Amazon KDP is a service where authors upload their books and sell them directly through Amazon, and offers an incredible opportunity for budding writers to get their work out there in the world.

As a general rule, most writers report that the platform is relatively easy to use and navigate – but removing blank pages can be something of a challenge.

We took a closer look at the best way to remove blank pages, and ensure that your end result looks as professional as you deserve.

What Is Amazon KDP?

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a publishing platform offered by Amazon that allows authors to publish e-books on Amazon’s website.

The process involves uploading your book to Amazon’s servers and then selling it directly from there.

This means that you don’t have to worry about formatting or editing your book before publication, and you also avoid having to pay any fees to traditional publishers.

Getting Started

The process of getting started with Amazon KDP includes just a few simple steps (see also ‘How To Increase Sales On Amazon KDP? 7 Steps To 10x Your Exposure and Sales‘), and these are as follows.

Create An Account

The first step in the process is to create an account to upload your work to – this can be done by heading to the KDP website, clicking “Create An Account”, and creating an email, username or password. This will generate an account that you can work from.

Set Up Author Information

You will then need to set up the relevant author information to complete your account profile – this is your legal first and last name, or the name of your publishing company – take care not to include your pen name at this point.

Then, add your business type (are you a corporation or an individual), the date of birth or date of incorporation of the person receiving the payments, your country of residence, and the mailing address for tax and royalties.

Then click “Save” to store this information on your profile.

Set Up Payment

Getting paid is a key priority when publishing your book, so take the time to ensure that your payment details are accurate. Head to your KDP account, complete the two-step verification process, and then click “Getting Paid”.

Head to “Add a bank account”, enter your details, and click Add and then Save – any royalties and payments will now be paid into this account.

Set Up Tax Information

Before getting started with publishing your manuscript, you also need to make sure that the relevant tax information is taken care of – head to your account, click “Tax Information”, and “View/Provide Tax information”. Enter the relevant details, click exit and save your changes.

Formatting Your Book

Once your account is set up, you will need to format your book according to the requirements set out by the site., and this has a few steps: 

Upload Book Files To Amazon KDP

The first step in the process is to upload two files to the platform: you will need a cover file, which contains the external elements of your book, such as front, back, and spine designs, as well as a manuscript file, which contains the interior aspects of your book, including the front and back matters and the body matter.

Set Trim Size, Bleed, And Margins

The next step is to set up three key elements. The trim refers to the width and height of your book – the standard size is 6″ x 9″, though other options are available.

The bleed refers to spaces where printed elements on a page extend past the point at which the book will be trimmed – you need to set your bleed to make sure that the items on the page reach the end, reducing the risk of a large, white border.

You will also need to set margins on the top, side, and bottom of each page, and an inside margin, or gutter – these ensure that text is not cut off when the book is printed in paperback.

Create Front, Body, and Back Matter

The next step is to create the front, back, and body matter for your book, and there are a few essentials to include in these:

• Front matter includes all the content that will be placed before the first chapter in your book and typically consists of the half-title, title, copyright information, reviews, praise, dedication, table of contents, preface, acknowledgments, prologue introduction.

• Body matter is everything between the front and back matter and usually consists of chapters and main pages.

• The back matter contains everything after the final page of the main body and usually includes the references, bibliography, and author bio.

• Save Your File

Once everything is formatted correctly, you will need to save your file in the correct format. If your book contains elements that bleed, you will need to save it as a PDF. If this is not the case, you can choose to save it as PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, HTML, or TXT file, and the platform will automatically convert it to PDF when publishing or printing. 

How Do I Delete Blank Pages From My Amazon KDP Manuscript?

A key element of the process is removing any blank pages from your manuscript – these will need to be removed to avoid your readers becoming confused or frustrated when they read your book.

Amazon will also not permit more than four consecutive blank pages from appearing at the beginning or in the middle of your book, and no more than ten pages at the end, so it is important to remove any excess.

Fortunately, this is a simple process – just open your original file, remove the blank pages, and then resubmit the revised file for publication.

Create A Cover

When everything is formatted, blank pages are deleted, and you have saved your manuscript, the next step is to create a cover for the paperback version of your book.

This can be achieved by designing your own unique cover or using one of the pre-made 

templates available on the platform.

Publish To The KDP Platform

The next step is to publish your book on the Amazon KDP Platform. To do this, start by entering your details by going to your Bookshelf, clicking the “Create” tab, and choosing the type of book you are making. 

Add Details

The first step is to add details such as the title, authors and contributors, category, age and grade ranges, and any keywords that will help your book appear in customer searches.

Enable Pre-orders

 This section also offers the option to enable pre-orders of your book on Amazon Kindle, which can be great for drumming up interest and guaranteeing sales on release day.

Publish Your Book

Once everything is ready to go, it is time to publish your book. Once your book is published, readers then have the option to purchase your e-book either digitally, for instant access on their device, or through paperback copies. If readers opt for a paperback copy of your book, the platform uses print-on-demand technology, and will print and ship your book directly to the reader.

Receive Royalties

When your book sells, you’ll receive royalties based on the number of units sold. These royalties are paid monthly via direct deposit into your bank account, and any printed copies will be deducted from your royalties.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, creating an e-book on Amazon’s KDP platform is relatively straightforward.

It may take some practice before you get used to all the different features, but once you’ve mastered them, you should find the experience quite rewarding, and take the chance to get your work out into the world, and into the hands of eager readers.