Glossary

KDP glossary: 64 printing and publishing terms in plain words.

The 64 terms you will meet when you publish on Amazon KDP, from bleed and gutter to ASIN and Expanded Distribution, with the numbers that apply today and a link to the KDP Help page behind each rule. The 25 key terms have their own page with KDP's numbers, a worked example and the common mistakes. Sources checked on September 28, 2026.

Key terms, explained in full

Print layout

Covers

Paper and ink

Kindle eBooks

KDP rules and programs

Prices and royalties

A

A+ Content: Images and text modules added below the description on an Amazon product page. Useful to show interior pages of books without Look Inside. Source: KDP Help: A+ Content ↗ (opens in a new tab)
AI-assisted content: Content you created yourself, using AI only to brainstorm ideas or to edit, refine or error-check your work. KDP doesn't require you to disclose it. AI disclosure guide → Source: KDP Help: Content Guidelines (AI-generated content) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
AI-generated content: Text, images or translations created by an AI tool, even if you edited them heavily afterwards. KDP requires you to declare it when you publish a book or republish it after edits. Full definition, numbers and examples → AI disclosure guide → Source: KDP Help: Content Guidelines (AI-generated content) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
ASIN: The 10-character Amazon Standard Identification Number that Amazon assigns to each book, next to its ISBN. eBooks, and low-content books published without an ISBN, are identified by their ASIN alone, and amazon.com/dp/ followed by the ASIN links straight to the book's page. ISBN on KDP → Source: KDP Help: What is an ISBN and Imprint Name? ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Author Central: Amazon's free service for building an Author Page with your biography, photo and books. You join it separately from KDP, with your KDP account details, and claim a book you've written by its ISBN, ASIN or author name. Source: KDP Help: Author Central ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Author copy: A copy of your own published book that you order at printing cost plus shipping and tax. Unlike a proof, it has no “Not for resale” mark.

B

Back matter: Pages after the main content: acknowledgements, about the author, an “also by” list, answer keys, an index.
Barcode area: The 2 × 1.2 in space in the lower right of the back cover where KDP prints the ISBN barcode. Keep it clear of text and important art. Full definition, numbers and examples → Cover size calculator → Source: KDP Help: Barcodes ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Bleed: Artwork that extends 0.125 in beyond the trim line on the outside, top and bottom edges, so no white edge shows after cutting. If one page bleeds, the whole interior must be set up with bleed. Full definition, numbers and examples → Margins & bleed → Source: KDP Help: Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins ↗ (opens in a new tab)

C

Case laminate: The only KDP hardcover binding: the printed cover is laminated and glued around rigid boards. There is no dust jacket. Full definition, numbers and examples →
Categories: The Amazon browse categories your book is listed in. KDP lets you choose up to 3 per format. Source: KDP Help: KDP Categories ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Character reference sheet: One image that shows a character several times side by side (typically front, three-quarter and an action pose) on a plain background. It is attached to every illustration so the character looks the same on each page. Consistent characters guide →
Cream paper: A warm, off-white paper used for most novels. It is slightly thicker than white paper (0.0025 in per page) and costs the same to print. Full definition, numbers and examples →

D

Delivery cost: A per-megabyte fee KDP subtracts from 70% Kindle royalties (0.15 USD per MB on Amazon.com). Large, image-heavy eBooks can earn more at 35%. Royalty calculator → Source: KDP Help: eBook Royalties ↗ (opens in a new tab)
DPI (dots per inch): Image resolution at printed size. KDP recommends 300 DPI; lower resolutions can look blurry and are flagged in review. Full definition, numbers and examples → Source: KDP Help: Paperback Submission Guidelines ↗ (opens in a new tab)

E

Embedded fonts: Fonts stored inside the PDF so it prints exactly as designed. KDP requires every font in the interior and cover PDFs to be embedded. Source: KDP Help: Paperback Submission Guidelines ↗ (opens in a new tab)
EPUB: The open eBook format KDP accepts for Kindle books. It can be reflowable (text adapts to the screen) or fixed layout (pages keep their design). Full definition, numbers and examples →
Expanded Distribution: A paperback-only option that offers your book to bookstores, libraries and other retailers through KDP's distributors, at a 40% royalty minus the printing cost. Hardcovers and paperbacks in Hebrew, Yiddish or Japanese aren't eligible, and only some trim, ink and paper combinations are: an 8.5 × 8.5 in paperback qualifies only with color ink, and the 8.25 in wide trims never do. Distributors don't currently accept books with frequent lined or blank pages (journals, notebooks, planners), coloring books, interiors that need a lot of ink, public domain content or summaries of other books, and KDP's list also names topics they may decline, such as puzzle books, word search, sudoku, activity books, workbooks and cookbooks. Enrolling doesn't guarantee that a distributor takes the book. Full definition, numbers and examples → Source: KDP Help: Expanded Distribution ↗ (opens in a new tab)

F

Fixed layout: An eBook where every page keeps its exact design, like the print edition. Used for picture books, comics and illustrated books. Full definition, numbers and examples →
Front matter: Pages before the main content: title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents, a “This book belongs to” page.
Full-wrap cover: The single print cover file that holds the back cover, the spine and the front cover side by side, plus bleed or wrap. Full definition, numbers and examples → Cover dimensions guide → Source: KDP Help: Create a Paperback Cover ↗ (opens in a new tab)

G

Groundwood paper: A lighter, cheaper black-and-white paper offered for paperbacks only. It isn't suited to heavy ink coverage.
Gutter: The inside margin, on the binding side of each page. KDP's minimum grows with page count, from 0.375 in (24–150 pages) to 0.875 in (701+ pages). Full definition, numbers and examples → Margins & bleed → Source: KDP Help: Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins ↗ (opens in a new tab)

H

Headband: A decorative strip at the top and bottom of a hardcover's spine. KDP adds headbands to hardcovers of more than 120 pages.
Hinge: On a hardcover cover, the 10 mm strip on each side of the spine where the cover bends. No text or barcode may be placed there. Source: KDP Help: Create a Hardcover Cover ↗ (opens in a new tab)

I

Imprint: The publisher name tied to an ISBN and shown on the Amazon product page. With KDP's free ISBN it is “Independently published”; with your own ISBN it is the name you registered, up to 100 characters. Free vs own ISBN → Source: KDP Help: What is an ISBN and Imprint Name? ↗ (opens in a new tab)
ISBN: The International Standard Book Number that identifies each print edition. KDP gives a free one for regular books; each format needs its own. Full definition, numbers and examples → Free vs own ISBN → Source: KDP Help: ISBNs ↗ (opens in a new tab)

K

KDP Cover Creator: KDP's free online tool for designing an eBook, paperback or hardcover cover from templates, with an image from its gallery or your own. Neither the tool nor covers that use its stock images can be downloaded for use outside KDP. Source: KDP Help: Cover Creator ↗ (opens in a new tab)
KDP Select: An optional 90-day program that makes your eBook exclusive to Amazon and enrolls it in Kindle Unlimited. Required for 70% royalties in some marketplaces. Full definition, numbers and examples → Pricing guide →
Keywords: Up to 7 search phrases you add to your listing to help readers find the book. They must describe the book honestly and can't name other authors or brands.
Kindle cover: The front-only JPEG used for the Kindle eBook. KDP's ideal size is 1600 × 2560 pixels. Full definition, numbers and examples → Source: KDP Help: Kindle eBook Cover Guidelines ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Kindle Create: Amazon's desktop app (PC or Mac) that turns a finished manuscript into a Kindle eBook: Word files become reflowable books, PDFs become print replica or comic eBooks. It exports a KPF file, the format KDP prefers, or an EPUB, and the same file can be submitted as a paperback. Source: KDP Help: Getting Started with Kindle Create ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Kindle Unlimited: Amazon's eBook subscription. Authors of enrolled KDP Select books are paid per page read from a monthly fund.
KPF (Kindle Package Format): The eBook file that Kindle Create, Amazon's free formatting tool, produces. KDP accepts it for Kindle eBooks alongside EPUB and Word files. EPUB and eBook formats → Source: KDP Help: Getting Started with Kindle Create ↗ (opens in a new tab)

L

Large trim: A trim wider than 6.12 in or taller than 9 in. Large trims cost more to print. Trim sizes →
List price: The price you set for each marketplace. Print list prices exclude VAT; KDP enforces a minimum that covers the printing cost. Full definition, numbers and examples →
Live area (safe area): The part of the page inside the margins where text and important details must stay, so nothing is cut off or lost in the gutter. Full definition, numbers and examples →
Look Inside: Amazon's preview of a book's first pages. Low-content books published without an ISBN don't get it.
Low-content book: KDP's category for books with minimal, repetitive interiors meant to be filled in: notebooks, journals, planners, logbooks. Coloring, puzzle and children's books are not low-content. Full definition, numbers and examples → Low-content guide → Source: KDP Help: Low-content Books ↗ (opens in a new tab)

M

Manuscript: The interior file of your book. For a paperback, KDP accepts PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, HTML or TXT, and requires a PDF when any page bleeds. kdpbook.io can start a book from your own manuscript in Word (.docx or .doc), PDF, Markdown or plain text. Novel formatting guide → Source: KDP Help: Paperback Submission Guidelines ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Minimum list price: The lowest price KDP lets you set for a print book in a marketplace: the price at which your royalty covers the printing cost. Pricing guide →

O

Outside margin: The margin on the edge opposite the binding, plus the top and bottom margins. KDP requires at least 0.25 in, or 0.375 in with bleed. Source: KDP Help: Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins ↗ (opens in a new tab)

P

Page count: The total number of interior pages, blank ones included. KDP rounds odd counts up to an even number. Paperbacks take 24–828 pages, hardcovers 75–550. Full definition, numbers and examples →
PDF/X-1a: A print-ready PDF standard with embedded fonts and flattened transparency. It is KDP's preferred format for print files. Full definition, numbers and examples →
Pen name: A name you publish under instead of your own. KDP allows pen names and keeps your real name private, but your real name must be in your KDP account for payments and tax forms, and the author name can't be changed once the book is published. Source: KDP Help: Authors & Contributors ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Pre-order: Lets readers order a Kindle eBook before its release date. On KDP, pre-orders are for eBooks only, the release date can be up to 18 months ahead for pre-orders created on or after September 2, 2026, and the final manuscript is due at least 72 hours before release. Source: KDP Help: Kindle eBook Pre-Order ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Preflight: Checking print files against the printer's rules before uploading: page size, margins, bleed, resolution, fonts, spine and cover size. Publishing checklist →
Premium color: KDP's high-quality color interior, suited to full-page illustrations. Available for paperbacks and hardcovers. Full definition, numbers and examples → Source: KDP Help: Print Options ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Print on demand: Printing each copy when a customer orders it. KDP prints your book on demand and subtracts the printing cost from your royalty, so there is nothing to pay upfront and no stock to hold. Printing cost calculator → Source: KDP Help: Printing Cost (paperback) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Printing cost: What KDP charges to print each copy: a fixed fee plus a price per page (or a flat fee for short books), deducted from your royalty. Full definition, numbers and examples → Printing cost calculator → Source: KDP Help: Printing Cost (paperback) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Proof copy: A printed copy of an unpublished book, ordered to check it before release. It carries a “Not for resale” band.
Public domain content: Works no longer protected by copyright. When a free version of the title is already in Amazon's store, KDP only accepts a differentiated edition, for example with an original translation, annotations, or at least 10 original illustrations, and it may refuse public domain content that's already available on Amazon or other sites. These books aren't eligible for all eBook royalty options or for KDP Select. Source: KDP Help: Publishing Public Domain Content ↗ (opens in a new tab)

R

Reading age: The optional age range (0–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 or 13–17 years) you set for a children's or teen book. Without one, the book may not be eligible for children's categories and won't appear in age-specific searches on Amazon. Picture book guide → Source: KDP Help: Primary Audience and Reading Age ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Recto and verso: The right-hand (recto, odd-numbered) and left-hand (verso, even-numbered) pages of an open book. Page 1 is always a recto.
Reflowable: An eBook whose text adapts to the reader's screen, font and size. The right choice for novels and non-fiction.
Royalty: What KDP pays you per sale. Print: 60% or 50% of the list price minus the printing cost. Kindle: 35%, or 70% minus a delivery cost within a price band. Full definition, numbers and examples → Royalty calculator → Source: KDP Help: Paperback Royalty ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Running head: The line at the top of a page with the book title or chapter name, common in novels and non-fiction.

S

Series page: An Amazon page that groups the books of a series, set up from your KDP Bookshelf. eBooks, paperbacks and hardcovers can all join a series, but public domain and low-content books such as notebooks and journals can't, and the page appears within 72 hours once titles are live. Source: KDP Help: Start a Book Series ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Spine: The edge of the book between the covers. Its width is the page count times the paper thickness; KDP prints spine text only on books with more than 79 pages, so from 80 pages (page counts are even). Full definition, numbers and examples → Spine width calculator → Source: KDP Help: Create a Paperback Cover ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Standard color: A cheaper color interior for text with some color, paperback only, from 72 to 600 pages. Full definition, numbers and examples → Source: KDP Help: Print Options ↗ (opens in a new tab)

T

Title creation limit: KDP's cap on new titles. Its Create a Book help page currently states two separate weekly limits per format: 2 new titles created, and 2 new titles submitted for publication (counted at the first submission, drafts included). KDP's own pages decide when you reach one. Source: KDP Help: Create a Book (title creation and submission limits) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Trim size: The final size of the book after cutting, such as 6 × 9 in. It sets the page size, page limits and printing cost. Full definition, numbers and examples → Trim sizes → Source: KDP Help: Print Options ↗ (opens in a new tab)

W

Widows and orphans: Single lines of a paragraph stranded at the top (widow) or bottom (orphan) of a page. Good typesetting avoids them.
Wrap (hardcover): The 15 mm of cover art on each edge of a hardcover file that folds around the boards, in place of paperback bleed. Source: KDP Help: Create a Hardcover Cover ↗ (opens in a new tab)

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