MyClawn Book Formatting › Questions
Book formatting: questions authors ask before they publish
Short, plain answers. Where a number comes from Amazon KDP, the source is linked at the end of the page.
Before you send the manuscript
Should I finish editing first?
Yes. Formatting is the last step before publishing. Every later change to the text can move page breaks and the page count, and with it the cover.
Do I have to prepare the Word file?
No. Leave it as it is. Tabs, double spaces, manual page breaks and a hand-made contents page are cleaned up. If something needs special treatment, such as letters in italics or a poem, say so in the notes field.
Which trim size is right?
Look at books like yours. Novels are most often 5 x 8, 5.25 x 8 or 5.5 x 8.5 inches; non-fiction is often 6 x 9. In the preview you can switch and see the page count for each.
About the files
What exactly do I get?
A print-ready PDF for the paperback, an EPUB for e-book stores, a cover template for your page count, a check report and a KDP upload guide.
Which fonts are used, and may I sell books with them?
EB Garamond, Source Serif, Source Sans, Libertinus Serif and Cormorant Garamond, depending on the style. All are under the SIL Open Font License, which permits embedding in commercial books.
Why is the inside margin wider than the outside one?
Because the page curves into the spine. Amazon KDP sets a minimum that grows with the page count, from 0.375 in for the thinnest books to 0.875 in for the thickest. We add a quarter inch to it.
Will my book have a table of contents?
The e-book always has one. The paperback gets one when at least three chapters have real titles, not only numbers.
Upload your Word file and look at your own first chapter, typeset for print, before you pay anything. One book $39 per book · Three books $99 for three books. Refund within 14 days if it misses.
Show me my bookAbout publishing
Do I need an ISBN?
KDP offers a free ISBN for paperbacks, which can only be used on KDP, or you can buy your own. If you have one, tell us and it is printed on the copyright page. We never invent one.
Can you write my copyright page?
If your manuscript has one, it is used. If not, a plain one is set: the copyright line with the year and your name, and all rights reserved.
Can you upload the book for me?
No. Stores want you signed in to your own account, and we never ask for passwords. The upload guide tells you which file goes where.
About changes and money
What if I want something changed?
Say what. Two rounds of changes are included. Another trim size or style within 30 days does not count as a round.
What if I am not happy?
If the changes do not fix it, you get your money back within 14 days.
Is there a subscription?
No. $39 per book, or $99 for three books, paid once.
Upload your Word file and look at your own first chapter, typeset for print, before you pay anything. One book $39 per book · Three books $99 for three books. Refund within 14 days if it misses.
Show me my bookMore about Book Formatting
Sources (checked 2026-11-12): kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GVBQ3CMEQW3W2VL6 · kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201857950 · kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201834170