Making Books With AI and Canva to Sell on Amazon KDP

Amazon KDP, aka Kindle Direct Publishing, is basically a way for anyone to get their book out there—ebooks, paperbacks, hardcovers—all straight on Amazon. No publisher needed, you keep full control over your content and pricing, and boom—your book can reach millions of readers worldwide.

Upload your book, choose eBook or print, and boom—Amazon sells it worldwide. You keep full control, earn up to 70% royalties, and OWN your work. No gatekeepers. No stress. Just slay.

For video instructions, check out:

Check out Rachel Harrison-Sund for a great video rundown.

Or visit her webpage at Rachel Harrison-Sund for her 3 step guide.

Step 1: Get set up

Go to Amazon KDP and sign up with your Amazon account.
Fill in your author info, tax info, and payment details—so you can get paid, duh.

Step 2: Prep your book

Make sure your manuscript is ready: Word, PDF, or eBook format works.
Create a cover (you can design one in Canva or Photoshop). Make it pop—remember this is your first impression!

Step 3: Upload to KDP

Click “Create a new Kindle eBook” or “Paperback”.
Upload your manuscript and cover.
Fill in book details: title, author name, description, keywords (these help people find you), and categories.

Step 4: Choose pricing & royalties

Decide your price. KDP lets you earn up to 70% royalties on eBooks in certain regions.
Pick KDP Select if you want extra marketing perks like Kindle Unlimited.

Step 5: Hit publish

Click “Publish” and wait for Amazon to review it (usually 24–72 hrs).
Once live, your book is on Amazon worldwide. Slay!

Pro Tips

Poster image/cover matters: Make it scroll-stopping, especially for Pinterest traffic.
Use links on your blog/Pinterest: Don’t embed heavy videos on the page—link out to YouTube or KDP preview.
Marketing matters: Share your book on social, in emails, or via Pinterest pins.

Heads up for Canva & KDP users

Some people have gotten banned on Amazon KDP after uploading PDFs made in Canva. Here’s why: Canva embeds extra info in PDFs, and using Pro elements or AI tools (like Magic Eraser) can trigger KDP’s system. Even if you say you didn’t use AI, your PDF could expose you. Some creators have lost accounts over this—check comments on videos about “KDP account terminated.”

The issue comes down to how Canva pays artists. If someone exports and sells a design, the original creator only gets paid once. Plus, not all art on Canva is legal—last year, Canva removed hundreds of stolen PRO images. On top of that, artists (especially with AI-generated or hand-drawn art) are increasingly issuing takedowns, so there’s a real legal risk.

Even publishing public domain books isn’t always safe. Some creators have had KDP accounts suspended or terminated for putting freely available content online, even for print editions. Amazon’s rules are strict, and appeals aren’t always successful.

Why IngramSpark is a safer move:

You still get global distribution and professional-quality print.
It avoids the metadata and AI risks from Canva.
You maintain full control and ownership without worrying about KDP shutting you down.
Your books can still appear on Amazon (and other retailers) without using KDP.

Many authors who ran into KDP issues now prefer IngramSpark. One creator even said it was a blessing in disguise: their book went live on Amazon through IngramSpark without any problems, and they’re much happier with the quality and options.