# Self-publishing checklist

From "How to self-publish a book" by the Feldar team:
https://feldar.com/guides/how-to-self-publish-a-book

Free to use, copy and change. Platform rules and prices change: the guide lists
what each official page said on November 8, 2026. Check them again before you
publish.


## 1. The book

Title:
Subtitle (if any):
Series name and number (if any):
Author name as it will appear:
Word count:
Formats: [ ] Ebook  [ ] Paperback  [ ] Hardcover  [ ] Audiobook (later)


## 2. Finish and edit

[ ] Draft finished and revised (structure, scenes, sentences)
[ ] Feedback from two or three readers of the genre
[ ] Developmental edit (the big picture), if you're paying for one
[ ] Copyedit (sentences, consistency, facts)
[ ] Proofread of the formatted files, not only the manuscript
[ ] Front matter: title page, copyright page, dedication (optional)
[ ] Back matter: acknowledgments, about the author, other books, mailing list link

Editor:
Copyeditor:
Proofreader:
Dates booked:


## 3. Cover

[ ] Ebook cover (front only)
[ ] Print cover: front, spine and back, sized for the final page count
[ ] Spine width checked with the platform's cover calculator
[ ] Back cover copy written
[ ] Barcode space left if your printer requires it
[ ] Rights to every image and font on the cover confirmed in writing

Designer:
Trim size (print):
Final page count:


## 4. Format the files

Ebook
[ ] Reflowable file made (EPUB, or DOCX/KPF for Kindle)
[ ] Checked in a previewer on a phone, a tablet and an e-reader size
[ ] Table of contents works

Print
[ ] Trim size chosen (6 x 9 in is the most common US trim on KDP)
[ ] Interior PDF at trim size, with margins for the page count
[ ] Bleed only if images reach the page edge
[ ] Chapter openings, page numbers, running heads checked
[ ] Proof copy ordered and read on paper


## 5. ISBNs

One ISBN per format and edition. Ebooks on KDP don't need one; print does.

Country and agency:
- United States: Bowker (myidentifiers.com)
- United Kingdom and Ireland: Nielsen ISBN Store (nielsenisbnstore.com)
- Canada: ISBN Canada, Library and Archives Canada (free for eligible
  Canadian publishers; French-only publishers apply to BAnQ)
- Australia: Thorpe-Bowker (myidentifiers.com.au)
- Elsewhere: find your agency through the International ISBN Agency
  (isbn-international.org)

| Format | ISBN | Imprint name | Registered? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ebook |  |  | [ ] |
| Paperback |  |  | [ ] |
| Hardcover |  |  | [ ] |

[ ] Decided: my own ISBNs, or a platform's free ISBN (which can only be
    used on that platform and lists the platform's imprint)


## 6. Platforms

[ ] Decided: exclusive to Amazon (KDP Select, 90 days at a time, ebook only)
    or wide (several stores)

| Platform | Formats | Account made | Tax interview done | Payment details | Live |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon KDP |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| IngramSpark |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Draft2Digital |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Kobo Writing Life |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Apple Books |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |
| Barnes & Noble Press |  | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] |

Avoid listing the same ebook in a store twice (directly and through a
distributor).


## 7. Price

Ebook list price:
Paperback list price:
Hardcover list price:

[ ] Ebook price checked against each store's royalty band
[ ] Print price covers printing cost plus the royalty you want
[ ] Wholesale discount and returns chosen (IngramSpark print)
[ ] Compared with similar books in your genre


## 8. Metadata

[ ] Book description (first two lines work on their own)
[ ] Categories chosen (KDP lets you pick 3)
[ ] Keywords (KDP allows up to 7 keywords or short phrases)
[ ] Author bio and photo
[ ] Age range, if it's a children's or young adult book
[ ] Publication date


## 9. Launch

[ ] Early copies to readers who agreed to read and review honestly
[ ] Author website or page with buy links
[ ] Mailing list sign-up in the back of the book
[ ] Announcement to your list and to people who asked to hear
[ ] Plan for the next book

Launch date:
Notes: