Having a self-publishing checklist ready is good insurance before you take the final step of publishing your new book on Amazon KDP or elsewhere.
With it, you can be sure you have all the essential details you will need and avoid any unexpected surprises.
You have your manuscript file and book cover ready, but you will need to include more detailed information during the publishing submission process. Any small typos or misspellings in your publishing data can cause problems.
That’s why a completed checklist with all your information checked and proofread carefully can save you lots of headaches. You’ll have everything in one place that’s easy to copy and paste during the publishing process.
Why you need a self-publishing checklist
It’s always a stressful time when you’re finally ready to publish your book, and especially if it’s your first book.
You might think you have everything ready, but it’s often minor details or slips that can trip you up as you complete the required steps.
One trap to avoid is typing directly into the input fields. It’s so easy to make a typing error in spelling, punctuation, or extra spaces.
The safest way is to have all the text you will need carefully proofread and ready to copy and paste.
For fields that use a checkbox or drop-down selection, have the information ready so you can ensure you make the correct selections.
Any small errors, typos, or inconsistencies in your text or selections can adversely affect how your book will be listed and potentially discovered by readers.
You’ve probably spent many hours perfecting and refining your manuscript and book cover, paying attention to every little detail.
Well, stay in that frame of mind and prepare your pre-publishing file with the same attention to detail.
For example, have you carefully researched and selected your selling price? Will it be the same for all countries? What royalty option will you choose? Will you enroll in KDP Select?
With a completed checklist, you can make sure you have all these questions ready and answered before you proceed.
What you need to include on your checklist
Your checklist starts with all your manuscript details.
These include your book title, subtitle, author name, contributors, edition, and ISBN if you have your own and won’t be using a free ISBN or ASIN.
A good tip is to add the file name of your manuscript so you can easily locate it during the publishing process.
Next, check that you have all your metadata and keywords ready.
You need to have a list of your three category selections and seven search keywords.
Include your book description exactly as you want it to appear on Amazon.
Getting your metadata perfect helps maintain consistency and makes sure the right readers can discover your book.
Another choice you have is your primary audience. You can select an age range. For example, 14 to 18+.
Your cover and formatting details can also be included, but only as a double-check.
Note your cover file name, dimensions, and resolution, and mark it as passed if you’ve previewed it using Kindle Previewer. (You can also do this during the publishing process.)
Check and include your pricing and royalty settings in the checklist.
Note your selling price, royalty option, and whether you want to enroll in KDP Select.
If this is not your first book, you may need to note a book series or edition number.
For first-time authors, a list like this makes the publishing process easier for you, and you are less likely to come across surprises.
Your ready-to-use checklist
To save you some time, you can use this template to prepare your own checklist.
Here is an example you can use. I have compacted all the fields you might need onto one page.
You can download it to copy and paste the fields into your word processor to expand them, delete any items you don’t need, or customize it for your requirements.
You can download your PDF copy by right-clicking on the image, or download it by clicking this link.
Once downloaded, you can modify the checklist for your specific needs.
Summary
A self-publishing checklist is a simple tool that can save you time, stress, and reduce the chances of making mistakes.
By having all your manuscript details, metadata, cover, pricing, and notes in one place, you will make your Amazon KDP publishing process much smoother and hassle-free.
You can use the ready-to-download checklist as your starting point, then customize it easily in your word processor.
When you have everything prepared and cross-checked, you can then hit the publish button with confidence. You’ll know all your details are correct and avoid any last-minute surprises.
Related Reading: How To Find The Best KDP Keywords For Kindle Ebooks And Books
