Free book publishing tools
Manuscript already written
Upload the real manuscript. See where KDP will reject it.
Upload the real DOCX. See the KDP kill list, the full interior, and a wrap cover. $39 downloads this book; $99 is only for scoped complex layout.
- No card for free checks
- Browser-first inspection
- 60-day re-export window
- 14-day refund on unstarted orders
Upload the real manuscript. See where KDP will kill it.
You get the full interior preview, a wrap cover, and a clear not-upload-safe list. $39 unlocks this exact book immediately. Image-led files stay on the $99 scoped path.
Free publishing tools
Start with the exact file or error in front of you.
Each tool answers one release question and links to the next relevant check. No generic AI writing detour and no card before you see a result.
Browse all free toolsKDP planning and upload tools
Free book launch timeline planner
Plan the final 30 days of a book launch in dependency order.
Open free tool →Free KDP cover calculator
KDP cover calculator for exact spine and full wrap size.
Open free tool →KDP trim size recommender
Choose a KDP book size before margins and cover geometry.
Open free tool →Free word count to pages calculator
Estimate book pages from the choices that actually change layout.
Open free tool →Free KDP manuscript template
Download a KDP manuscript template built as a real DOCX.
Open free tool →Free 6 × 9 KDP template
Generate a 6 × 9 inch KDP manuscript template in Word.
Open free tool →Formatting and file validation
Free DOCX preflight
KDP book formatter preflight for your Word manuscript.
Open free tool →Private DOCX to EPUB converter
Convert a finished text-led DOCX into a navigable EPUB draft.
Open free tool →Free manuscript release preview
See where KDP will reject your file before you pay to unlock it.
Open free tool →Interactive ebook typography preview
Choose an ebook font system, not one locked reading size.
Open free tool →Interactive release checklist
A book formatting checklist for the files you will actually upload.
Open free tool →Validation, metadata, and recovery
Private EPUB validator online
EPUB validator online for the file you plan to publish.
Open free tool →Browser-only print PDF preflight
Check a print-ready book PDF before the upload fails.
Open free tool →Free book image DPI checker
Book image DPI checker for the size you will actually print.
Open free tool →Free KDP metadata checklist
Check KDP book metadata against the cover before upload.
Open free tool →Free KDP error decoder
Turn a KDP failed manuscript upload into the next fix.
Open free tool →Author tools for planning and listing
Free ISBN validator
Validate any ISBN and get the clean ISBN-13 form.
Open free tool →Free ISBN barcode preview
Generate an ISBN barcode for your cover mockup.
Open free tool →Free word counter
Count words, characters, and estimated pages.
Open free tool →Free book title ideas
Generate title ideas from one theme word.
Open free tool →Free front matter generator
Generate the title page and copyright page text.
Open free tool →Free cover file check
Check DPI and bleed before uploading the cover.
Open free tool →Free KDP listing helper
Fill all seven keyword slots and categories.
Open free tool →Free printing cost estimator
Estimate the printing cost per paperback copy.
Open free tool →Free series planner
Plan the series arcs book by book.
Open free tool →Free writing goal tracker
Turn a deadline into a daily word count.
Open free tool →Free chapter outline
Generate a three-act outline skeleton.
Open free tool →Free author press kit
Build a bio, one-liner, and press release skeleton.
Open free tool →Free launch diagnoser
Find out why the book is not selling, then fix it in order.
Open free tool →Free proof checklist
Review the printed proof before ordering author copies.
Open free tool →Format guides by book type
KDP children's book guide
Publish a children's picture book on KDP without a rejection.
Read the guide →KDP cookbook guide
Publish a cookbook on KDP with print-ready photos.
Read the guide →KDP comic book guide
Publish a comic book on KDP with clean line art.
Read the guide →KDP workbook guide
Publish a workbook on KDP with writing room to spare.
Read the guide →Choose by publishing responsibility
The same file problem costs different users differently.
These paths change the order, proof, and paid boundary without cloning one generic sales page four times.
One first release
First-time authors
Try established free editors first, lock one manuscript, and pay only when a real file needs repair.
Follow the first-book pathA finished KDP manuscript
KDP authors
Move from page planning to cover, validation, metadata, and upload recovery in dependency order.
Open the KDP author pathRepeated releases
Series authors
Keep numbered sources and status aligned across five or twenty single-owner workspaces.
See the series workflowClient books · pilot
Editors and book professionals
Review the collaboration boundary and request the pilot; invitations, approvals, and white-label reports are not sold yet.
Review the professional pilotThe expensive part is the last mile
Seven files and five tools still do not prove your book is ready.
A polished cover can have the wrong spine. A valid-looking EPUB can have a broken reading order. A clean Word file can hide comments, tracked changes, and weak chapter structure.
Upload rejection
Translate the platform message into the exact file, page, margin, or metadata change to make next.
Version drift
Keep manuscript, cover, metadata, store copy, and sample pages tied to one approved release.
Tool switching
Stop moving one title through a formatter, validator, keyword sheet, bio writer, and launch checklist.
Before you upload
Three mistakes KDP rejects every week.
Each one is checkable in the browser before you pay for anything. Start with the mistake your file is most likely to carry.
Missing or wrong bleed
Covers without 0.125 in bleed are the most common rejection. The cover calculator builds the full wrap with bleed already included.
Calculate the coverInterior images below 300 DPI
Low-resolution images print soft or trigger warnings. Check every image at its final printed size before export.
Check image DPIMetadata gaps
Missing subtitle, contributors, or categories stalls title setup. Walk the checklist before you open the uploader.
Run the metadata checklistA release workflow, not another blank page
See the problem before you pay for the fix.
Check
Calculate or inspect your own cover, DOCX, EPUB, or rejection message for free.
Lock
Choose the manuscript version, trim, audience, and publishing target that belong together.
Release
Download checked files, store copy, reader sample, and launch materials as one package.
One book release pass
Everything tied to the version you approve.
The $39 pass is for text-led books with a finished manuscript. It replaces a pile of disconnected final-mile subscriptions. Sell three copies at $14.99 and the pass has paid for itself — once, forever.
- EPUB and print-ready interior PDF
- Full-wrap cover dimensions and export check
- Metadata consistency report
- Amazon description, keyword and category candidates
- Author bio, sample page, and social launch assets
- Re-export the same title for 60 days
Four publish-ready offers, one honest boundary
Choose one release, assisted layout, or an annual workspace.
Free checks stay useful. Upgrade when you need a reviewed release or private capacity for several versioned source files.
Start with one finished book
Pay once for one exact manuscript scope.
Not a credit meter. One book, one checked release, one price.
One Book Release
For one finished, text-led manuscript with scope confirmed before payment.
$39one-time
- Finished text-led DOCX required
- Release blockers and preview first
- Scope confirmed before checkout
- 60-day re-export window
Assisted Layout
For one complex visual title reviewed by a person.
$99one-time
- Children's books and workbooks
- Textbooks and image-led interiors
- Scope review before work
- No false one-click promise
Repeat publishing
Move to an annual workspace only when several books justify it.
Author Studio
For one author managing up to five active releases.
$169/yr
billed once a year · manage billing yourself
- Five active book workspaces
- Private DOCX, EPUB, and PDF sources
- Numbered source versions
- Self-service annual billing
Five single-owner workspaces. Series templates and collaborator roles are not current entitlements.
Choose Author StudioPublisher Studio
For one account managing up to twenty active titles.
$399/yr
billed once a year · manage billing yourself
- Twenty active book workspaces
- Private versioned source storage
- Release status for every title
- Assisted-scope support requests
Twenty single-owner workspaces. Client invitations, approvals, teams, and white-label reports are not live.
Choose Publisher Studio- Free manuscript checks, no card
- Scope and price shown before checkout
- 60-day re-export window
- Unstarted orders refundable within 14 days
- Stripe-hosted secure checkout
Compare at a glance
Every offer starts with a finished manuscript. Retailer approval is never guaranteed.
$39 release
$99 assisted
Author Studio
Publisher Studio
Best for
text-led book
complex visual book
repeat author
title-list owner
Active titles
1
1
5
20
Private versioned sources
one title
one title
included
included
Scope confirmed before payment
yes
yes
yes
yes
Self-service billing portal
—
—
included
included
Pricing questions
Can I start free?
Yes. Inspect the manuscript first with no card. Pay only after a concrete issue, scope, and price are in front of you.
Do I need a finished manuscript?
Yes. Every public paid path starts from the DOCX, EPUB, PDF, or release problem you already have. ShipMyBook does not sell blank-page book generation.
What does a one-time purchase include?
One purchase locks one accepted manuscript scope. Re-exports stay open for 60 days for that title.
How are workspaces billed?
Author Studio and Publisher Studio are annual workspaces at $169 and $399. The one-book offers remain one-time purchases.
How does payment work?
Checkout runs on Stripe through our payment provider. We never see or store card details, and every order sends a signed receipt callback.
Share the useful public step
Share guidance while the manuscript stays private.
Every public tool and guide includes direct share actions. Private project sources remain inside the signed-in workspace and are never attached to those public links.
- 01
Copy or post a public tool or guide in English, Chinese, or Spanish
- 02
Download a cover guide and hand the exact dimensions to a designer
- 03
Share the KDP checklist without exposing a private source file
- 04
Use the contact form for a professional collaboration pilot request
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does ShipMyBook write the book for me?
No. ShipMyBook starts with a manuscript you have already finished, checks the real file for release blockers, and produces the publish-ready package after you approve its scope.
Can I sell the release files on Amazon KDP?
The files are prepared for KDP upload, but Amazon still controls acceptance, ranking, and account decisions. You remain responsible for rights, metadata, and any required AI-content disclosure.
What is the difference between the free preview and the $39 download?
The free preview includes the full book text and a watermarked cover. The $39 pass unlocks these exact files without the watermark, plus the release package and 60 days of re-exports for this title.
I already wrote most of the book. Can I still use this?
Yes, and that is the strongest starting point. Upload the DOCX for a free inspection that shows where KDP will reject it, then pay only when the release files need producing.
What is the refund policy?
Unstarted orders can be refunded within 14 days by emailing contact@shipmybook.com. Because digital work can begin immediately, eligibility depends on whether processing or delivery has begun. See the refund policy for details.
How is the KDP paperback spine width calculated?
Multiply the final page count by the paper factor: 0.002252 in for white paper, 0.0025 for cream, 0.002347 for premium color. The cover calculator applies these automatically.
What is full bleed and when does KDP require it?
Bleed is the extra 0.125 inches of artwork trimmed off each outside edge. KDP requires it when images or backgrounds touch the page edge, and the cover always needs it.
Should I choose standard or premium color?
Standard color suits minimal color use, like a few accent images. Premium color is for full-color interiors such as picture books and photo-heavy cookbooks, and it costs more per page.
Can I change files after a $39 release starts?
The release package targets one confirmed scope: the previewed book or an accepted repair. Re-exports stay open for 60 days after payment, and the free browser checks remain available before you pay.
ShipMyBook
Bring the manuscript. Leave with a release.
Start free with the file you already have. You will see what needs attention before any checkout appears.