You've written your book with AI. Now you want to publish it on Amazon KDP. This guide covers everything from manuscript formatting to legal requirements for AI-assisted content.
Step 1: Export Your Manuscript
YourNovel.app exports directly to DOCX and PDF formats. For Amazon KDP, you'll want the DOCX format — it gives you the most control over formatting.
Step 2: Format for KDP Requirements
Amazon KDP has specific formatting requirements:
- Margins: 0.25 inch minimum for eBooks, varies for print (depends on page count)
- Font: Use a standard serif font (Garamond, Georgia, or Times New Roman) at 11-12pt for body text
- Chapter headings: H1 formatting with page breaks before each chapter
- Front matter: Title page, copyright page, dedication (optional), table of contents
- Back matter: About the author, other books by the author
Margins and Bleed for Print Books
If you're publishing in print (paperback or hardcover), margins aren't fixed the way they are for eBooks: they depend on page count, because the inner margin (the spine side) has to grow with the book's thickness so text isn't swallowed by the binding. KDP also requires 0.125 in (3.2 mm) of bleed on any element that reaches the edge of the page (full-bleed images, for example). Always generate the template from KDP's official cover tool using your exact page count — using a generic template is the single most common reason a cover gets rejected at review.
Step 3: AI Content Disclosure
Amazon's current policy (2026): AI-assisted content is allowed, but you must disclose AI involvement during the publishing process. Amazon does NOT require disclosure on the book itself — only in the publishing dashboard.
Key points:
- You own 100% commercial rights to content generated with YourNovel.app paid plans
- AI-assisted content is permitted across all KDP categories
- Amazon's review process checks for quality, not AI detection
- Low-quality, mass-produced AI content may be flagged or removed
Step 4: Cover Design
Your book needs a professional cover. Options:
- Canva: Free/paid templates specifically for KDP dimensions
- 99designs: Professional covers from $299
- Fiverr: Budget covers from $20-100
- AI-generated covers: Tools like Midjourney or DALL-E (check KDP policies for AI-generated images)
Step 5: Metadata Optimization
KDP metadata determines discoverability:
- Title: Include your main keyword naturally
- Subtitle: Use for secondary keywords
- Description: 4,000 characters max — use HTML formatting for emphasis
- Keywords: 7 keyword phrases per book (use long-tail keywords)
- Categories: Choose 2 categories — as specific as possible
📥 Free guide: From Idea to Amazon KDP in 30 Days
Download our complete guide (270 pages, written 100% with YourNovel.app) to go from a raw idea to your book published on Amazon KDP, step by step.
Step 6: Pricing Strategy
For eBooks:
- $2.99-9.99: 70% royalty rate
- $0.99-2.98 or $10+: 35% royalty rate
For most AI-written fiction, $3.99-4.99 is the sweet spot for new authors.
Do You Need an ISBN?
On Kindle Direct Publishing, no. Amazon automatically assigns a free ASIN to your eBook, and if you publish paperback or hardcover, you can use KDP's free ISBN — valid only for selling on Amazon, and listed under Amazon as the publisher of record, not you. If you want to appear as the publisher yourself, or sell outside Amazon (bookstores, Expanded Distribution under your own imprint), you'll need to buy your own ISBN. For most authors publishing only on Amazon, the free ISBN is enough.
Paperback or Hardcover: Decide Before You Format
The format you choose changes the cover margin and the export file you need. If you're torn between the two, work out the actual royalty for each with your own page count and price using the KDP royalty calculator — hardcover has a much higher fixed printing cost, so it only pays off above certain price points. We walk through that math with full examples in Hardcover on Amazon KDP: is it worth it?
A Real Pricing and Royalty Example
Say you format a 250-page eBook with this guide, priced at .99. On the 70% plan (available between .99 and .99) with a typical /usr/bin/bash.30 delivery fee for a 2 MB file, the royalty comes out to about .19 per sale — well above what you'd get pricing it at .99 instead (below .99 forces the 35% plan): just /usr/bin/bash.70 per sale. Landing inside versus outside the 70% window can multiply your per-sale earnings almost fivefold. Before you publish, check your own numbers in the KDP royalty calculator.
Step 7: Launch Checklist
- [ ] Manuscript formatted and proofread
- [ ] Cover designed and uploaded (2560×1600px for eBook)
- [ ] Title, subtitle, and description optimized
- [ ] 7 keyword phrases selected
- [ ] 2 categories chosen
- [ ] AI disclosure completed in dashboard
- [ ] Price set
- [ ] Preview checked in KDP Previewer
Publishing Timeline
From AI book generation to live on Amazon:
- Generate book with YourNovel.app: 4-8 hours
- Review and edit: 2-4 hours
- Format for KDP: 1-2 hours
- Cover design: 1-24 hours (depending on method)
- Upload and publish: 1 hour
- Amazon review: 24-72 hours
Total: Your book can be live on Amazon within 1 week.
Start writing your KDP book for free →
Part of the Complete Guide to Writing a Novel with AI series.