How to Format Your Book for Self-Publishing Like a Professional

You upload your book to Amazon KDP. The text is there, the chapters exist, words are spelled correctly. You hit publish. Then you open the actual ebook on your Kindle and discover: half your chapter breaks don't work, your indents look weird, your front matter is missing pages, and your carefully formatted dedication is... left-aligned and squished. Amateur mistakes that scream "I didn't know what I was doing."

Readers notice bad formatting. Probably not consciously. But incorrect margins, inconsistent spacing, missing front matter, weird chapter breaks—these create subliminal "something's off" feeling. The book feels unprofessional. Readers give self-published books less benefit of doubt than traditionally published ones. If formatting looks amateur, they assume writing is amateur and quit reading sooner.

Professional formatting isn't complicated, just specific. You need to know the requirements for your format (ebook vs print), your platform (KDP vs IngramSpark), and your genre (fiction vs nonfiction have different conventions). This guide walks through everything: margins, fonts, front matter, chapter breaks, file specifications, and how to check your work before publishing. You'll learn to format both ebooks and print books properly, or understand enough to hire a formatter and verify they did it right.

Ebook Formatting Is Simpler Than You Think

Ebooks are actually easy to format because readers control most display settings. They choose font, font size, line spacing, margins on their device. You're not designing fixed pages—you're providing content that adapts to reader preferences. This makes formatting way simpler than print.

What matters for ebooks: Chapter breaks must work (use actual page breaks, not Enter key repeatedly). Front matter must be in correct order. Table of contents should be linked. Paragraphs need consistent formatting. That's basically it. Everything else is handled by the ereader.

How to format in Microsoft Word (most common): Use Heading 1 style for chapter titles. Insert page break after each chapter (Insert > Page Break). Set first-line indent to 0.3 inches for all body paragraphs except first paragraph of chapters (that stays flush left). Remove extra spacing between paragraphs (paragraph spacing set to 0). Save as .docx and upload to KDP. KDP converts it automatically. Done.

Things that don't matter for ebooks: Your chosen font (reader picks their own). Exact margins (ereaders set their own). Page numbers (ereaders show location/percentage). Justified vs left-aligned text (reader can change this). You're setting defaults but readers override them. Don't waste time perfecting things readers will change anyway.

Common ebook mistakes: Using tabs for indentation instead of first-line indent setting (creates inconsistent spacing). Hitting Enter multiple times for chapter breaks instead of inserting page breaks (breaks in ebook conversion). Adding manual page numbers (unnecessary and will be wrong). Using fancy fonts that don't embed properly (stick to standards). Adding lots of special formatting that won't convert cleanly (keep it simple).

Always preview: Before publishing, download Kindle Previewer (free from Amazon). Load your file. Check how it looks on different device types (phone, tablet, e-reader). Click through every chapter break. Test table of contents links. Check that front and back matter look right. Most formatting problems become obvious in preview. Fix them before publishing.

Ebook formatting can take 2-4 hours if you know what you're doing. If you've never done it, budget a day for learning and fixing issues. But it's not rocket science. Follow platform guidelines. Keep formatting simple. Preview thoroughly. You'll be fine.

Print Formatting: Where Details Actually Matter

Print books are harder to format than ebooks because every detail is fixed. Readers can't adjust fonts or margins. What you design is what prints. Incorrect margins mean text disappears into the binding. Wrong page count means incorrect spine width. Poor font choices reduce readability. This requires precision.

Trim size affects everything. 6x9 inches is standard for most fiction and nonfiction. 5x8 inches is common for romance and mass-market feeling books. 5.5x8.5 is mass-market paperback size. 8.5x11 for workbooks or technical manuals. Choose based on genre norms. Romance in 6x9 feels wrong to romance readers. They expect 5x8. Fantasy in 5x8 feels cramped. They expect 6x9 for longer books. Match expectations.

Margins must account for binding. The inner margin (gutter) needs extra space because part of it disappears into the spine. For books under 150 pages: 0.875 inches gutter okay. 150-400 pages: 1.0 inch gutter recommended. Over 400 pages: 1.25 inches (thick book needs more binding space). Outside margin can be smaller (0.75 inches). Top and bottom 0.75-1.0 inches. Get these wrong and either text disappears into binding or your pages look weirdly off-center.

Font choice matters for readability. Don't use Helvetica or Arial (sans-serif fonts are harder to read in long-form text). Use serif fonts: Garamond, Caslon, Baskerville, Minion Pro. These are designed for book text. Size: 11-12pt for fiction, 10.5-11pt for nonfiction. Line spacing: 1.15-1.3 (tighter than double-spaced, more readable than single-spaced). Test by printing a page—if it's hard to read at actual size, adjust.

Page numbers matter: Use footers or headers for page numbers. Convention: odd numbers on right-side pages, even on left. Or centered bottom (simpler). Front matter often uses Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) and body text uses Arabic (1, 2, 3). First page of each chapter: no page number. It looks cleaner.

Headers identify where reader is: Left-side pages (even numbers): book title or author name. Right-side pages (odd numbers): chapter title or section title. Font smaller than body text (9-10pt). No headers on chapter opening pages. This is traditional book design. Readers expect it.

Always order proof copy: Don't publish print book without seeing physical proof. Upload, order proof copy, wait for it to arrive, read the actual printed book. You'll find issues that weren't visible on screen. Margin problems. Font size issues. Weird spacing. Chapter breaks that look wrong. Fix everything, upload new file, order second proof if needed. Only publish after proof looks perfect.

Front Matter: The First Pages Readers See

Front matter is everything before chapter 1. Order matters. Incorrect order looks unprofessional and confuses readers. Follow standard conventions unless you have specific reason to vary.

Standard front matter order (print and ebook): Half-title page (just title). Then verso page (blank or "Also by" list if you have other books). Then full title page (title, subtitle, author, publisher if applicable). Then copyright page (copyright notice, ISBN, edition info, credits). Then dedication (if you have one—keep it brief, 1-3 lines). Then table of contents (optional for fiction, recommended for nonfiction). Then epigraph (optional quote). Then prologue or chapter 1.

Copyright page must include: "Copyright © [Year] by [Your Name]. All rights reserved." That's legally minimum. Also good to include: "This is a work of fiction" (if fiction). ISBN if you have one. Publisher name ("Independently published" if self-published, or your imprint name). Edition (First Edition, etc.). Cover designer credit. Interior designer credit if you hired someone.

Don't include on copyright page: Long disclaimers. Wall of legal text. Complaints about piracy. Just the basics. If you need longer author's note or context, put it in back matter. Copyright page should be clean and simple.

Dedication: One page, centered, brief. "For Mom" or "For everyone who said I couldn't" or "For coffee. Couldn't have done it without you." Can be meaningful or funny but keep it short. Don't write three paragraphs thanking everyone—that's acknowledgments section (goes in back matter).

Table of contents: Optional for fiction (most fiction readers don't use it). Recommended for nonfiction (readers want to find specific chapters). If you include it for fiction, keep it simple: chapter numbers or titles, that's it. For ebooks, make it linked (clicking chapter name jumps to that chapter). In Word, use built-in TOC feature to create linked TOC automatically.

Back Matter: Keeping Readers in Your Ecosystem

After readers finish your book, they're emotionally invested and primed to take action. Back matter is where you convert readers into fans who buy your next book, join your email list, and leave reviews. Don't waste this opportunity.

Order of back matter: Epilogue (if your story has one). Author's note (if applicable—historical fiction explaining liberties, thriller explaining research, etc.). Acknowledgments (thank people who helped). About the Author (1-2 paragraphs with photo in print, can include headshot in ebook). Newsletter signup (with direct link in ebook, URL in print). Also by [Author] (list your other books with covers if ebook). Sample chapter from your next book (if you have one—this is powerful for converting readers to series fans).

Newsletter signup is most important back matter element: Readers who just finished your book are most likely to sign up. They liked your writing enough to finish. Capture them. Simple message: "Want to know when my next book releases? Join my newsletter for updates, exclusive content, and early access to new releases. [link]" Include direct clickable link in ebooks. Include short URL in print. Make signup as frictionless as possible.

Sample chapters convert readers to series buyers: If you're writing series or have another book available, include sample chapter or two at the end. Not just mention "my other book exists"—give them 3,000 words of it. Hook them on the next story while they're still in your world. Many readers immediately buy the next book. This tactic alone can double your read-through rate.

About the Author should sell you: Not dry bio. Make readers want to follow you. "[Your Name] writes [genre] that [unique element]. When not writing, [interesting detail that makes you human]. [Your Name] lives in [place] with [family situation if you want to share]. Visit [website] or join the newsletter at [link] for new releases and exclusive content." Professional but personable. Include headshot if print or ebook allows.

Don't forget to ask for reviews: Brief note after story ends. "If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers find books they'll love." Keep it simple and guilt-free. Include link in ebook. Many readers want to help but need reminder. This note prompts them.

The Formatting Checklist

Before publishing, verify everything on this checklist. Catching errors before publication saves headaches later.

General: No typos in front/back matter (readers judge unpublished author by front matter quality). Chapter breaks work consistently. Front matter in correct order. Back matter includes all elements you wanted. All links work if ebook. Author name spelled consistently throughout. Copyright year correct.

Print specific: Margins correct for page count. Chapters start on right-side (odd-numbered) pages. Page numbers correct and placed consistently. Headers correct (no headers on chapter opening pages). No widows or orphans (single lines at top or bottom of page alone). Gutter margins wide enough text doesn't disappear. Spine width matches page count. Bleed set correctly if images go to edge. Physical proof reviewed thoroughly before approving.

Ebook specific: Previewed on multiple device sizes. TOC links work. Chapter breaks don't create weird spacing. No manual formatting that breaks (tabs, multiple returns, manual centering). Images sized correctly. File uploads without errors. Back matter links all functional. Sample chapters formatted correctly.

The final test: Order proof copy (print) or download your ebook to actual device. Read several chapters. Does anything look wrong? Is reading experience smooth? Would you be proud to hand this to someone? If anything looks off, fix it before publishing wide or doing any marketing. First impression with readers is permanent. Make it professional.