Publish Your Book on Amazon KDP
Your book is ready! Follow this step-by-step guide to publish your memoir on Amazon and make it available worldwide.
Create Your KDP Account
Sign up for a free Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing account at kdp.amazon.com
- Use your existing Amazon account or create a new one
- Complete your tax information (required for royalty payments)
- Add your bank account details for direct deposit
Upload Your Book PDF
Click "Create New Title" and choose "Paperback" to start your book project.
✨ Your PDF is KDP-Ready!
The PDF exported from Legacy Stories includes proper margins, gutter binding, front matter, and right-hand chapter starts—everything Amazon requires for professional printing.
- Upload your exported PDF as the "Manuscript"
- Select the trim size you chose during export (6"×9", 5.5"×8.5", or 8.5"×11")
- Choose "Black & White" interior for text-only books
- Select "Cream" or "White" paper (cream is popular for memoirs)
Design Your Book Cover
Amazon requires a full cover (front, spine, back) for paperback books.
💡 Cover Options
You have two options for creating your book cover:
- Use KDP Cover Creator (free, built-in tool with templates)
- Upload custom cover (use the AI-generated cover from Legacy Stories as inspiration and hire a designer to create the full wraparound cover)
- Download KDP's cover template for your specific trim size and page count
- Include your book title, author name, and back cover description
- Add a barcode placeholder (Amazon will add the ISBN barcode automatically)
Fill in Book Details
Add metadata to help readers discover your book on Amazon.
- Title & Subtitle: Use your book's title from Legacy Stories
- Author Name: Your name or pen name
- Description: Write a compelling 200-300 word summary
- Keywords: Add 7 keywords (e.g., "memoir", "autobiography", "family history")
- Categories: Choose 2 relevant categories (Biography & Autobiography → Memoirs)
Set Your Pricing
Choose your book's price and royalty structure.
💰 Pricing Tips
- • Most memoirs are priced between $9.99 - $19.99
- • Amazon shows you the minimum price based on printing costs
- • You earn 60% royalty on sales (Amazon keeps 40%)
- • Consider pricing competitively to encourage family purchases
- Select territories where you want to sell (worldwide is recommended)
- Choose "Expanded Distribution" to reach more retailers (optional)
- Review the royalty calculator to see your earnings per sale
Publish Your Book!
Review everything, then click "Publish Your Paperback Book".
⏱️ What Happens Next?
- • Amazon reviews your book (usually 24-72 hours)
- • You'll receive an email when it's live on Amazon
- • Your book will be available for purchase worldwide
- • Family and friends can order printed copies
- • You can order author copies at printing cost
Congratulations! You've preserved your life story and made it available for generations to come. 🎉