5 Common KDP Formatting Mistakes That Get Books Rejected

Formatting Errors Are the Number One Cause of Delays

Most authors don't get their book rejected because of the writing, they get flagged because of technical formatting issues that are easy to miss without experience. Here are five of the most common problems, and how to avoid them before you submit.

1. Missing or Incorrect Bleed

If any image, color background, or design element touches the edge of your page, it needs extra "bleed" area beyond the trim line so nothing gets cut off unevenly during printing. Forgetting bleed is one of the most frequent reasons paperback covers and full-page images get flagged for revision.

2. Inconsistent or Non-Embedded Fonts

A font that looks fine on your computer might not exist on KDP's printing systems, which can cause text to silently substitute into a different font, throwing off your spacing and page count. Embedding fonts directly into your print PDF avoids this problem entirely and ensures your book looks the same everywhere it's printed.

3. A Table of Contents That Doesn't Link Anywhere

This is specific to ebooks. Kindle files need a genuinely clickable, linked table of contents, not just a list of chapter titles that happens to look like one. Authors who convert straight from Word without checking the links often end up with a table of contents that looks correct but doesn't actually navigate anywhere, which gets flagged during review.

4. Wrong Margins for Your Page Count

KDP's required inside margin increases as your page count goes up, since thicker books need more room near the spine to stay readable once bound. Using the same margin settings for a 120-page book and a 400-page book is a common mistake that results in text disappearing into the gutter on longer books.

5. Low-Resolution or Incorrectly Sized Cover Files

Your cover file needs to meet specific resolution and dimension requirements based on your trim size and page count, and a cover that was designed at web resolution rather than print resolution will often look blurry or get rejected outright. Always design or request your cover at full print resolution from the start, rather than trying to scale up a smaller file later.

Avoiding the Back-and-Forth

Each of these issues is fixable, but catching them after KDP flags your submission means delays to your launch date while you resubmit and wait for another review. Having your manuscript and cover checked against KDP's current specifications before you upload is the simplest way to avoid this altogether. EverBrook Publishing formats and checks files against these exact requirements so your book gets approved without the back-and-forth.