by Kaz Lee   Gold Coast Writers' Association Member

 

I am someone who has cried over a PDF more than once. I’ve needed help to get over the line, felt completely incompetent, and seriously questioned my life choices while trying to publish my first book.

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Self-publishing on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is exciting … right up until you hit that first ‘Your file is not the correct size’ message and feel your soul leave your body. If you’re new to KDP, don’t worry – every author starts exactly where you are: confused, overwhelmed and wondering why margins matter more than your mental health.

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Here are the big things you should know before hitting ‘Publish’, plus the most common mistakes that trip beginners up – and why.

 

1. Trim Size Matters More Than You Think

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Your book isn’t ‘just a PDF’.

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KDP is strict about trim sizes – 8.5 x 11, 8.25 x 8.25, 6 x 9, etc. If your file doesn’t match the exact dimensions, KDP will spit it back at you like a rotten tomato.

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Why beginners struggle:

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People upload any size from Word or Canva. KDP wants files that are exact, down to decimals.

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Lesson:

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Choose your trim size FIRST and design around it. There are heaps of YouTube videos to show you how.

 

2. Bleed or No Bleed – Know the Difference

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Bleed = artwork goes right to the edge.

No bleed = white border around your content.

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Why it matters:

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If you choose ‘no bleed’ while your images go to the edge, KDP adds a ghostly white border. This absolutely destroys children’s books.

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Beginner mistake:

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Wrong bleed setting → ugly white halo → tears.

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Lesson:

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If your art touches the edge, choose bleed. Always.

 

3. Margins Are Not Optional

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KDP has strict margin requirements.

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Picture books, novels, workbooks – all different.

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Why it trips people up:

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Canva LOVES to push things dangerously close to the edge. KDP does not.

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Beginner mistakes:

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· Text too close to the gutter

· Text too close to the trim line

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Result:

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Rejection … or worse – it prints terribly.

 

4. Your PDF Must Be High Resolution (300 DPI or Bust)

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Low-res images look blurry or pixelated.

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Why beginners struggle:

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They export in low res, or they use images under 300 DPI.

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Lesson:

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Make sure everything is 300 DPI before exporting.

If you have Canva Pro, you can upscale images inside Canva.

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5. KDP Doesn’t Fix Your Spelling, Grammar, or Formatting

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This shocks people in the age of Grammarly.

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KDP will print whatever you give it – masterpiece or complete chaos.

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Why beginners struggle:

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They assume there’s a safety net. There isn’t.

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Lesson:

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· Spell-check in Word

· Run Grammarly if you can

· Check plagiarism (accidental copying happens!)

· Ask for help with formatting — self-publishing is a journey. The more you do it, the better you get.

 

6. Your Cover Has Its Own Rules

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The most common rejection on KDP?

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Covers.

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You must use the KDP cover calculator to get the correct size – including spine width – based on your page count, paper type and trim size.

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Beginner mistake:

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Designing the cover before knowing the final page count.

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Result:

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Spine is wrong, back cover is off, alignment looks drunk.

 

7. Keywords and Categories Matter (A LOT)

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Most beginners just guess. Or worse – leave them empty.

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Why this hurts:

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You disappear into Amazon’s black hole.

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Lesson:

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Use keywords that readers actually search.

Choose categories where your book can realistically rank.

 

8. Author Copies Are Your Best Friend

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Order one author copy FIRST.

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They’re cheaper than retail copies and you can on-sell them later.

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Your file may look perfect on screen, but print can reveal:

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· Colour shifts

· Font issues

· Bad alignment

· Strange margins

· Gutter problems

 

Beginner mistake:

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Publishing without a proof copy.

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Result:

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Instant regret.

 

9. Don’t Fall for Vanity Publishers

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This is a big one.

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KDP is free.

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Vanity publishers are NOT.

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They’ll charge $3,000–$15,000 for things you can learn or outsource cheaply. They target beginners who feel overwhelmed by KDP.

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They promise the moon … but many of them are just uploading your book to KDP behind the scenes.

 

Final Word

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KDP has a learning curve, but once you understand the basics – trim size, margins, bleed, covers, and keywords – it becomes a powerful tool that puts you in control.

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The mistakes beginners make are completely normal. They simply come from not knowing what KDP expects. Once you learn the technical side, you gain freedom – and the confidence to publish again and again.

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