and content guidelines. eBooks typically go live within 24 to 72 hours. Low-content books can take up to 10 business days.

That is the frame. Now for the terms that determine how each step actually goes.

Account and Dashboard Terms

These are the terms you encounter before you start setting up a book.

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing): Amazon’s self-publishing platform for eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers. KDP is free to use. It is not a marketing service, a book distributor beyond Amazon (unless you enable Expanded Distribution), or a replacement for professional editing and design.

KDP Account: The account where you manage books, payment information, tax details, and sales reports. For a complete walkthrough, see this KDP account setup glossary. Set up your account and resolve any tax or banking issues well before your planned launch date. Authors who wait until the last minute sometimes discover payment delays.

Bookshelf: The KDP dashboard where all your titles live. From here, you create new titles, check status, edit existing books, and manage formats. Think of it as your publishing control center.

Title Setup: The multi-step form for entering book details, uploading content, and setting pricing. Most rejection-prone decisions happen here.

Book Status: Labels like Draft, In Review, Publishing, and Live. While a book is In Review, you cannot make changes. After it goes Live, updates trigger a new review cycle.

In Review: Amazon is checking your files and metadata against formatting requirements and content guidelines. Do not panic if review takes a full 72 hours. Do worry if you submitted files you have not previewed.

Live: The book is available for purchase. But “Live” does not mean everything is instantly perfect on the product page. Cover thumbnails, format linking, search visibility, and the Read Sample can lag behind by hours or days.

Title Creation Limit: KDP currently allows up to 10 titles per book format per week. Older community advice citing “three per day” may not reflect the current rule.

Format and File Terms

File problems cause most delays and rejections. Understanding these terms prevents the kind of back-and-forth that pushes a launch date by weeks.

eBook: The Kindle digital edition. Standard eBooks are reflowable, meaning text adapts to screen size and reader settings. Do not include page numbers, headers, or footers in a reflowable eBook.

Paperback: A print-on-demand softcover edition. Requires a print-ready interior file and a full-wrap cover file (front, spine, back). For guidance on Kindle book formatting and how eBook and print formatting differ, that resource covers the specifics.

Hardcover: A print-on-demand case-laminated edition. Available through KDP on certain marketplaces. Expanded Distribution does not apply to hardcovers.

Print on Demand (POD): Amazon prints the book only after a customer orders it. No inventory required from the author, but per-unit printing costs reduce your royalty.

Manuscript / Interior File: The inside pages of the book. eBook interiors and print interiors are different files with different requirements. Uploading a paperback PDF as your Kindle eBook (or the reverse) will create problems that the previewer may or may not catch.

Cover File: For eBooks, a JPEG or TIFF image. Amazon recommends 2,560 pixels tall by 1,600 pixels wide. For print, a full-wrap PDF that includes front cover, spine, and back cover, sized according to a template based on page count, trim size, and bleed.

A September 2026 Reddit thread described an author whose paperback cover was rejected 11 times even though the online previewer showed it looking fine. Commenters pointed to text placed in the template’s danger zones, the red and pink regions near the spine and edges. Passing the preview is necessary but not sufficient. Build your cover from the correct KDP template and keep all text and essential art inside the safe area.

Trim Size: The final physical dimensions of the printed book after cutting. 6 by 9 inches is common in the U.S. for nonfiction and many fiction genres, but the right trim size depends on genre expectations and page count.

Bleed: When artwork extends beyond the trim edge so no white border appears after cutting. If your print interior has bleed, KDP requires a PDF upload and the page size must include extra bleed area (typically 0.125 inches added to width and 0.25 inches to height).

Gutter Margin: Extra inside margin near the spine. Books with more pages need a wider gutter. Wrong gutter settings trigger formatting errors that block publication.

Embedded Fonts: Font data included inside the file so printing renders correctly. KDP recommends fully embedding all fonts. Missing fonts can cause text to appear in a default typeface, which can ruin the interior design.

300 DPI: The minimum image resolution KDP recommends for print files. Lower-resolution images will look blurry when printed, even if they looked fine on screen.

Reflowable eBook: Text that adapts to any screen size and reader settings. This is the standard Kindle experience for fiction and most text-heavy nonfiction.

Fixed Layout / Print Replica: A format that preserves exact page layout. Better for cookbooks, children’s picture books, textbooks, comics, and heavily designed nonfiction. Less flexible for readers who want to adjust font size.

Kindle Create: Amazon’s free formatting tool. Exports KPF (Kindle Package Format), which KDP recommends for the best Kindle experience. Useful for first-time authors, but still requires a clean source file to work from.

KPF (Kindle Package Format): The file type exported from Kindle Create. KDP prefers KPF for eBook uploads because it supports Kindle-specific formatting features.

Kindle Previewer / Online Previewer: Tools for checking how the book will display before publishing. Use them. But understand their limits: previewers catch display issues, not all structural file problems. Dale Roberts’ 2026 YouTube walkthrough of KDP publishing specifically recommends previewing every format before submitting, while also manually checking the source files.

Print File Preflight Checklist

Before uploading print files, verify every item:

• Interior built to the correct trim size with proper margins and gutter
• Bleed set correctly (if used) with page size including bleed area
• All fonts embedded
• All images at least 300 DPI
• No crop marks, watermarks, annotations, or placeholder text
• Title, author name, and ISBN match book details exactly
• Cover PDF uses the correct KDP template for your page count and trim size
• All text and essential art stay inside the template safe area
• File is not locked, encrypted, or password-protected
• File size under 650 MB

Metadata and Discoverability Terms

Metadata is how Amazon knows what your book is, where to shelve it, and who might want it. Getting metadata wrong does not just hurt discoverability. It can trigger content review flags or cause Amazon to reassign your categories.

Metadata: The structured information about your book: title, subtitle, author name, description, categories, keywords, ISBN, language, and more. It must be accurate. Misleading metadata can create what Amazon calls a “poor customer experience,” which can lead to changes or suppression.

Title: The book’s main name. KDP notes that customers are more likely to skim past titles exceeding 60 characters. Keep it clear and genre-appropriate.

Subtitle: Supporting text that clarifies the book’s promise or topic. Must match what appears on the cover and interior title page.

Author Name / Contributors: The credited author and any other contributors. Names must match exactly across eBook, paperback, and hardcover editions if you want Amazon to link them together on one product page.

Book Description: The sales copy on the Amazon detail page. This is one of the most important conversion assets on the entire page. Write it as a pitch to the reader, not a summary for a professor.

Categories: Amazon browse shelves. Authors can select three categories when setting up a book. Choose accurate ones. Amazon may change inaccurate categories to protect customer experience.

A word of caution: older KDP tutorials describe “hidden category hacks” or emailing support to request 10+ categories. Practitioners on Reddit report that the current KDP interface no longer works that way. A 2026 r/KDP thread showed author confusion after following outdated guides, with commenters explaining that the official author-facing flow now centers on three categories plus keywords. Ignore guides that promise secret category tricks unless they reference current KDP documentation.

Keywords: Up to seven backend search phrases entered during book setup. Amazon recommends phrases that describe setting, character type, plot theme, and story tone. Avoid prohibited keyword practices like subjective claims (“best”), time-sensitive claims (“new”), competitor author names, or Amazon program names (“Kindle Unlimited,” “KDP Select”).

A+ Content: Enhanced visual and text modules on Amazon detail pages. Useful for credibility and conversion, but not a substitute for a strong cover and description.

Author Central: Amazon’s author profile system. Lets you create an Author Page, add a bio, and connect with readers. Worth setting up early, but it is not a traffic driver on its own.

ISBN, Rights, and Distribution Terms

ISBN and distribution decisions are among the hardest to reverse once metadata and print distribution systems propagate. Make these choices before you upload, not during.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number): An identifier for book formats. KDP does not require an ISBN for eBooks but does require one for paperbacks and hardcovers (with some low-content exceptions). Each format needs its own unique ISBN. For a deeper breakdown of ISBNs in self-publishing, that guide covers costs, options, and strategic implications.

Free KDP ISBN: Amazon will assign a free ISBN for eligible print books. Convenient for Amazon-only distribution. But IngramSpark states that free KDP ISBNs cannot be transferred to their platform. If you later want wide print distribution through IngramSpark, you will need a new ISBN and a new edition.

Own ISBN: An ISBN purchased from Bowker (in the U.S.) or another authorized agency. Gives you publisher-of-record control and works across distribution platforms. The better choice for authors serious about bookstore, library, or multi-retailer print reach.

Publishing Rights / Territories: The countries and formats where you have the legal right to sell the book. Choose worldwide rights only if you actually control worldwide rights.

Expanded Distribution: A KDP option for eligible paperbacks to reach bookstores, online retailers, libraries, and academic institutions beyond Amazon’s own stores. Pays a lower royalty (40% of list price minus printing costs). Not available for hardcovers.

Here is the critical point many authors miss: Expanded Distribution is not the same as wide publishing. Reddit authors frequently report confusion and distribution conflicts when using both KDP Expanded Distribution and IngramSpark simultaneously. IngramSpark explicitly advises authors who publish print directly through KDP not to select KDP Expanded Distribution. If you plan to use IngramSpark for broad print distribution, leave that KDP checkbox unchecked.

For a deeper look at whether you can publish on Amazon and elsewhere at the same time, that guide walks through the options and compatibility issues.

Wide Publishing: Publishing beyond Amazon, through platforms like Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes and Noble Press, Google Play, libraries, direct sales, or IngramSpark. Publishing on KDP alone does not prevent wide publishing. Enrolling the eBook in KDP Select does.

Distribution Path Comparison

Path	What It Means	Best For	Watch Out
KDP only	Amazon eBook and print	Simple launch, Amazon-first authors	Amazon dependence
KDP + KDP Select	Amazon eBook exclusive plus KU	KU-heavy genres, series fiction	90-day digital exclusivity
KDP print + IngramSpark	Amazon direct plus bookstore/library wholesale	Serious print-wide authors	Must own ISBN; do not check KDP Expanded Distribution
KDP eBook + wide aggregators	Amazon plus Apple, Kobo, B&N, Google Play	Long-term wide strategy	More platforms to manage

Royalties and Pricing Terms

“Up to 70% royalties” is Amazon’s headline number. The actual payout depends on price band, delivery costs, territory, VAT, and several layers of fine print.

List Price: The price you set in KDP. It must fall within Amazon’s minimum and maximum rules, and it determines which royalty option you qualify for.

35% eBook Royalty: The baseline option. No delivery cost deduction, but the percentage is lower. Available at any eligible price point.

70% eBook Royalty: The higher option, with conditions. On Amazon.com, the eligible price band is now $2.99 to $12.99 as of July 7, 2026. Many older guides still say the cap is $9.99. That information is outdated. The 70% option also subtracts delivery costs and applies only in eligible territories.

Delivery Cost: A charge based on eBook file size, subtracted from the 70% royalty. Amazon says the average delivery cost is about $0.06 per unit, but image-heavy eBooks (cookbooks, illustrated nonfiction, graphic novels) can see significantly higher costs. For a text-only novel, delivery cost is negligible. For a large illustrated book, it can take a real bite out of the royalty. Always compare both royalty options using KDP’s calculator before choosing.

Printing Cost: The per-unit cost subtracted from print royalties. Depends on page count, ink type (black and white vs. color), trim size, and marketplace. KDP enforces a minimum list price to ensure the royalty covers printing cost.

Paperback Royalty: KDP standard paperback royalties are 50% or 60% of list price (depending on price and marketplace) minus printing costs. Expanded Distribution royalties are 40% minus printing costs. Understanding the cost to self-publish a book, including per-unit economics, helps authors set realistic expectations for print income.

Price Matching: Amazon may sell your book below list price to match lower prices found elsewhere. If your eBook is free on another platform, Amazon can match it to free on Kindle, which drops your royalty to zero.

KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited Terms

This is where the biggest confusion lives. KDP and KDP Select are not the same thing, and mixing them up can lock your eBook into Amazon exclusivity without you meaning to.

KDP Select: An optional, free, 90-day program for Kindle eBooks only. Enrolling automatically adds the eBook to Kindle Unlimited and makes it eligible for Free Book Promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals. The catch: it requires digital exclusivity. Your eBook cannot be available on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, your own website, or anywhere else during the enrollment period. Print editions can still be sold elsewhere.

A 2026 Reddit thread shows this confusion clearly. One author assumed that publishing on KDP meant their eBook was locked to Amazon. Other users corrected them: KDP itself does not create exclusivity. Only KDP Select does.

Kindle Unlimited (KU): A reader subscription program. Subscribers pay a monthly fee and can read enrolled books at no additional cost. Authors earn based on pages read, not cover price.

KENP / KENPC (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages): The page-count system KDP uses to measure reading in Kindle Unlimited. Amazon pays for up to 3,000 KENP read per title per customer. Longer books can earn more per reader, but only if readers actually finish them.

KDP Select Global Fund: The monthly pool from which KU and Select authors are paid. In July 2026, the fund was $71.0 million. Your share depends on how many pages your books generated relative to the total.

Free Book Promotion: A KDP Select tool that makes your eBook free for a limited time. Sounds powerful. But practitioners on Reddit warn that free days without external traffic (newsletter swaps, social media pushes, email blasts) produce very little visibility. A widely discussed r/selfpublish thread from a children’s book author described regret after enrolling in KDP Select, specifically because Free Promotion Days did not generate meaningful sales without a traffic plan.

Kindle Countdown Deal: A time-limited promotional discount available through KDP Select. The book’s price drops temporarily, and the original price is displayed alongside the deal price.

Auto-Renewal: KDP Select enrollments renew automatically every 90 days unless you opt out before the renewal date. Set a calendar reminder. Authors who forget are locked in for another full cycle.

Should You Enroll in KDP Select?

Consider it if:

• Your genre has heavy KU readership (romance, thriller, LitRPG, fantasy, mystery)
• You write series with strong read-through potential
• You have a plan to drive traffic during Free Promotions or Countdown Deals
• You are willing to test Amazon-first for 90 days

Skip it or delay if:

• You write children’s picture books (print and school/library discovery often matter more than KU)
• You need Apple, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, or Google Play eBook sales
• Your audience is in libraries, schools, or bookstores
• You are building a direct-sales author business
• You have no promotion plan for the Select tools

The Written Word Media survey found that among indie authors earning over $5,000 per month, 43% had all their books in KDP Select while 15% had none. The right answer depends on genre, audience, and business model, not on anyone’s blanket recommendation.

One LinkedIn practitioner framed it well: KDP Select is not a moral decision, it is a strategic one. You are trading channel independence for possible KU visibility. Another author shared on LinkedIn that KU made up 60% of their earnings for four years before it dwindled, leading them to go wide. The takeaway: treat KDP Select as a 90-day test with measurable goals, not a permanent default.

If KDP Select is not the right fit and you need help reaching readers through other channels, Alpaca Authors’ marketing services cover Amazon ads, social campaigns, PR, email outreach, and newsletter placements.

Compliance and Review Terms

These terms determine whether your book gets approved, flagged, or removed. Pay attention.

Content Guidelines: KDP’s rules for what can be published and sold on Amazon. Violations can result in rejection, removal, or account-level consequences. Read them before uploading.

Poor Customer Experience: Amazon’s catch-all category for books or listings that mislead, disappoint, or confuse readers. This includes inaccurate titles, keyword-stuffed descriptions, misleading category placement, and content that does not match what the listing promises.

AI-Generated Content: Text, images, or translations created by an AI tool. KDP requires authors to disclose AI-generated content when publishing or republishing. This includes AI-generated cover art and interior illustrations, not just text.

AI-Assisted Content: Content created by the author, with AI used for editing, refining, error-checking, brainstorming, or idea generation. KDP says disclosure is not required for AI-assisted content. The distinction matters: if you used ChatGPT to brainstorm chapter titles, that is AI-assisted. If ChatGPT wrote the chapters, that is AI-generated, even if you edited the output extensively afterward.

Public Domain Content: Works no longer under copyright. KDP allows public domain content but may reject undifferentiated versions if a free version already exists in the store.

Low-Content Book: Journals, notebooks, planners, and similar products with minimal authored text. Low-content books can take up to 10 business days to go live and face additional restrictions around Look Inside and ISBNs.

Launch and Marketing Terms

Publishing on KDP is the beginning, not the finish line. These terms affect what happens after you click publish.

Pre-Order: A setup that lets readers order your eBook before the release date. For pre-orders created on or after September 2, 2026, KDP allows scheduling up to 18 months in advance. The final manuscript must be uploaded at least 72 hours before release for pre-orders still in draft status. Missing this deadline can cancel the pre-order and may affect future pre-order privileges.

Release Date: The date the book becomes available. KDP uses GMT for pre-order release dates, so plan accordingly if you are in a different time zone.

Amazon Advertising: Amazon’s paid ad system for books. Campaign data and sales attribution can lag by up to 14 days, so do not judge a new campaign’s performance after 48 hours. Practitioners on Reddit also caution against running ads to a listing with no reviews, since clicks that do not convert become expensive education rather than book sales.

Sales Rank / BSR (Best Sellers Rank): Amazon’s ranking signal based on sales activity. Updates hourly but can take 24 to 48 hours to appear after the very first completed sale.

Read Sample / Look Inside: Amazon’s preview of part of the book. Updated eBook samples can take up to 7 business days to appear. Print Read Sample updates can take 9 to 10 business days.

Proof Copies / Author Copies: Print copies you can order for review or personal use. Proofs are not mandatory, but ordering one before your book goes live is the only way to catch physical printing issues that screens cannot show.

Five Decisions to Make Before You Publish on KDP

Every glossary term above connects to one of these five decisions. Make them deliberately, not by default.

1. Format decision. eBook only? Paperback? Hardcover? All three? Each format requires separate files, separate setup, and (for print) a separate ISBN.

2. ISBN decision. Free KDP ISBN or your own? Free is faster. Owned gives more control and works across platforms. This choice is hard to undo.

3. Distribution decision. Amazon-only, KDP plus wide eBook, KDP print plus IngramSpark, or KDP Expanded Distribution? Choose before uploading, and do not check boxes you have not researched.

4. KDP Select decision. KU exclusivity or wide eBook availability? This is a 90-day commitment with auto-renewal. Treat it as a test with clear metrics, not a checkbox to click reflexively.

5. Launch decision. Publish immediately, schedule a release date, set up a pre-order, or wait until reviews and marketing assets are ready? Rushing to publish before the book is retail-ready is one of the most common regrets among first-time authors.

Common KDP Mistakes First-Time Authors Make

1. Clicking KDP Select without understanding digital exclusivity. The eBook cannot be sold anywhere else during the 90-day enrollment, and it auto-renews unless you opt out.

2. Using a free KDP ISBN, then wanting IngramSpark. Free KDP ISBNs are not transferable. You will need a new ISBN and a new edition.

3. Checking Expanded Distribution while also planning IngramSpark. This creates distribution overlaps, pricing conflicts, and ISBN confusion.

4. Uploading the same file for eBook and print. They have different formatting requirements. A print PDF does not make a good Kindle eBook.

5. Mismatched metadata. The title, author name, and ISBN in your book details must match what appears in your manuscript and on your cover. Mismatches cause review delays.

6. Following outdated category advice. The KDP category system has changed. Ignore guides that promise 10+ hidden categories unless they reference current documentation.

7. Assuming 70% royalty means 70% take-home. Delivery costs, VAT, territory restrictions, and price matching all reduce the actual payout.

8. Running ads before the listing can convert. A book page with no reviews, a weak cover, and a vague description will turn paid clicks into wasted money.

9. Ignoring AI disclosure. If any text, images, or translations were generated by AI, KDP requires disclosure. Not disclosing is a compliance risk.

10. Testing print files during launch week. Order a proof copy well in advance. Print formatting issues are easier to fix when you are not racing a deadline.

For children’s book authors who face unique challenges around illustration, print layout, and distribution to schools and libraries, Alpaca Authors’ children’s book services can help navigate those decisions.

Pre-Publish Checklist

Run through this before clicking the publish button.

• Manuscript professionally edited and proofread
• eBook formatted as reflowable (or fixed layout if required by content type)
• Print interior built to correct trim size, margins, gutter, and bleed specs
• Cover file meets eBook or print specifications
• ISBN and distribution path chosen deliberately
• KDP Select decision made with a clear rationale and calendar reminder set
• Title, author name, and ISBN match across all files and metadata fields
• Three categories selected accurately
• Seven keyword phrases researched using reader language
• List price checked against royalty rules and current price bands
• AI disclosure completed if any content is AI-generated
• Pre-order or release date confirmed with a timeline buffer for review
• Marketing plan ready, or at minimum, a list of first actions after going live

When to Get Help

Publishing on KDP is designed for self-service, and many authors navigate it successfully on their own. But writing a book and publishing a book are different skills. A commenter in a 2026 r/KDP “lessons learned” thread captured it: the book was supposed to be the hard part, and then there was covers, metadata, ads, formatting, and marketing to learn.

If you want to keep creative control and copyright ownership but do not want to manage every production and marketing task alone, an author services studio can fill the gaps. For authors ready to expand beyond Kindle and print, Alpaca Authors’ audiobook services cover narrator casting, recording, mastering, and distribution to 45+ listening platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to publish on KDP?

eBooks are typically reviewed and published within 24 to 72 hours. Print detail pages can take up to 72 hours on Amazon.com or up to 5 days on other marketplaces. Low-content books (journals, notebooks, planners) can take up to 10 business days.

Do I need an ISBN to publish on KDP?

Not for eBooks. KDP does not require an ISBN for Kindle eBooks. Paperbacks and hardcovers generally require ISBNs, and KDP can provide a free one. If you plan to distribute print books through IngramSpark or want publisher-of-record control, purchasing your own ISBN is the better choice.

Is KDP Select the same as KDP?

No. KDP is the publishing platform. KDP Select is a separate, optional 90-day program that adds your eBook to Kindle Unlimited and gives access to promotional tools but requires digital exclusivity. You can publish on KDP without ever enrolling in KDP Select.

What royalty do I actually earn on KDP eBooks?

It depends on several factors. The 70% royalty option applies to eBooks priced between $2.99 and $12.99 on Amazon.com (as of July 2026), but delivery costs are subtracted based on file size. For eBooks outside that price range or sold in non-eligible territories, the 35% option applies. Print royalties are 50% or 60% minus printing costs on Amazon marketplaces, and 40% minus printing costs through Expanded Distribution.

Can I publish on KDP and sell on other platforms too?

Yes, with one exception. Publishing on KDP does not create exclusivity for your eBook unless you enroll it in KDP Select. Print editions are never exclusive to Amazon, even with KDP Select. You can sell paperbacks through IngramSpark and eBooks through Apple Books, Kobo, and other retailers, as long as the Kindle eBook is not in Select.

What happens if KDP rejects my book?

Amazon will notify you of the issue. Common reasons include file formatting errors (wrong trim size, missing bleed, unembedded fonts), content guideline violations, mismatched metadata, or misleading descriptions. Fix the flagged issue, resubmit, and expect another review cycle of up to 72 hours.

Should I use KDP Expanded Distribution or IngramSpark for bookstores?

If your only goal is simple, low-effort print availability beyond Amazon, Expanded Distribution is easier but pays less (40% minus print costs). If you want real bookstore and library wholesale distribution with better trade discounts and returnability options, IngramSpark is the stronger choice. Do not select both KDP Expanded Distribution and IngramSpark for the same title, because it creates distribution and pricing conflicts.

Do I have to disclose AI use when publishing on KDP?

If any text, images, or translations were generated by AI, yes. KDP requires disclosure for AI-generated content. If you used AI only as a tool for editing, brainstorming, or error-checking (AI-assisted use), disclosure is not required. The key distinction is whether the AI created the content or helped you refine content you created yourself.