| name | kdp-publish |
| description | This skill should be used when the user asks to "publish on KDP", "publish my book", "Amazon book publishing", "Kindle Direct Publishing", "self-publish", "publish on Amazon", "KDP workflow", "submit to Amazon KDP", "publish to Kindle", or mentions Amazon/KDP book publishing. It guides the complete workflow for publishing a book through Amazon KDP, handling both technical books and fiction/nonfiction. |
KDP Book Publishing Workflow
Orchestrate the full workflow for publishing a book through Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing): audit the manuscript, craft the listing, prepare files, and submit. This skill coordinates /kdp-audit and /kdp-listing into a phased pipeline, then walks through the mechanical submission steps on the KDP dashboard.
Strategy
The recommended publication sequence:
- Audit -- Verify the manuscript meets KDP formatting and content requirements
- Listing -- Craft blurb, keywords, categories, and author bio (the marketing artifacts that determine discoverability)
- Prepare -- Convert manuscript to final format, verify cover specs
- Submit -- Walk through the KDP dashboard, upload files, set pricing, publish
Each phase gates the next. Do not submit a manuscript that fails audit. Do not fill in listing fields without the artifacts from /kdp-listing. Present the phase map, confirm the plan, and proceed one phase at a time.
Workflow
Phase 1: Assess Current State
Determine where the book stands in the pipeline to skip completed phases.
Load user config (Read tool): Read .claude/pub-pipeline.local.md if it exists. Extract the kdp section and author metadata from YAML frontmatter. If the file is missing, offer to create one from the template at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/user-config-template.md.
Detect manuscript files (Glob tool): Search for manuscript files in the project:
.tex files (LaTeX -- technical books).docx files (Word -- fiction/nonfiction).epub files (eBook source).md files (Markdown manuscripts).pdf files (final output).kpf files (Kindle Create project)
Classify the manuscript type: Technical (LaTeX, math, code), Fiction (chapters, dialog), or General nonfiction.
Check what already exists (Glob/Read tools):
- Cover files? (
cover*.jpg, cover*.pdf, paperback-cover.*, full-cover.*)
- Audit already done? (Look for recent audit report in conversation history or notes)
- Listing artifacts in config? (
kdp.blurb, kdp.keywords, kdp.categories populated?)
- Manuscript in final format? (compiled PDF, validated EPUB)
Present status table to the user summarizing findings.
Decision matrix -- determine where to enter the pipeline:
| State | Next Phase |
|---|
| No manuscript found | Cannot proceed -- ask user for manuscript location |
| Manuscript exists, no audit done | Phase 2: Audit |
| Audit passed, no listing artifacts in config | Phase 3: Listing |
| Listing artifacts ready, manuscript not in final format | Phase 5: Manuscript Preparation |
| Everything ready, not yet submitted | Phase 6: Cover Preparation or Phase 7: Submit |
| Published, not verified | Phase 10: Post-Publish |
Present the recommended plan and confirm with the user before proceeding.
Phase 2: Audit
Run /kdp-audit to evaluate the manuscript against KDP requirements.
The audit checks interior formatting, cover specs, metadata completeness, and genre-specific requirements. It produces a structured gap report with Critical / Warnings / Passed sections.
If critical gaps are found:
- Present the gap report to the user
- Offer to fix automatable issues (margins, missing front matter, scene break markers)
- Guide manual fixes (cover creation, content revisions)
- Re-audit after fixes
Gate: The manuscript must pass audit (no critical gaps) before proceeding to Phase 3. Warnings are acceptable but should be noted for later attention.
Phase 3: Craft Listing
Run /kdp-listing to generate the four marketing artifacts:
- Blurb (book description, max 4000 characters with HTML formatting)
- Keywords (7 keyword phrases for Amazon search)
- BISAC categories (2-3 browse categories)
- Author bio (for the product page and Author Central)
The listing skill reads manuscript context, generates drafts, iterates with the user, and saves all artifacts to .claude/pub-pipeline.local.md.
Gate: All four artifacts must be saved to the config before proceeding. Phase 7 reads them during dashboard submission.
Phase 4: Pre-Order Setup (Optional)
Ask the user whether they want to set up a pre-order before the book is finalized.
When pre-orders make sense: Fiction launches where Day 1 ranking matters (pre-orders count toward release-day sales rank), books with an existing audience, or series releases.
Pre-order mechanics:
- Available up to 90 days before publication date
- Upload a placeholder or final manuscript; set publication date and price
- Final manuscript must be uploaded at least 72 hours before publication date
- Missing the 72-hour deadline may result in KDP blocking pre-order privileges for one year
How to set up: Create the title on KDP dashboard (see Phase 7), choose "Make this book available for pre-order," set the release date, upload manuscript, and complete pricing (Phase 8).
If not using pre-orders, skip to Phase 5.
Phase 5: Manuscript Preparation
Ensure the manuscript is in final publishable form.
Format conversion (Bash tool):
- LaTeX to PDF: Run
pdflatex (multiple passes for cross-references; add bibtex pass if bibliography exists). Verify fonts embedded, margins correct, page numbers start after front matter.
- Markdown to EPUB: Use
pandoc manuscript.md -o manuscript.epub --toc. Validate with epubcheck if available.
- DOCX to PDF: Use
libreoffice --headless --convert-to pdf or Word's built-in PDF export with fonts embedded.
Final proofread checklist:
Phase 6: Cover Preparation
Verify cover files meet KDP specifications. See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-reference.md for full cover requirements (dimensions, DPI, spine width calculation, bleed).
Quick checks:
- eBook cover: minimum 2560x1600 pixels, 1.6:1 aspect ratio, JPEG or TIFF, under 50MB
- Paperback cover: 300 DPI minimum, full wraparound PDF with bleed (0.125" each side)
Verify dimensions (Bash tool): Use identify -format "%wx%h" cover.jpg (ImageMagick) or file cover.jpg to check actual dimensions.
Direct the user to the KDP Cover Calculator: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/cover-calculator
If cover files do not exist, pause and recommend hiring a designer or using KDP Cover Creator.
Phase 7: KDP Dashboard Submission
Walk the user through the KDP dashboard "Create a New Title" process. This phase reads listing artifacts from the config (populated by /kdp-listing in Phase 3).
KDP Account Setup (first-time publishers only): Complete account setup at https://kdp.amazon.com — tax interview, bank details, email verification. See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-reference.md for the account setup walkthrough.
Book Details (step through dashboard fields):
-
Language and Title: Select language. Enter title (max 200 chars), subtitle (optional), series name and number (if applicable), edition number (if revised edition).
-
Author and Contributors: Use kdp.pen_name from config (or author.name if no pen name). Add co-authors, editors, illustrators, translators as contributors.
-
Description: Paste the blurb from kdp.blurb in the config. Verify HTML formatting renders correctly in the preview. If kdp.blurb is empty, stop and run /kdp-listing first.
-
Publishing Rights: Ask the user:
- "I own the copyright" (original works)
- "This is a public domain work" (classics, expired copyright)
- Rights holder confirmation (licensed content)
-
Keywords: Enter the 7 keywords from kdp.keywords in the config. If empty, stop and run /kdp-listing first.
-
Categories: Select the BISAC categories from kdp.categories in the config. If empty, stop and run /kdp-listing first.
-
Age and Grade Range: Required for children's books. Optional for YA (select 12-18). Skip for adult books.
-
Upload Manuscript: eBook accepts EPUB, DOCX, or PDF. Paperback accepts PDF only (PDF/X-1a:2001 recommended). Wait for conversion (30 seconds to 5 minutes).
-
Upload Cover: eBook: single front cover image (JPEG/TIFF). Paperback: full wraparound cover PDF or use KDP Cover Creator.
-
KDP Previewer: Review the book in Kindle, tablet, and phone views. Check for text overflow, broken images, TOC links, page breaks, extra blank pages, and font substitution.
Multi-format coordination (if publishing both eBook and paperback):
- Create the eBook first, then add paperback as a linked format (shared product page, reviews, "Look Inside")
- Metadata must match exactly across formats; cover files differ (front-only for eBook, full wrap for paperback)
Phase 8: Pricing
Interactive decisions made during the workflow, not pre-populated from config.
eBook royalty tiers:
- 70% royalty: Price must be $2.99-$9.99. Delivery cost deducted (~$0.10-$0.30 per download based on file size). Best for most books.
- 35% royalty: Any price $0.99+. No delivery cost. Use for short works, loss leaders, or prices outside the $2.99-$9.99 range.
KDP Select enrollment:
- Exclusive to Amazon for 90 days (auto-renews). Cannot sell eBook on other platforms during enrollment.
- Benefits: Kindle Unlimited (readers borrow, author earns per page read), Kindle Countdown Deals, Free Book Promotions.
- Trade-off: No wide distribution (Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble). Good for debut authors building readership on Amazon. Not ideal with existing sales channels elsewhere.
Genre-aware price recommendations: See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-reference.md for genre-specific price ranges, paperback printing cost calculations, and royalty examples.
Territories: Choose "Worldwide rights" if the author holds global rights, or select specific countries.
Phase 9: Publish
Final review checklist:
Submit for review:
- Click "Publish Kindle eBook" or "Approve Proof" (paperback)
- Review timeline: 24-72 hours for eBooks, up to 5 business days for paperbacks
- Email notification when the book goes live
For paperback: Strongly recommend ordering a proof copy before approving ($5-$10 including shipping). Check print quality, margins, spine alignment, and color accuracy. Proofs can be ordered without publishing.
Phase 10: Post-Publish
After KDP approves the book:
- Verify listing: Search Amazon for the book by title or ASIN/ISBN. Check "Look Inside" preview, category placement, keyword discoverability, and "Buy" button.
- Author Central setup: Claim the author page at https://authorcentral.amazon.com, add photo and bio from config.
- Goodreads linking (optional): Claim the book, connect author profile.
- A+ Content (if eligible): Add rich media to the product page.
- Launch promotions (KDP Select only): Kindle Countdown Deals, Free Book Promotions.
- Ongoing monitoring: Check KDP sales dashboard for sales, royalties, page reads, and rankings.
See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-reference.md for detailed post-publication steps including Author Central, A+ Content, and launch promotion strategies.
Reference Files
For complete KDP requirements, formatting guidelines, and exemplar listings:
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-reference.md -- Full KDP formatting requirements, cover templates, metadata guidelines, submission checklist, and pricing calculator reference${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/kdp-exemplars.md -- Blurb examples by genre, keyword strategies, category selection tactics, author bio conventions${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/docs/user-config-template.md -- Template for .claude/pub-pipeline.local.md user config file
Important Notes
- Run
/kdp-audit or /kdp-listing independently for a specific step without the full pipeline.
- KDP Select is a 90-day exclusive commitment -- the eBook cannot be sold on other platforms during enrollment.
- KDP is free to use. Amazon takes a percentage via the royalty split (30% or 65% depending on tier).
- Royalties are paid monthly, ~60 days after month-end. Minimum threshold: $100 (direct deposit).
- Paperbacks are print-on-demand. No inventory, no upfront printing costs.
- ISBN is not required. KDP provides a free ASIN for eBooks and a free ISBN for paperbacks. A custom ISBN is useful for distribution beyond Amazon.
- Manuscript updates post-publication take 24-72 hours to propagate.
