Publishing
Check a physical proof copy before approval
A proof copy is a chance to inspect the book as an object as well as a text. Work through it with the approved files and a clear correction record.
Gather an identified set of files
Put the intended ebook manuscript and cover in a release folder with clear names. Keep the editable source elsewhere and preserve the previous approved export. That separation makes it harder to upload a working draft simply because it appears first in the file picker.
Check the distributor’s current accepted formats and specifications. KDP, for example, supports EPUB files that meet its publishing guidelines and recommends previewing them. A format accepted by one service should not be assumed to meet every other service’s requirements.
Compare the title, subtitle, author name, series information and edition details in the book with the listing you plan to create. A mismatch is easier to resolve before several versions of the same information have been entered in different places.
Preview the book a reader will receive
Open the export before upload, then inspect the platform’s converted preview where one is provided. Conversion may affect appearance or behaviour even when the source file looks correct. KDP’s preview tools allow examination of different device contexts; use the options relevant to the book instead of relying on one default view.
Test the opening, chapter transitions, images, notes and the end of the book. Follow navigation links and return links where they exist. For reflowable text, change the text size and viewing width. Look for content that becomes clipped, detached from its explanation or difficult to follow.
Check unusual characters and passages in other languages. Review any table or image that carries essential information at a small display size. A readable title page does not prove that the difficult pages work.
If you find an error, correct the source and generate a new export rather than leaving the source inconsistent with a patched output. Identify the replacement clearly, upload it and repeat the affected checks. Do not assume that the platform is displaying the newest file without verifying the preview.
Record the release
Keep a note of which files were uploaded, when, and to which service. Preserve the approved preview result or a review note describing the checks performed. If the book is later revised, that record helps distinguish a content change from a conversion issue.
After the listing becomes available, inspect the public title information and any sample the service provides. Upload acceptance, listing accuracy and reading quality are separate outcomes. Close the release only when the relevant stages have been checked, while keeping the source and export available for future corrections.
