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Proof copy

Publishing process

Also called: author proof, printed proof

A physical copy printed for you to check before publishing. It is marked as a proof and is the only reliable way to see how your file actually prints.

KDP's online previewer catches structural problems, but it renders your file on a screen. A proof copy is the same file on the same paper from the same machines a reader's copy would come from.

The things a proof reveals are exactly the things a screen cannot: whether the gutter swallowed your inner margin, whether an image that looked fine at 100% zoom is soft in print, whether cream paper made your greys muddy, whether the spine text is centred once the real spine width is folded.

Proofs are printed with a marking that identifies them as proofs and are not for resale. They cost the printing cost plus shipping, which is a small price for the only honest preview of a physical object.

SmartKDP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon. Amazon, Kindle, and Kindle Direct Publishing are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Related terms

  • Print on demand

    Manufacturing a book only after someone orders it. There is no print run, no inventory, and no minimum quantity — and the per-copy cost is the same whether you sell one or a thousand.

  • PDF/X-1a

    A restricted PDF standard for print production: all fonts embedded, all colour in CMYK or spot, no transparency or scripting. It is the safest format to hand a print-on-demand service.

  • Gutter margin

    Extra inside margin that compensates for the part of the page swallowed by the binding. KDP's required gutter grows with page count, because thicker books open less flat.

  • Spine width

    How thick the book's spine is — page count multiplied by a per-page paper thickness, plus a fixed board offset on hardcovers. It determines where the fold lines sit on your cover file.