How to Format Your Book for Amazon, IngramSpark, and More (Without Crying)

Formatting. The final boss.

You finished your book. You revised your book. You even survived editing with only minor emotional damage.

And now… formatting.

If you’ve ever rage-Googled:

• “Why are my chapter titles floating into space?”

• “EPUB vs MOBI vs PDF — what’s the difference?”

• “How do I stop my manuscript from looking like a Word-doc crime scene?”

… cuz... SAME. Formatting trips up thousands of authors. In our survey of over 100 writers, more than half admitted that formatting was the part of publishing that made them want to quit.

The good news: formatting doesn’t have to end in tears. You don’t need to hire a wizard (or a formatter). With the right tools and approach, you can format like a pro—even if technology hates you.

Why formatting matters more than you think

Readers might forgive a typo or two, but nothing screams “unprofessional” like formatting mistakes. Crooked margins, page numbers wandering into oblivion, or broken chapter breaks can tank your reviews before readers even get to the story.

Proper formatting ensures:

• Your book meets the technical requirements of platforms like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark

• Readers can actually enjoy your story on Kindles, tablets, phones, and in print

• Your book looks like a real book and not a copy-paste project
  

Formatting is your bridge from “writer” to “published author.” Do it right, and your book has a smooth launch. Do it wrong, and you’re back to rage-Googling at 2 a.m.

Book formatting tips that actually work

1. Know your output

Ask yourself: am I publishing an ebook, a paperback, a hardcover—or all three?

• Ebooks (Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo): Flexible layouts, responsive fonts, no fixed page numbers. Best as EPUB files (Amazon no longer accepts MOBI as of 2022).

• Paperbacks: Most common trim sizes are 5x8 or 6x9 inches. Margins must be consistent, and bleeds matter if you’re using images.

• Hardcovers: Same rules as paperback, but stricter file requirements, especially on IngramSpark.
  

👉 Pro tip: Decide this before formatting so you don’t redo everything later.

2. Use real templates

Word docs and guesswork will betray you. Instead:

• Amazon KDP provides free templates for paperback and hardcover (KDP Help).

• IngramSpark requires a professional PDF interior and cover (downloadable templates are free once you set your trim size).

• Tools like Vellum, Atticus, or yes—Skriptzi—make formatting painless by exporting directly to EPUB, PDF, and DOCX.
  

3. Set your styles (don’t freestyle them)

The #1 cause of formatting chaos? Manually changing fonts and sizes. That leads to broken layouts, floating headers, and random font changes halfway through your book.

Instead:

• Assign Heading 1 to chapter titles

• Assign Body to your main text

• Use Section Breaks instead of fifty line spaces

• Let your software handle alignment, spacing, and indentation
  

4. Don’t forget the extras

Your story isn’t the only thing that goes in your book. Readers expect front and back matter:

• Title page

• Copyright page

• Dedication

• Table of contents (especially for nonfiction and ebooks)

• Acknowledgments

• “Also by this author” page with links to your other books
  

👉 Want a sales boost? Add a call-to-action page that invites readers to sign up for your newsletter so they never miss your next release. Many readers offer a freebie, like an extra chapter or scene, to entice readers to sign up.

5. Export clean files

• Ebooks: Always export to EPUB 3. Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, and IngramSpark all prefer it.

• Amazon KDP print: Upload a PDF with embedded fonts, the correct trim size, margins, and bleed if needed.

• IngramSpark print: Requires PDF/X-1a format with bleeds, 300dpi images, and CMYK color space. Covers must be submitted as full-wrap PDFs.

• DOCX files: Only use these if you’re submitting text to a formatter or tool, not as your final file.
  

👉 Keep your file size under 100MB for ebooks, or your upload may be rejected.

What Amazon KDP requires

• Trim sizes: Common sizes are 5x8, 5.5x8.5, and 6x9 inches.

• Margins: At least 0.25" for non-bleed, 0.5" for inside margins (gutter).

• Files accepted: EPUB for ebooks, PDF for print. MOBI is no longer accepted.

• Cover files: Must be a single PDF (front, back, spine) with bleed.
  

What IngramSpark requires

• File type: PDF/X-1a only, with embedded fonts.

• Margins: 0.5" all around; add 0.125" bleed for images or full-page backgrounds.

• Cover: Must be a wraparound PDF at 300 dpi with CMYK colors.

• Ebooks: EPUB 2 or 3 accepted, under 100MB, no DRM required.

Why Skriptzi makes formatting less terrifying

Formatting doesn’t have to be a separate nightmare stage. In Skriptzi you can:

• Format directly as you write

• Insert chapter breaks and headings automatically

• Export to EPUB, PDF, and DOCX without external tools

• Preview your book layout before exporting

• Auto-generate TOCs, title pages, and other front matter
  

Basically: no tears, no tantrums, no frantic hunting for a formatter at the last minute.

Quick Wrap Up

Margins don’t have to be scary.

Stick with about half an inch all around, add an extra smidge (0.125") if you’ve got images that bleed to the edge, and you’re golden.

Amazon KDP likes EPUBs for ebooks and PDFs for print.

IngramSpark is pickier and only wants PDF/X-1a for print and EPUB 2 or 3 for ebooks.

Just remember: embed your fonts, use high-res 300 dpi images, and always double-check your trim size before you hit publish.