Prepare a shared identity record for the series opener, then maintain separate delivery checklists for the ebook and paperback. Both formats should describe the same intended volume, while their files, navigation, covers, and production checks follow their own requirements. Keep the approved versions together so the uploader does not have to guess which assets belong to the release.
Define the shared identity of the volume
Write down the title, subtitle if any, author name, series name, volume relationship, and language as approved for the release. Record which manuscript version supplies the story. Compare these values with the title page, cover text, and metadata worksheet before formatting is finalized. Resolve differences at this stage rather than allowing the ebook designer and print formatter to make separate assumptions.
Also identify content that intentionally differs by format. A paperback may present a resource as a written address where an ebook uses a clickable link, for example. Record the difference and its purpose. Do not treat every variation as an error, but make sure it does not change the promised story or imply a feature that one edition lacks. The shared identity record should clarify the relationship without pretending the two file types are interchangeable.
Keep format-specific work in separate lanes
Create an ebook lane for the manuscript export, cover image, navigation review, and reading behavior. Create a paperback lane for the interior, full cover, production inputs, and page-based review. Name the owner of each deliverable even if one person performs all the work. A shared checklist with a single "cover done" item can conceal the fact that only one of the required covers has been prepared.
Track dependencies between the lanes. A corrected character name may require fresh exports for both formats, while a print gutter adjustment may affect only the paperback layout. Record the trigger rather than asking everyone to repeat every task after every change. This keeps the handoff efficient while preventing the common error of fixing a shared manuscript problem in one export and leaving the other edition on the superseded text.
Review the ebook as a reading system
Open the actual ebook candidate in a suitable previewer and follow its navigation. Check the beginning, chapter transitions, any notes or links, and the route through back matter. Try different reading settings appropriate to the file's layout. Confirm that special scene separators or embedded letters remain understandable. A visual inspection of the source document does not establish how the exported ebook behaves for a reader.
Compare the ebook cover and opening pages with the identity record. If the series label or subtitle has changed, inspect every place where the old wording might remain. Review the invitation to continue the series as carefully as the opening. Avoid sending a reader to an unavailable volume or presenting a tentative future title as a settled publication. Record the tested file version and the remaining limitations before approving the ebook lane.
Review the paperback as a physical layout
Confirm that the interior and cover use matching final production inputs and current KDP specifications. Inspect chapter starts, page references, blank pages, running heads, and back matter in the exported PDF. Check the complete cover rather than only the front panel. Keep the editable design and template inputs so a later page-count change can be handled through a reproducible correction.
If a proof is part of the workflow, record what it was produced from and what changed afterward. A corrected file is not automatically covered by the earlier proof review. Identify the affected pages and dependencies, then repeat the relevant checks. Preserve the superseded export clearly enough that it cannot be mistaken for the approved candidate during upload. The physical review should connect to the specific replacement package, not to a general memory of the design.
Release the matched package to the uploader
Create a manifest listing the final file names, version identifiers, format, and approval date. Include the metadata worksheet and the origin and permission records needed for the submission questions. Use current KDP guidance when entering format-specific details. The manifest should tell the uploader what to use and why it is the approved version; it should not require them to resolve unfinished editorial decisions while completing the form.
After submission, preserve the package and the submission record together. When the public information and previews become available, compare them with the intended release and investigate discrepancies through the current KDP workflow. Keep future corrections tied to the same shared identity and separate format lanes. This gives the first series volume a reproducible handoff that can be improved and reused without copying unverified settings into later books.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers for this publishing decision.
Can the same checklist approve both ebook and paperback files?
It can coordinate shared decisions, but each format needs its own file and reading checks. A single completed item should not hide an unfinished deliverable for the other edition.
What should happen when the manuscript changes after one export?
Identify whether the change affects shared text or only a format-specific layout. Rebuild and review every affected output, then update the manifest so the uploader receives matching versions.
Does a successful local preview guarantee KDP acceptance?
No. It provides evidence about the checks performed on the candidate files. KDP still applies its own submission requirements and review to the uploaded book.
Which trim size, page count, margins, and bleed setting work together for my paperback?
Check the complete combination first: a trim size, ink and paper type, and page count must be a supported KDP set, and the page count then fixes the minimum inside margin and whether the interior needs a bleed page size.
Set the format in a book project