The first-time author launch guide

Everything between a finished manuscript and a published, findable book — and exactly who handles which part.

By CDMworld · Last updated August 5, 2026

Before you rely on any of this: Amazon's KDP policies, ISBN rules, royalty structures, and technical requirements change over time. Anything below describing how KDP works is general orientation, not current official guidance — confirm the specifics directly in your KDP dashboard and Amazon's own help pages before making decisions.

What CDMworld is, and isn't: CDMworld is not a literary agent and doesn't represent you to publishers or negotiate rights. CDMworld does not automatically become your publisher — you (or your own imprint) remain the publisher of record on KDP. We build your website and guide you through the technical and platform mechanics; we don't make sales guarantees of any kind.

Phase 1 — The book itself

This is entirely the author's and their creative team's work. CDMworld doesn't touch this phase, but here's where each piece fits before the technical side begins.

Manuscript readiness Author — the manuscript is finished, revised, and ready to move toward publication.
Editing Hire an editor — developmental and/or line editing, unless separately quoted by CDMworld.
Proofreading Hire a proofreader — a final pass for typos and errors, unless separately quoted.
Cover design Hire a cover designer — unless separately quoted.
Formatting Hire a formatter — interior layout for ebook, paperback, and/or hardcover, unless separately quoted.

Phase 2 — KDP & publishing mechanics

This is where CDMworld's role is guidance, not ownership. The account, the ISBN choice, and the publish button all belong to you.

KDP account Belongs to you — created and owned by you; CDMworld guides you through setup but never operates your account.
ISBN CDMworld guides — the choice between KDP's free ISBN and buying your own is yours; see our free KDP ISBN vs. your own ISBN breakdown.
Kindle (ebook) CDMworld guides — ebooks generally don't require an ISBN on KDP; confirm current requirements in your dashboard.
Paperback CDMworld guides — print specifications and setup guidance; formatting itself is a separate service.
Hardcover CDMworld guides — where available for your book, same guidance applies.
Book description CDMworld assists — see how to write an Amazon book description.
Keywords CDMworld assists — guidance on selecting search terms that reflect your book accurately.
Categories CDMworld assists — guidance on placing your book where readers who want it are actually looking.

Phase 3 — Author website & online presence

This is CDMworld's core work — see the full Author Launch Package for scope and pricing.

Author website CDMworld builds — see what pages an author website should have.
Domain ownership Stays yours — CDMworld connects or migrates your domain; you own it, always.
Email / contact capture CDMworld builds — a GHL-based contact form so readers, media, and reviewers can actually reach you.

Phase 4 — Publication & after

Publication You publish — you click publish on your own KDP account; CDMworld doesn't publish on your behalf.
Post-launch visibility CDMworld supports — foundational SEO and GEO/AI-search structure on your website, plus 30 days of post-launch support after the site goes live. This is search-visibility groundwork, not a sales or ranking guarantee.

When you might need a professional beyond this list

Depending on your situation, some of the following may also be worth involving — none of them are things CDMworld provides:

An attorney — for questions about contracts, rights, or anything beyond standard self-publishing (e.g. working with a traditional publisher or co-author agreements)
A tax professional — for questions about how royalty income should be reported and handled