KDP publishing guide
How KDP Maker Works: From Book Idea to Print Files
A clear, user-facing overview of setting up a book, creating a draft, reviewing the pages, and preparing files in KDP Maker.
Published by KDP Maker
Last reviewed: October 15, 2026. Verify requirements in Amazon KDP before publishing.
Ready to plan a project?
Choose a supported book type and start with the idea you want to bring to print.
Your project, in plain language
You bring the book idea and make the decisions. KDP Maker provides a guided creative pipeline that turns your setup into a draft you can inspect, refine, and prepare for publishing. The useful part is the work you can see and control, not the behind-the-scenes technology.
Step 1
Choose the kind of book
Start with a coloring book or paperback diary. Each choice opens a setup suited to that kind of project.
Step 2
Describe your idea
Add the theme, audience, page direction, and print choices that help shape the project. Use details that are clear enough for you to recognize the book you intended to make.
Step 3
Review the plan and draft
KDP Maker organizes the project into a working plan and draft. Check that the visible direction, page count, and cover concept still match your goal.
Step 4
Inspect and refine
Look through the pages and covers. Keep the parts you like, revise anything that needs work, and make your own final creative decisions.
Step 5
Prepare and check the files
Export the print files, use the relevant planning or checking tools, then upload them to your own KDP account and review them in Print Previewer.
The final publishing step stays with you
KDP Maker gives you files and preparation tools; you make the publishing decisions and submit the work through Amazon KDP. Confirm that you have the rights to publish your content, complete the platform’s current disclosures, and check the final upload in KDP Print Previewer. A tool result or export is not an Amazon approval.
New to the service? Read what KDP Maker is or open the step-by-step getting-started guide.