Free KDP resources
Practical paperback formatting guides
Use these guides to prepare a clean manuscript, choose the right print specifications, troubleshoot interior layout, and build a correctly sized paperback cover.
KDP gutter guide
KDP gutter size by page count
Find the current minimum inside margin, understand the binding edge, and calculate the correct gutter for your final page count.
Read the guide →KDP margin guideKDP inside, outside, and bleed margins
See the current margin requirements, bleed rules, practical examples, and an interactive margin calculator.
Read the guide →KDP manuscript formatterFormat a manuscript for KDP without rebuilding it page by page
Turn a DOCX manuscript into a print-ready KDP paperback interior with correct trim size, mirrored margins, embedded fonts, and an exact PDF preview.
Read the guide →DOCX to KDP guideHow to format a DOCX manuscript for KDP paperback
A practical step-by-step guide to preparing a Word DOCX manuscript and converting it into a print-ready KDP paperback interior PDF.
Read the guide →Formatting software guideWhat to look for in KDP paperback formatting software
Compare the features that matter in KDP paperback formatting software: print-accurate preview, margins, embedded fonts, privacy, and usable PDF output.
Read the guide →Print-ready interior guideHow to create a print-ready book interior PDF
Learn what makes a paperback interior print-ready, including page size, margins, fonts, pagination, front matter, and final preflight checks.
Read the guide →6 × 9 paperback guide6 × 9 manuscript template and paperback setup guide
Set up a professional 6 × 9 paperback interior with the correct page size, mirrored margins, chapter structure, and print-ready PDF output.
Read the guide →Free KDP margin calculatorKDP margin and gutter calculator for paperback interiors
Calculate the current minimum KDP inside gutter and outside margin from your paperback page count and bleed choice.
Read the guide →Book pagination guideHow to prevent widows and orphans in a printed book
Learn how to prevent one-line paragraph fragments, stranded scene endings, separated scene markers, and short display blocks in a print book.
Read the guide →Chapter formatting guideKDP chapter formatting requirements and professional chapter openings
Format KDP paperback chapter openings with reliable page breaks, clear titles, appropriate spacing, numbering, and consistent body starts.
Read the guide →Paperback cover guideHow to build a print-ready KDP paperback full cover
Calculate the paperback spine from the finished page count and build one correctly sized back-spine-front cover PDF with bleed, safe areas, and a barcode reservation.
Read the guide →Real manuscript case studyHow I fixed 57 widow and orphan problems in a nearly 68,000-word KDP manuscript
A documented Typeset Ready formatting test covering a nearly 68,000-word novel, 322-page KDP interior, paragraph preservation, scene markers, and 57 pagination defects.
Read the guide →Put the guidance to work