kdp

kdp

papyrus kdp builds every enabled Amazon KDP artifact in one shot: Kindle EPUB (if enabled), print interior PDF (if enabled), cover asset copies, and the metadata JSON sidecar.

papyrus kdp
papyrus kdp --require-epubcheck
papyrus kdp --package
papyrus kdp --wrap
papyrus kdp -d /path/to/book -e /path/to/out

Unlike papyrus build, this command fails when neither kdp.ebook.enabled nor kdp.print.enabled is true.

Options

Option Short Default Meaning
--dir -d current directory Book root
--export -e export/ Output directory
--require-epubcheck off Fail ebook build if epubcheck is missing
--package off Also write export/<slug>-kdp-package.zip
--wrap off Also generate wraparound cover PDF + PNG

Print uses the first configured theme (same as kdp:print without --theme).

Enable flags

'kdp' => [
    'ebook' => [
        'enabled' => true,
        'cover' => 'cover-ebook.jpg',
    ],
    'print' => [
        'enabled' => true,
        'bleed_mm' => 3,
        'margin_preset' => 'recommended', // or minimum
        'paper' => 'white',               // metadata + spine formula (e.g. cream)
        'back_cover' => 'back-cover.png', // optional wrap artwork
        'spine_color' => '#1a1a1a',       // optional wrap spine fill
    ],
    'metadata' => [
        'description' => 'Bookstore blurb…',
        'keywords' => ['papyrus', 'markdown'],
        'language' => 'en',
    ],
],
Key Default Notes
ebook.enabled false Gates ebook EPUB
ebook.cover unset Asset under assets/
print.enabled false Gates print PDF
print.bleed_mm 3 Added to trim and each margin
print.margin_preset recommended recommended or minimum
print.paper white Spine formula + metadata (cream allowed)
print.back_cover unset Optional back panel for --wrap
print.spine_color sample front cover Hex fill for spine / generated back
metadata.* see metadata chapter Sidecar + EPUB description fallback

Typical artifacts

Artifact Filename
Kindle EPUB <slug>-kdp.epub
Print PDF <slug>-kdp-print.pdf
Ebook cover copy <slug>-kdp-ebook-cover.<ext>
Print cover copies <slug>-kdp-print-cover-<theme>.<ext>
Wrap cover <slug>-kdp-print-wrap.pdf (+ .png preview via --wrap)
Metadata <slug>-kdp-metadata.json
Package zip <slug>-kdp-package.zip (via kdp:package or kdp --package)

After kdp:print, Papyrus prints a wrap-cover size estimate (spine + full bleed dimensions). Confirm trim with papyrus sizes and Amazon’s current KDP print specs before uploading.

Package for upload

After the artifacts exist:

papyrus kdp:package
# or fold it into the all-in-one run:
papyrus kdp --package

That writes export/<slug>-kdp-package.zip containing the enabled ebook / print / cover / metadata files plus a KDP-CHECKLIST.txt reminder. It does not talk to Amazon — upload the zip contents through KDP’s web UI.

The next chapters document each kdp:* command.