How to Publish on KDP in 2026 (Start to Finish)

About this video

Dale’s complete start-to-finish KDP tutorial for publishing an ebook, paperback and hardcover. Preparation comes first: create the KDP account, finish the tax interview and banking details, fill out a metadata sheet (he offers a free one), and keep one master project folder. Publish the ebook first because KDP carries most metadata into the print editions. Key ebook guidance: title plus subtitle can total 200 characters but should stay clean; choose up to three accurate categories (research via comparable books, bklnk.com, Publisher Rocket or Novel Report); fill all seven keyword slots (50 characters each) with relevant search phrases, researched via Amazon autocomplete, the alphabet method or tools, avoiding trademarks and words already in the title; upload a clean EPUB, preview on multiple devices, and skip DRM (his view: determined pirates defeat it anyway). He explains the AI-generated content disclosure, that an ebook ISBN is optional (KDP assigns an ASIN; US ISBNs come only from Bowker), KDP Select’s 90-day exclusivity and its 2025 library-distribution option, and pricing — 70% royalty only between $2.99 and $9.99, otherwise 35%, with clean regional prices rather than awkward conversions. For paperback: a separate ISBN is required (free KDP ISBN cannot travel to other platforms), upload print-ready PDFs, use the cover calculator and never pay for a barcode, order a watermarked proof before launch, and note paperback royalties of 50% below $9.99 and 60% at $9.99 or more, minus print cost. Hardcover follows the same flow but offers only five trim sizes, costs nearly double the paperback base print cost, and has no expanded distribution.

Key takeaways

• Prepare before uploading: KDP account, completed tax interview and banking, a filled-out metadata sheet, and one organized project folder
• Start with the ebook so metadata carries into paperback and hardcover; research categories and fill all seven keyword slots with relevant reader search phrases, never trademarked terms
• Ebook economics: 70% royalty only at $2.99–$9.99 (else 35%), an ISBN is optional for ebooks, and KDP Select means 90 days of Amazon exclusivity for that ebook only
• Print editions each need their own ISBN and print-ready PDFs; check everything in the previewer and order a proof copy before launch
• Paperback pays 50% under $9.99 and 60% at $9.99+, minus print cost; hardcover has only five trim sizes, much higher print costs, and no expanded distribution

Episode details: published June 16, 2026 · 42:23 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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