How to Choose KDP Categories: A Step-by-Step Method
A repeatable method for choosing your three KDP categories by relevance, buyer fit and competition, with a worked example and a ve…
Publishing a puzzle book on Amazon (via Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP) is a print-on-demand process: you build the interior file, build a cover, fill in your book details on KDP, price it, and order a proof before you publish for sale. Here's the order that actually works, start to finish.
1. Decide your puzzle type, trim size, and page count
Pick a puzzle type first: sudoku, word search, maze, math, number-fill, crossword, and word-scramble are the common formats. Then pick a trim size and page count together, because both feed directly into your printing cost later.
KDP prices paperback printing across two trim bands:
- Regular trim — up to 6.12 in wide and 9 in high.
- Large trim — anything bigger, including the common 8.5 x 11 in puzzle-book format.
Page count matters too: KDP's US black-ink printing cost is a flat rate from 24-110 pages, then a per-page rate above that (the exact numbers are in the pricing section below). Landing at 110 pages instead of 120 can print noticeably cheaper on the same trim.
2. Generate the interior
You need a finished interior PDF, laid out at your chosen trim size, before you can upload anything to KDP. Two ways to build the puzzle content itself:
- Octozia's free printables library has themed word search, word scramble, crossword, sudoku, and maze pages you can pull from at no cost.
- KDP Creator generates full puzzle sets as a ZIP of numbered, 300-DPI PNG pages plus a manifest file. It does not output a finished PDF — assembling those numbered pages into a single interior PDF (title page, puzzle pages, answer key, front and back matter) is a separate step you do yourself in whatever layout tool you use.
Either route, budget time for the assembly step. Nothing here hands you a click-and-publish PDF straight out of a puzzle generator.
3. Design a cover
A print cover is one continuous file — back panel, spine, and front panel joined together — sized to your exact trim and page count, since spine width scales with how many pages you have. Build the artwork in whatever design tool you use, matched to those dimensions, then upload it as part of your paperback listing.
4. Open a KDP account and enter your book details
Set up an account at kdp.amazon.com. Once you're in, you'll create a new paperback title and work through:
- Title, subtitle, and series name (if any)
- Author or publisher name and book description
- Categories and keywords
- ISBN — KDP will issue you a free one, or you can supply your own
Before you commit to a title or series name, it's worth running it through the USPTO's free trademark search (tmsearch.uspto.gov, no account needed). It isn't legal advice and a clean search doesn't guarantee clearance, but it catches the obvious conflicts before you build a whole series around a name.
5. Price your book with the royalty formula
KDP paperback royalty comes down to one formula:
Royalty = (royalty rate x list price) - printing cost
There's no separate "royalty plan" to choose for paperbacks — in the US, the rate is set automatically by your list price:
- 50% at or below $9.98
- 60% from $9.99 and up
(That's different from Kindle eBooks, which have an actual 35%/70% royalty choice you set yourself — that setting doesn't apply to paperbacks.)
Printing cost (US, black ink) depends on trim size and page count:
| Trim | 24-110 pages | 111+ pages |
|---|---|---|
| Regular (up to 6.12 x 9 in) | $2.30 flat | $1.00 + $0.012/page |
| Large (e.g. 8.5 x 11 in) | $2.84 flat | $1.00 + $0.017/page |
Worked example: an 8.5 x 11 in, 120-page book prints at $1.00 + (120 x $0.017) = $3.04. Priced at $9.99, royalty is ($9.99 x 60%) - $3.04 = $5.994 - $3.04 = $2.95 per copy. Trim that same book to 110 pages and printing drops to the $2.84 flat rate, pushing royalty to $5.994 - $2.84 = $3.15 per copy — a real gain from cutting 10 pages.
Run your own numbers with the KDP royalty calculator or the KDP printing cost calculator before you lock in a price.
You can also enroll in Expanded Distribution at no cost, which pays a flat 40% of list price minus printing cost and makes your paperback available to bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions through Amazon's distributors. It's paperback-only (hardcover isn't eligible), and enrolling doesn't guarantee acceptance or any orders through that channel.
6. Order a proof, then publish
Before you publish, order a physical proof copy — you pay the printing cost plus shipping, nothing else. Check the interior margins, image quality, and cover alignment on the physical book, not just the on-screen preview. Once you're satisfied, submit the book for publishing.
Publishing itself costs nothing upfront. Amazon deducts the printing cost from each sale automatically; your real out-of-pocket costs are an optional custom ISBN, proof copies, and whatever tools or time you spend building the interior and cover.
FAQ
How much does it cost to publish a puzzle book on Amazon?
Nothing upfront. KDP is free to use and gives you a free ISBN if you want one. Amazon deducts the printing cost from each sale rather than charging you to publish. Your real costs are optional: a custom ISBN if you skip KDP's free one, and proof copies (print cost plus shipping).
What trim size should I use for a puzzle book?
KDP treats paperbacks up to 6.12 x 9 in as "regular" trim and anything larger, including the common 8.5 x 11 in puzzle format, as "large" trim. Large trim costs more per page to print above 110 pages, so factor that into your pricing before you commit to a size.
Do I need design software to build the interior?
You need something that can assemble numbered pages into a single PDF at your trim size. Free and paid generators, including Octozia's printables library and KDP Creator, produce the puzzle pages themselves (KDP Creator outputs numbered PNGs plus a manifest); laying those into a finished interior PDF is a separate step you do yourself.
Can I see how many copies a puzzle book is selling on Amazon?
No. Amazon doesn't publish a per-title sales feed or an exact-sales bestseller list. The only public signal is Best Sellers Rank (BSR), which is a relative rank, not a unit count. You can estimate a rough sales range from BSR using a tool built for that, like the BSR-to-sales calculator.
Is it worth turning on Expanded Distribution for a puzzle book?
It's free and paperback-only, and pays a flat 40% of list price minus printing cost through non-Amazon channels like bookstores and libraries. There's no guarantee of acceptance or orders, so it costs nothing to try but shouldn't be counted on as guaranteed extra income.
