How to Format a Book for Amazon KDP | Bleed and Margin Settings for Amazon Self Publishing

Getting started with formatting your manuscript and cover can be a little daunting at first. What is bleed? What margins do I need to use for publishing on Amazon KDP? How do I set-up my cover?

Well, worry no more!

In this walkthrough I'll take you through how to format your manuscript for uploading to Amazon KDP... we'll go through the bleed settings, including how to allow for edge-to-edge printing, look at the margin settings, and also look at how to go about the right settings for your book cover.

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[DurgaNaagar]

As a newbie in writing industry and self publishing i am so confused..but you videos help me a lot 🎉 thanks for making this video 📸

[foncomic]

I've been struggling with the margin settings issue for a long time. After watching your sharing, I finally understand how to solve my problem. Thanks for sharing, thank you.

[jcarlin]

Great video. When creating my first book I set the Page Turn Direction to Right to Left because that seemed logical - but wrong. Had to redo it 🤣

[marionhenry-rhodes]

Thank you for your video 🙂! So I ran into a problem whereby I set up my book in Book Bolt with bleed, but now figured I want to change it to NO bleed. I was told by Book Bolt that I cannot change it after setting it up. My question is will it matter when I upload to Amazon KDP? I have about an inch border all the way around I think.

[catacat]

Hi. Nice video! ❤
But i try to understand and i am feeling like i have 2 right ears and 2 left eyes, that's why i don't get it.
But anyway, your video is very good and helpful.
I need some help if you can give me some infos:
My Children's book is illustrated and 32 pages paperback 8.5 × 11. I received the "classic poem" from KDP "...add 0, 125 and 0, 25 etc".

So, can i do all these changes on Word? If so, how? Do you have any video to help us step by step?

[CorinneSegura]

have you done a video on which program to use to create the manuscript?

[forthegood_za]

I am new to KDP too, and I want to know how long it took to publish your first manuscript, after all your editing, proofing, and formatting was done?

[SoniaLee-cd]

Are those just minimum margins for the no bleed or do you have to be exact?

[chrisbriscoe]

Hi, did you notice that your Bleed settings at 5:15 is wrong? You wrote 6.125 and however, you wrote and said earlier that the settings for your Bleed should be adding 0.125 to both the height and the width.

[roiuzree]

Hi sir what should we reply to kdp for publishing rights you do not have? If we not reply within 5days they will send suspended email ...but if we want to solve it do I unpublished it by myself or apologize it ? Any solution please help

[nextinstitute]

Thanks! Pity you didnt tackle 300+ pages too... Struggling with that...

[boscodon]

Hi. Thanks for the Awesome Video. i have a Query.. Can i Have KDP account and Amazon associates or Merch by Demand account with the Same email Id..??
is there any policy issues with amazon, if i have different types of account with "same email Id"..?

[jeannewton]

What do you use to write the manuscript of your books? I am currently righting a guide book and am using word to write the contents of my guide, is this ok?

[combatforlife.]

Width 0.25 and height 0.125, for bleeds, or 0.125 for both? 5:14 has contradicting calculations, or am I missing something?
Having said that, if you could help, I'm in the dark!
I am using Word. I want my book to be 7 x 10 inches with bleeds = 7.125 x 10.25.
Which of the two do I place:
*in my Word Set up?
*in the second page (Paperback content) from my Bookshelf on KDP: 7 x 10 or 7.125 x 10.25??
*for Width and Height calculating the cover template to place on Canva??
If it helps any, my manuscript has 0.65'' top, bottom, right and left, and gutter 0.63'' and using mirror margins on my Set up Page.

Thank you.

[bjigamerx]

Can you tell me that my kdp account is suspended today after publishing two books only they are saying books are not at parameter?

[dr.carmencaltagirone]

Your video is excellent you are very clear in your visuals or outstanding. However you say absolutely nothing about gutters and how to set them. It’s the piece that I don’t understand how you come up with a certain number. I understand gutters in general but I’m not sure how I come up with a number. Please help if you can.

[tanyaelainehards]

What app is this you are using ? Can you post a link

[bjigamerx]

What should I do next and resolve this suspension matter?

[rosaliealaina]

It’s seems no matter what video I watch I can’t get this right