The Ultimate Guide to Formatting Your Book for Amazon KDP
Wolfox Global Pulblishing
- April 7, 2025
The Key to a Professional and Profitable Book
Publishing a book via Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is one of the easiest ways for independent authors to reach a global audience. With millions of books accessible on Amazon, good formatting is critical to making your book stand out. A well-formatted book improves readability, maintains a professional appearance, and complies with Amazon’s stringent publishing guidelines. Neglecting formatting can result in book rejection, a bad reader experience, and even negative reviews that reduce your sales.
Whether you’re publishing an eBook or a paperback, Amazon has precise requirements that all authors must meet. These formatting standards aid in the creation of a polished final product that competes with traditionally published books, from selecting the appropriate file type to properly arranging chapters.
In this article, we’ll cover Amazon KDP’s strict formatting requirements to avoid rejection.
✅ Learn how to format headers, footers, and page numbers without making costly mistakes.
✅ Understand the key distinctions between eBook and paperback formatting, and why one size does not fit all.
✅ Proven ideas and tools for professional book formatting.
Amazon KDP’s Non-Negotiable Formatting Requirements?
Formatting your book right for Amazon KDP is more than just having it appear pretty; it’s also about guaranteeing readability, professionalism, and adherence to Amazon’s publishing guidelines. Amazon has tight formatting rules, and failing to follow them might lead to book rejection, distorted layouts, or bad feedback from dissatisfied customers.
Many first-time authors underestimate the value of formatting, believing that merely submitting a document will function on all devices. However, wrong margins, inconsistencies in font styles, and misplaced photos can make your book appear unprofessional and difficult to read. Worse, if your book does not meet Amazon’s specifications, it may be rejected outright, postponing your release schedule.
To ensure your book is authorized and provides a flawless reading experience, you must follow Amazon’s non-negotiable formatting guidelines. These criteria apply to file formats, font selection, layout structure, image placement, and metadata uniformity. Let’s go over the essential prerequisites.
- Selecting the Correct File Format: What Works and What Doesn’t
The file type you send to Amazon KDP has a significant impact on how your book is presented on different devices. Amazon offers a variety of file formats, but not all of them are suitable for Kindle readers, tablets, mobile apps, or print-on-demand (POD) paperbacks. Using the improper format can result in misplaced text, missing images, or damaged layouts.
Amazon strongly advises that eBooks be in EPUB or MOBI format. These formats feature reflowable text, which means it changes automatically to match different screen sizes. This allows Kindle readers to change the font size, line spacing, and background color without affecting the book’s layout. PDFs are not suggested for eBooks since they are built for fixed layouts and do not work well on smaller displays.
For paperbacks, PDF and DOCX are the preferable formats. PDFs are perfect for print books because they keep fixed formatting, accurate margins, and embedded typefaces. In contrast, DOCX files allow for more last-minute modifications before being converted into a print-ready PDF.
- Font and text formatting: Maintaining readability and professionalism
Choosing the proper font and text style is more than simply a personal preference; it’s also important for readability and professionalism. Amazon KDP has tight font selection guidelines to ensure that books have a clean, industry-standard appearance.
First, use well-known fonts like Times New Roman, Garamond, or Georgia. These fonts are intended for readability in both print and digital formats. While it may be tempting to employ colorful or stylized fonts, doing so can cause display issues on various Kindle devices and formatting errors.
Font size has a big impact on reading. The font size for body text should be between 10 and 12 points. Anything smaller can strain the reader’s eyes, while anything larger may appear unprofessional. Chapter names and headings may be significantly larger, but they should be consistent throughout the book.
Another key mistake to avoid is using too much bold, italic, or underlined text. While some emphasis is appropriate, overuse of these styles can make the text appear cluttered and unpleasant. Furthermore, text alignment should be changed to justify a neat, even layout in both eBook and paperback versions.
When indenting paragraphs, avoid using the Tab key or several spaces. Set up paragraph indentation using your word processor’s formatting capabilities. Incorrect indentation methods can cause space issues when your book is transferred to multiple formats.
- Page Layout and Margins: How to Structure Your Book Like a PRO
The way you format your book’s pages directly affects the reader’s experience. Poorly formatted books with inconsistent spacing, uneven margins, or odd page breaks can annoy readers and result in unfavorable feedback.
Keep eBooks’ layouts basic and fluid. Kindle devices automatically modify text based on screen size, so you should avoid creating gaps with hard returns (hitting Enter several times). Instead, let the Kindle system manage text flow dynamically. Using superfluous spaces or line breaks might cause odd gaps when seen on different devices.
Paperback margins must be adjusted correctly to prevent text from being chopped off during printing. Amazon mandates a 0.75-inch margin for books under 150 pages and 1 inch for books above 150 pages. These settings ensure that the text is properly aligned and does not stretch into the gutter region (the book’s inner spine).
Take note of chapter breaks and section headers. Begin each new chapter on a new page, and verify that the heads are formatted consistently. Avoid using headers and footers on blank pages or at the beginning of a new chapter, as they might make the book appear unprofessional.
- Image and Table Formatting: High-quality visuals with No Distortion
If your book contains photographs, drawings, or tables, ensure that they are properly formatted to avoid blurriness, misalignment, or rejection. To ensure great quality, photographs in eBooks and paperbacks should be at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). Low-resolution photos may appear acceptable on a computer screen, but they become hazy or distorted when printed or displayed on high-resolution eReaders.
When inserting images, choose JPEG or PNG formats for the best compatibility. Images should be center-aligned and should not use text wrapping because Kindle devices may not display wrapped text properly. If your book includes charts, graphs, or tables, consider converting them to high-quality photos to ensure proper presentation across all devices.
Avoid using complex tables in eBooks because Kindle reflows text dynamically, distorting table layouts. Instead, keep tables simple and evenly spaced, or transform them into static images to preserve their structure.
- Metadata Consistency: Matching Your Manuscript and Your KDP Listing
One of the most commonly disregarded formatting criteria is metadata consistency. The information in your manuscript must correspond to what you provide in the KDP dashboard, or Amazon will flag your book for review.
For example, the title on your document must be identical to the title put into KDP. Any discrepancies, such as missing punctuation or unnecessary subtitles, can cause delays in approval. Similarly, the author name in your book should correspond to the one registered in your KDP account.
eBooks must have a clickable Table of Contents (TOC). Amazon requires this for books of a certain length in order to optimize navigation. A well-structured table of contents improves the reading experience by allowing readers to easily go to certain sections.
How to Format Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers Without Being Banned.
Headers, footers, and page numbers are all necessary components of a professional-looking print book, but Amazon has specific formatting requirements for their placement and content. While they improve readability and create a refined structure in paperbacks, improper formatting may result in Amazon rejecting your book or producing unanticipated formatting mistakes when it is published.
One of the most common mistakes authors make is treating print books and eBooks the same in terms of headers, footers, and page counts. To avoid formatting errors that could lead to your book being rejected, follow these extensive instructions for properly formatting headers, footers, and page numbers for Amazon KDP.
- Guidelines for Headers and Footers in Print Books
Headers and footers serve diverse functions in print books, allowing readers to easily browse the book. However, Amazon sets tight guidelines to ensure that these features do not interfere with reading or overall layout.
Headers: What’s Allowed, What’s Not
A header is a portion at the top of each page that usually contains the book title, author name, or chapter title. While these parts add structure, their placement must be carefully considered in order to comply with Amazon KDP’s rules.
✅ Possible header content:
- Book Title: A short, clear title at the top of each page ensures consistency.
- Author Name: This helps to trademark your book and ensures that readers always know who is writing it.
- Chapter titles (optional): Some books use chapter titles as headers to make navigation easier.
🚫 What You Should Avoid in Headers:
- Headers on Blank Pages: Amazon does not allow headers on blank pages, such as those before or after a chapter. These pages should be absolutely empty.
- Headers on Chapter Opening Pages: The first page of each new chapter should not include a header. Headers should not appear before the second page of a chapter.
- Excessive Formatting: Avoid adding ornamental fonts, photos, or extra styling that could detract from the clean design of your book.
Footers: Dos and Don’ts
A footer is an area at the bottom of each page that primarily displays page numbers. Footers, unlike headers, should not contain any additional text or advertising content.
✅ Footer Content Ideas:
- Page Numbers: In print books, page numbers are best placed in footers because they are necessary for reader navigation.
- Running Section Titles (optional): Some nonfiction publications utilize footers to indicate sections or parts of the book.
🚫 What to avoid in footers:
- Advertising or Promotional Links: Do not add promotional text such as “Available on Barnes & Noble” or links to external websites in the footer. Amazon strictly prohibits promotional content in the headers and footers.
- Multiple lines of text: To prevent the page from becoming cluttered, keep footers to a minimum. Overloading footers with too much information might cause formatting difficulties.
- Footers on Blank Pages: Similar to headers, footers should not appear on blank pages. If a page is purposely left blank, make sure the footer does not display by accident.
- Proper formatting of page numbers
Page numbers are one of the most significant aspects in a print book, as they allow readers to effortlessly traverse the text. However, poorly formatted page numbers can result in misalignment, inconsistency, or outright rejection by Amazon KDP.
Why You Shouldn't Add Page Numbers to eBooks ?
Unlike print publications, eBooks do not require manual page numbering. Kindle devices and apps create page numbers based on screen size, font choice, and user settings.
Manually adding page numbers to an eBook might result in formatting issues, such as numbers appearing erroneously, overlapping with text, or becoming unreadable. Amazon expressly prohibits page numbers in eBooks, and inserting them may result in problems or rejection.
If your manuscript is meant for both print and ebook media, utilize different files.
- One prepared for Kindle (no page numbers).
- One designed for print (with correctly structured page numbers)
Page Numbering in Print Books: Best Practices
Page numbers in paperbacks must be properly formatted to avoid interrupting the arrangement.
✅ Where to Begin Numbering Pages?
- Do not include page numbers on the title page, copyright page, or table of contents.
- Page 1 of Chapter 1 should be identified as such.
- Front matter (e.g., acknowledgments, foreword, preface, table of contents) should utilize Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) rather than normal page numbers.
- The primary body of the book should begin with Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) in Chapter 1.
✅ Where to Place Page Numbers in Print Books?
- For novels and fiction works, page numbers are typically put at the lower center of the page for easy reading.
- For nonfiction works, page numbers can be placed in the bottom center or at the outer corners.
- Avoid putting page numbers too close to the margin. Amazon demands a safe spacing to prevent trimming during printing.
- Avoiding Formatting Issues That Can Lead to Book Rejection
Even small formatting errors in headers, footers, or page numbers can trigger Amazon’s review system, causing delays or rejection. To avoid problems, be aware of the following pitfalls:
🚫 Do not include promotional content.
Including promotional language like “Also available on Barnes & Noble” or “Visit my website for more books” in headers or footers is a clear breach of Amazon’s standards. Any marketing content should be integrated into the book’s content rather than its formatting aspects.
🚫 Do not place headers and footers too close to page edges.
Amazon has strict margin requirements to prevent text from being cut while printing. Headers and footers must be at least 0.5 inches from the page’s edge to stay visible after printing. If they are too close to the margins, Amazon may reject your book, and the final print may include missing or cut-off material.
🚫 Keep formatting consistent.
Inconsistent formatting, such as utilizing different font sizes for page numbers, including headers on some pages but not others, or skipping page numbers at random, can make your book appear unprofessional and provide a terrible reader experience. Ensure that all formatting choices are consistent throughout the manuscript.
eBook vs. Paperback Formatting: What Are the Critical Differences?
Many authors believe that designing an eBook and a paperback are practically the same, but the truth is that the two formats follow completely different design ideas. Understanding these fundamental distinctions is critical for ensuring that your book appears appropriately across all devices and delivers a consistent reading experience.
An eBook is meant for digital consumption, so its formatting must adapt to varied screen sizes and user preferences. In contrast, a paperback has a set structure in which the layout, margins, fonts, and images remain exactly as designed. Failure to alter formatting to meet these requirements can result in rejected submissions, poor readability, or a substandard reading experience.
- Layout and Text Flow: Fixed or Reflowable Formatting
One of the most noticeable distinctions between eBooks and paperbacks is how text and layout are handled.
eBooks: Reflowable Text with Dynamic Adjustments
Text in an eBook is reflowable, which means it adjusts itself depending on the reader’s screen size, font choices, and display preferences. This makes eBook formatting fluid and versatile, allowing readers to modify their reading experience.
For example, if a reader selects a bigger font size, the text reflows to accommodate the screen, and page numbers change correspondingly. Page breaks, tabs, and excessive spacing should be avoided because they can result in uneven formatting across different devices. To retain organization, employ suitable header tags and paragraph styles.
Paperbacks have a fixed layout that allows for precise formatting. Unlike eBooks, paperbacks have a fixed layout, which means that each page has the same structure, including margins, line breaks, and space. Since the text does not change or adjust dynamically, careful formatting is essential to maintain proper alignment and readability.
In paperback formatting, prevent widows and orphans (single lines left alone at the beginning or end of a page). Furthermore, chapter titles should always begin on a new page, and the margin spacing should remain consistent throughout the book.
Key takeaway: If you’re formatting for both eBooks and paperbacks, you’ll need to produce two different files, one for dynamic eBook text flow and another for accurate print alignment.
- Image and Graphical Elements: Resolution is Important.
Images can help to enhance the content of a book, but they must be properly formatted for the desired format to ensure quality and display.
eBooks: Optimizing Images for Small Screens
Images in eBooks should be adjusted for digital screens while remaining clear across multiple platforms. Because readers can zoom in and out of books and examine them on various screen sizes, the resolution must be properly managed.
- The recommended image resolution for Kindle eBooks is 72-150 DPI (dots per inch).
- Avoid using huge photos, which might increase file size and slow down loading times.
- Images should be embedded “inline” rather than using absolute positioning (which can cause their location to move across devices).
Amazon also recommends JPEG or PNG picture formats for eBooks because they are better suited to digital screens.
Paperbacks: High-Quality Print Images (300 DPI Minimum)
In paperbacks, image quality must be much higher because images are printed rather than displayed on a screen. Poor image quality can lead to blurry, pixelated, or low-resolution prints that appear unprofessional.
- Recommended image resolution for print books: 300 DPI (Amazon’s required standard for sharp printing).
- Use CMYK color mode instead of RGB, as printers handle CMYK better for color accuracy.
- Maintain a consistent margin for images, ensuring they don’t get cut off during printing.
If your book contains tables, graphs, or charts, ensure they are embedded as high-quality images in the paperback version, as Amazon does not support complex formatting for tables in eBooks.
Key takeaway: eBook images must be lightweight and optimized for digital readability, while paperback images must be high-resolution for professional-quality printing.
If your book has tables, graphs, or charts, make sure they’re incorporated as high-quality images in the paperback version, as Amazon does not support complicated table structuring in eBooks.
Key takeaway: eBook photos must be lightweight and optimized for digital readability, whereas paperback images must be high-resolution for professional-grade printing.
Fonts and Spacing: Choosing the Right Formatting Approach
Fonts and spacing play an important role in reading, although their use varies widely across eBooks and paperbacks.
eBooks: Kindle-Supported Fonts Only
When preparing an eBook, avoid embedding proprietary typefaces and instead use Kindle-supported fonts. Readers can modify the font style in their Kindle settings, thus using non-standard fonts may cause compatibility concerns.
- Recommended fonts: Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial, and Kindle-supported serif or sans-serif fonts.
- Avoid custom or decorative fonts, as they may not render properly on all Kindle devices.
- Spacing should be consistent, using line spacing settings rather than manual line breaks or tabs.
Additionally, paperback formatting allows for drop caps, decorative chapter headings, and stylized fonts, which are often not supported in eBooks. Key takeaway: eBooks rely on Kindle-approved fonts, while paperbacks allow full creative control over typography and design.
Final Thoughts: Formatting Each Format the Right Way
Proper formatting is vital for producing a professional-looking book, whether it’s an eBook or a paperback. A well-formatted book improves readability and presentation while also ensuring that your manuscript passes Amazon KDP’s publication guidelines. Poor formatting can result in submission rejections, negative reviews, and an unprofessional appearance, lowering your book’s credibility and sales.
Understanding the key differences between eBook and paperback formatting allows authors to avoid frequent problems and provide a seamless reading experience for their audience. eBooks require adaptable, reflowable formatting that allows readers to change font size and layout across devices. In contrast, paperbacks have a fixed structure that necessitates exact alignment, page numbering, and margin modifications to create a polished print version.
If you’re producing your book for both formats, remember the following formatting principles: Use reflowable text for eBooks while keeping a fixed layout for print; optimize images for digital screens in eBooks and high-resolution printing in paperbacks; stick to Kindle-supported fonts for digital books, but use more typography options for print; and avoid manual page numbers in eBooks to ensure accurate pagination for print versions.
Formatting correctly can take time, but it is critical to the success of your book. If you want expert assistance, Wolfox Global Publishing offers professional formatting services to help you meet Amazon KDP’s stringent requirements. Whether you’re publishing your first book or polishing your manuscript for re-release, our staff makes certain that your book is properly formatted for both eBook and paperback editions. Contact us today to prepare your book for publication and provide the professional finish it deserves!
Take the Next Step in Your Publishing Journey
Avoiding ghostwriter scams is only the start of your publication journey. After you’ve found a trustworthy ghostwriter and written your manuscript, the following step is to make sure your book reaches the correct audience. Whether you intend to self-publish or seek formal publishing alternatives, understanding the process is critical to the success of your book.
Wolfox Global Publishing offers specialized solutions for authors, entrepreneurs, and professionals wishing to turn their ideas into high-quality, marketable books. Whether you require ghostwriting, professional editing, book formatting, or global distribution assistance, we have the experience to guide you through the full publication process.
If you’re curious what happens next after hiring a ghostwriter, look into the following topics:
- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing – Understand the fundamental differences between self-publishing platforms such as Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and Barnes & Noble and traditional publishing methods.
- Essential Book Marketing Strategies: Understand how to efficiently promote your book with social media, email marketing, and influencer collaborations.
- The Value of Professional Editing – Find out why every document requires careful editing before publishing to ensure clarity, coherence, and quality.
- How to Format Your Book for Print and E-Book Distribution. Learn about formatting standards that fulfill the needs of platforms such as Amazon, Apple Books, and Kobo.
If you are passionate about bringing your work to life and reaching a global audience, we can help. Wolfox Global Publishing specializes in assisting authors at every stage of the process, from manuscript development to global distribution. Our team of expert ghostwriters, editors, and publishing specialists is committed to helping you achieve your objectives while protecting your rights and creative vision.
Don’t let unscrupulous ghostwriter services or a lack of industry understanding keep you from sharing your story with the world. Explore our complete publishing resources or contact our staff for personalized advice. Your book deserves to be written, edited, and published to the finest standards—and we’re here to make it happen.
Are you ready to start your publishing journey? Contact us today to find out more about our ghostwriting and book publishing services!
