You don’t need a publisher, a fancy agent, or a trust fund to become an author.
Trust me, I did it from my Google Doc, my laptop, and a whole lot of stubborn determination.
In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how to publish a book on Amazon KDP, what I learned, and what I wished I knew before hitting “Publish.”
No fluff. No gatekeeping. Just the steps.
1. Write the Damn Book (Yes, Really)
Everyone wants to skip to the cover design and royalties, but step one is… writing your book.
Whether you’re typing in Google Docs, Word, Notion, or scratched on napkins, just get the draft down.
Pro tip: Don’t aim for perfect. Aim for done.
You can (and absolutely will) fix things later.
2. Choose Your Trim Size Before You Format
This is where most people waste time; formatting the whole thing before picking a trim size.
Amazon offers a ton of options, but the most common are:
- 6 x 9″ (standard for nonfiction and memoir)
- 5.5 x 8.5″ (also great, slightly smaller)
- A5 (cute, aesthetic, but less traditional)
Choose the size → THEN adjust your document.
Not the other way around. Trust me. I learned the hard way.
3. Format It Like a Real Book
It’s tedious.
But it matters.
What to set up:
- Margins
- Page numbers
- Table of contents
- Chapter headings
- Section breaks (Google Docs will try to fight you… hold the line.)
- Fonts. Go with something readable, not decorative. (I know, just trust me here.)
When you’re done, export:
- PDF → for paperback
- DOCX → for Kindle
Pro tip: Amazon prints exactly what you upload. If something looks crooked, weird, or off-center… it will show up that way IRL.
4. Design Your Cover (or Have Someone Do It)
Your cover sells the book before your words ever do. People really do judge a book by it’s cover. The cliche is real.
You can use:
- Canva (great templates + easy sizing)
- Photoshop / Affinity
- A designer (hi, I know one… 👀)
Amazon will give you a KDP Cover Template based on:
- your trim size
- your page count
Use that template.
The spine width changes depending on page count, and you cannot eyeball it.
Pro tip: If your cover looks pixelated in preview? It will be pixelated when printed.
5. Set Up Your Book on KDP
Head to kdp.amazon.com and create a free account.
Then you’ll enter:
- Book title + subtitle
- Author name
- Description (your book blurb)
- Keywords
- Categories
- Manuscript upload
- Cover upload
When you hit Preview, take your time.
Zoom in. Scroll slowly. Check every page.
This is your last chance to catch mistakes before the world sees them.
6. Pick Your Price (Don’t Overthink It)
You’ll see a breakdown of:
- printing cost
- your royalty
- what Amazon keeps
For paperbacks, most authors price between $14.99–$18.99.
For Kindle, $3.99–$6.99 is the sweet spot.
You can change your price anytime, even after launch.
Don’t forget to order your Author copies!
7. Categories & Keywords (The Secret Sauce)
Amazon only lets you choose 2 categories when you publish.
BUT… and this is the hack…
after your book goes live, you can email KDP support and ask to be added to up to 10 categories total.
This helps your book show up in searches and rank better.
Keywords matter too.
Think of what people would type into Amazon to find a book like yours.
8. Hit Publish… Then Breathe
Once you click publish, Amazon will review your book.
This usually takes 24–72 hours.
Your book will quietly appear on Amazon one random afternoon, and you’ll be like:
“Oh damn… I really did this.”
It’s surreal.
In the best way.
9. Promote Your Book (Without Feeling Cringe)
You do NOT have to scream “BUY MY BOOK” constantly.
Here are non-cringe ways to promote:
- Share your writing process
- Share a quote or excerpt
- Make Pinterest pins (they run forever)
- Blog about your publishing journey
- Post your cover mockups
- Show behind-the-scenes in Canva
- Celebrate the win (people LOVE seeing others succeed)
If you’re selling on Pinterest or socials already? This part feels natural.
10. What I Wish I Knew Before Publishing
Here’s the real tea:
1. Formatting will test your patience.
You will argue with Google Docs. And lose. Several times.
2. Covers matter more than we want them to.
People DO judge a book by its cover. Invest in yours.
3. Amazon categories are the hidden key.
Those extra 8 categories make a huge difference.
4. You don’t need perfection to publish.
You need courage and a PDF.
5. You never forget the feeling of holding your book.
All the stress is worth it. Every bit.
You totally can do this. Just jump in.
You can do it from your kitchen table, your phone, your Google Doc, just like I did.
And if you’re thinking about writing a book?
Take this as your sign:
Start. Finish. Hit publish.
Your future author-self will thank you.
If you’re in a chapter of healing, rediscovery, or choosing yourself again, this journal was made for you. It’s gentle, honest, and full of questions that help you reconnect with the parts of you that got quiet along the way.
Order yours here:
You can also visit my Amazon Author page by clicking this link:
amazon.com/author/jenarmstrong
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