Your Delivery Guide

Your Book Formatting Files

Everything you need to publish your book across all platforms — here's what each file is and how to use it.

What's In Your Delivery

Your delivery is organised into three folders — open each one below to see exactly what's inside and what it's for. [BookTitle] is replaced with your book's actual title.

ePub eBook/

Your digital book — everything you need to publish on Kindle and other eBook stores.

This is your complete eBook formatted for digital reading. Upload this directly to Amazon KDP for Kindle publishing, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble Nook, and any other eBook distributor. The ePub format automatically adapts to the reader's device, font size preferences, and screen orientation. You don't need any special software to upload it — just select this file during the publishing process.

Amazon KDPApple BooksKoboBarnes & NobleDraft2Digital

Pdf Print/

Your print-ready interior — two versions for different printing needs.

This PDF includes bleed marks — extra space extending beyond the trim line that ensures no white edges appear after cutting. Use this file when uploading to Amazon KDP Print, IngramSpark, or any professional print-on-demand service. The bleed ensures images and backgrounds that extend to the page edge print correctly. Most self-publishing platforms specifically request a PDF with bleed.

Amazon KDP PrintIngramSparkLuluBookBaby

This is the same interior as the bleed version, but without the extra bleed marks. Use this to review your book's layout on screen or to send to a local printer that handles trim themselves. Some authors also use this version as a digital PDF for direct sales on their website or Gumroad. It's exactly how the final printed page will look.

Personal reviewLocal printersDigital PDF sales

Source File/

Your editable master files — keep this whole folder intact for future revisions. You don't need to open anything here now.

This is the master Adobe InDesign file for your book's interior layout. If you ever need to update content, fix a typo, or release a second edition, a designer can open this file and make changes without reformatting from scratch. InDesign is the professional standard for book layout. Open it in the same Adobe InDesign version it was created in for a perfect match — if you hit a version mismatch, use the .idml file instead. You'll need Adobe InDesign to open it, but you don't need to do anything with it now.

Adobe InDesign

IDML (InDesign Markup Language) is a portable export of the same layout as the .indd file. Its purpose is compatibility: a designer running a different or newer version of Adobe InDesign can open the .idml without version-mismatch errors. Think of it as the backup that always opens. If the .indd ever refuses to open due to an InDesign version difference, use this file instead — the result is identical.

Adobe InDesign

This folder holds the exact typefaces used in your book's interior. When a designer opens the InDesign or IDML file, these fonts ensure the text renders precisely as designed — no substituted fonts, no reflowed pages. Keep this folder inside 'Source File' and never delete it. It is licensed for use in your book; if you commission revisions, your designer will use these same fonts to keep the design consistent.

Adobe InDesign

Understanding your folders and file names

  • [BookTitle] is replaced with your actual book title
  • Your files are split into three folders: ePub eBook, Pdf Print, and Source File
  • The Source File folder keeps the .indd, .idml, and Document fonts together — don't separate them
  • Keep all files organised in the folders as delivered

Common Questions

Find answers to common questions about our services

ePub: Upload directly to Amazon KDP or any eBook distributor — no special software needed. PDFs: Open with any PDF viewer (Adobe Reader, Preview, Chrome). Source File folder (.indd / .idml / Document fonts): You only need Adobe InDesign here, and only if you want to make future edits. You don't need InDesign for publishing.
For your Kindle eBook: upload the ePub file. For your KDP paperback: upload the Print-Ready PDF with Bleed. Amazon KDP specifically requires the bleed version for print books.
Bleed is the extra space beyond the trim line that ensures no white edges appear after the pages are cut. Use the 'with bleed' PDF for all print-on-demand platforms (Amazon KDP Print, IngramSpark, Lulu). The 'without bleed' version is for personal review, local printers, or selling as a digital PDF on your website.
Not right now. The Source File folder holds your editable InDesign document (.indd), an IDML export (.idml) for cross-version compatibility, and a Document fonts folder with every typeface used in your book. Together they're your 'original recipe' — keep the whole folder intact for future editions, revisions, or content updates. Any designer with Adobe InDesign can work with them; the .idml is the safety net if their InDesign version differs from ours.
Yes! The 'without bleed' PDF works perfectly for direct digital sales via Gumroad, Shopify, Payhip, or your own website. It shows the pages exactly as they'll look in print, without the extra bleed margins.
Send us the whole Source File folder and we can make revisions quickly and affordably. Alternatively, any designer with Adobe InDesign can open the .indd (or the .idml if their version differs) — the bundled Document fonts keep the design identical. This is why we include the source files — they protect your investment.

What's Next for Your Book?

Your interior is beautifully formatted — but readers judge books by their covers. 80% of buying decisions happen at the cover. Let's make yours impossible to scroll past.

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