When uploading files to Amazon KDP, authors are given the choice to order proof copies of their physical books to check for any formatting errors or any last-minute changes that need to be made. I knew going in that I would request a single proof of the paperback and hardcover versions of Tomorrow, Oblivion, my debut literary fiction novel.
However, there has been a trend online where users are encouraging people to not request proofs from Amazon during the upload phase as the books come with a stripe across the center of the book that says, “Not for Resale.” These users are recommending that authors wait for their files to be processed by Amazon and released so they are then able to order author copies which will not have the stripe on the cover.
I can understand an author doing this for marketing reasons. Maybe they want a clean copy without the stripe to create content for social media to promote your book ahead of release. Maybe they want to see in its true form.
I understand the appeal of that, but in my opinion, it defeats the purpose of a proof copy. For how my brain works, having a copy that is immediately identifiable as a proof copy is essential because with my luck, I’d get it mixed up with the author copies later on.
Let’s say I didn’t order a proof copy and waited 72 hours for Amazon to review my files. Amazon sends an email and says the tiles are released; author copies are then available for purchase. You still only should order one copy because at this point, you don’t know if there is an issue with your file. It is possible that there is some tweaking that will need to be done to the cover or interior file. That can be true even if the files looked good on preview. It would be a shame for an author to order twenty-five or more copies of their book only to have them arrive with an error. That wouldn’t be Amazon’s fault, but the authors.
Not only that, but you wait the 48-72 hours for the file to be released, then you have to go in and order an author copy. Three days later, you get the paperback (hardcovers take longer). If you order the proof copy at the time of upload, it cuts the wait down about a day or so which can be critical depending on your timeline.
For instance, I uploaded my title to Amazon KDP on Sunday, 10/25 and today, Wednesday, 10/28, I already have my paperback proof, and yet the file was under review until about 6:00 pm yesterday. So, I saved days by ordering the proof at the time of upload.
Let’s say that I didn’t order a proof. That means if my file was approved yesterday, 10/24, and I ordered it yesterday evening, I wouldn’t have my proof copy until 10/30.
Tomorrow, Oblivion releases on 12/01, so Amazon gives me until 11/25 to update my files before the book goes live on Amazon which creates a time crunch to ensure that the files are correct prior to that deadline. If an author is working with a separate cover artist and the cover needs adjusting or a separate formatter, those individuals will likely need a few days at least to correct files and get them back to you. So, each day that passes matters.
By ordering the proof copy, I’ve ensured that I’m not wasting time on having an aesthetically pleasing copy to post on my socials. I can forgo having the pretty copy for a while longer because for now I have my cover design art that I can post in its place while I correct errors.
When I was uploading my cover to Amazon, I was concerned about where the title text ended. I wasn’t sure how close to the edge it was and didn’t want it getting cut off, so I made it a tad smaller. With the physical copy in hand, I can tell that I have room to enlarge it a bit along with the spine text. Fortunately, my interior file doesn’t need correcting.
When I published my first novel in 2023 (women’s fiction – no longer available for purchase), I ordered a matte proof and hated the way it felt. I can’t find the right words, but it was almost fuzzy feeling. It had the strangest texture. So, along with other corrections I had to make on the file, I changed it to gloss and that was what I stuck with. At the time, both the matte and gloss showed fingerprints.
I took a chance with Tomorrow, Oblivion and set it to matte. That weird texture is now gone! It has the same feel as any paperback you would get from a traditional publisher. However, because my cover is mostly black, I wonder if the gloss wouldn’t help make the colors pop more. So I’m debating on switching to gloss.
Overall, I’m happy with the quality of the paperback proof I got from Amazon. Its sufficiently floppy and there aren’t any actual printing errors. Aside from a few tweaks on the cover, it’s precisely what I had hoped for.
Once I’ve made those few adjustments, I’ll wait for Amazon KDP to release my corrected files and move forward with ordering my author copies.
Ingramspark is still processing my files, so I’ve been unable to order proofs from them, but I anticipate the same issues with the cover and will go ahead and make those adjustments prior to ordering proofs. Ingramspark takes longer for just about everything. They take about a week to review files and release them. Printing and shipping take longer as well. Generally, the quality of a book is better when coming from Ingramspark, but if you’re on a time crunch, I generally find that the Amazon copies get the job done all the same (plus they are cheaper).
One thing to note is that the proof copies from Ingramspark do not have any sort of watermark or stripe indicating that they are a proof copy.
On a more personal note, I will say that when I received my package with the paperback proof, I was overcome. I’ve spent 18 months dreaming this book into being, so opening it was an incredibly special moment for me. I definitely cried and haven’t been able to get the smile off my face. Even though this is an Amazon proof with the “Not for Resale” stripe on the cover, I’m incredibly proud of myself and by no means ashamed to post photos of it online. At the end of the day I wrote a 114,000 word literary fiction novel, designed the cover myself, and formatted everything myself, so why on earth should I not be proud?
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