Learning to Publish My First Book: Notes from the Trenches
I thought writing a book was the hard part.
Turns out, that was just the beginning.
What I’ve really been learning lately is how to publish a book—specifically, how to get something live on Amazon KDP. And honestly, it’s been a mix of Google searches, AI explanations, random forum advice, and a lot of “wait… what?” moments.
This is a journal-style snapshot of what I’ve figured out so far.
The First Realization: Writing Isn’t Publishing
At first, I assumed:
“I’ll just finish writing, upload it, and done.”
Nope.
A real book—even a simple one—needs:
A title page
A copyright page
A table of contents
Formatting for digital and print
That was the first shift:
A manuscript is not a book yet.
ISBNs, Canada, and Feeling Official
One surprisingly nice discovery: in Canada, ISBNs are free.
You can get them through Library and Archives Canada, which instantly makes things feel more “real.” You’re not just uploading a file—you’re technically becoming a publisher.
Also learned:
eBooks don’t actually need an ISBN on KDP
Print books do
So already, there are different rules depending on format.
The Table of Contents Rabbit Hole
I did not expect the table of contents to be complicated.
I thought you just type:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
But for eBooks, it has to be clickable.
That means:
Using heading styles (not just bold text)
Letting Google Docs generate the TOC
Exporting properly so Kindle recognizes it
It’s one of those things that feels trivial—until it completely breaks if you do it wrong.
Formatting Shock: Page Size Changes Everything
Another surprise:
The size of your book changes how many pages you have.
My document started in standard Google Docs format (8.5" × 11"), but books aren’t printed like that.
Common book sizes:
6" × 9" (standard)
5" × 8" (smaller)
When I resized:
The same text suddenly became way more pages
This actually matters because:
KDP requires a minimum of 24 pages for print books
So formatting isn’t just visual—it affects whether your book is even allowed to exist.
The “Test Book” Idea
At some point I realized:
Why am I trying to perfect a full book first?
So I switched strategies:
Make a small test book
Just 1–2 chapters
Treat it as a “preview edition”
This feels way more manageable—and smarter.
Instead of one big leap, it’s:
Learn by publishing something small first
What I Learned About “Looking Legit”
Even a short book needs structure.
Minimum setup:
Title page
Copyright page
Table of contents
Actual content
And if it’s a sample, you have to say so clearly, or people will think it’s incomplete (in a bad way).
That was a subtle but important insight:
Presentation matters as much as content.
The Reality of Print vs eBook
Another layer I didn’t expect:
eBook:
Flexible layout
No fixed pages
Easier overall
Print:
Fixed size
Margins matter
Page count matters
Cover includes spine width
Print feels much more “engineering-like.”
What Actually Helped Me Learn
Honestly, it’s been a mix of:
Googling very specific questions
Asking AI for step-by-step breakdowns
Reading random bits of advice (some good, some questionable)
And slowly, a picture forms.
Not all at once—just piece by piece.
Where I Am Now
Right now, I’m not trying to publish a masterpiece.
I’m trying to:
Get a small book live
Understand the system
Avoid beginner mistakes
Something simple like:
A couple chapters
Clean formatting
Low price
Just to see it exist
Final Thought
Publishing used to feel like a mysterious, gatekept process.
Now it feels more like:
A technical system you have to learn how to navigate
Still not trivial—but definitely doable.
And honestly, that shift alone makes it feel possible.
More to come once I actually hit “publish.”
