eBook Formats, DRM & Distribution
Get Your Book Everywhere
Open interactive version (quiz + challenge)Real-world analogy
Think of eBook formats like languages. PDF is like English — widely understood but rigid. EPUB is like Esperanto — designed to be universal and flexible. MOBI is like a regional dialect that only Kindle speaks. You need to speak the right language for each bookstore, or your readers can't understand you.
What is it?
eBook formats are the file types that different reading devices and platforms understand. Distribution is how you get your book into all the online bookstores worldwide. DRM is copy protection technology. Together, these three decisions determine who can read your book, where they can buy it, and how they experience it. Getting this right means your book reaches maximum readers with minimum friction.
Real-world relevance
Mark Dawson, a self-published thriller author earning $500K+/year, goes Amazon-exclusive for launch with KDP Select, then moves to wide distribution after 90 days. Joanna Penn started Amazon-exclusive but moved to wide distribution in 2018 and found that 30% of her income now comes from non-Amazon platforms. Brandon Sanderson's record-breaking $41M Kickstarter delivered eBooks in EPUB, MOBI, and PDF to satisfy all reader preferences.
Key points
- PDF — The Universal but Rigid Format — PDF preserves exact layout on every device, making it ideal for workbooks, checklists, and design-heavy books. But it doesn't reflow text for small screens, so reading a PDF on a phone is painful. Best for direct sales on Gumroad, your website, or lead magnets.
- EPUB — The Industry Standard — EPUB is the open standard used by Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and most non-Amazon platforms. EPUB3 supports reflowable text, embedded fonts, audio, video, and interactive elements. It's the format you'll use most for wide distribution.
- MOBI & KPF — Amazon's World — MOBI was the original Kindle format but Amazon now prefers KPF (Kindle Package Format) via Kindle Create. KPF supports enhanced typesetting, drop caps, and better formatting. When uploading to KDP, submit a .docx or .epub and Amazon converts automatically.
- Calibre — The Swiss Army Knife — Calibre is free, open-source software that converts between any eBook format. EPUB to MOBI, PDF to EPUB, you name it. It also manages your eBook library, edits metadata, and previews how books look on different devices.
- Amazon KDP Formatting — KDP accepts .docx, .epub, .kpf, and HTML. Use Kindle Create (free) to convert your manuscript into KPF with professional formatting. Always preview with Kindle Previewer before publishing — formatting issues are the #1 reason for KDP rejection.
- Draft2Digital for Wide Distribution — Draft2Digital distributes your eBook to Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, libraries (OverDrive), and 15+ platforms — all from one upload. They take 10% of list price and handle formatting, ISBN, and conversion for free.
- ISBN — Do You Need One? — Amazon doesn't require an ISBN (they assign a free ASIN). But for wide distribution, you want one. In the US, ISBNs cost $125 for one or $295 for 10 through Bowker. Some countries (Canada, some EU nations) offer free ISBNs. Draft2Digital provides free ISBNs.
- DRM — Pros and Cons — DRM (Digital Rights Management) prevents copying but frustrates legitimate buyers who want to read across devices. Amazon offers optional DRM on KDP. Most successful indie authors skip DRM — piracy is minimal for eBooks, and DRM hurts more than it helps. Studies show removing DRM can increase sales by 10%.
- Distribution Strategy — Go Amazon-exclusive (KDP Select) for 90 days to leverage Kindle Unlimited reads and promotional tools, then go wide. Or go wide from day one via Draft2Digital + direct KDP. Amazon typically accounts for 60-70% of eBook revenue, but wide distribution builds long-term stability.
Code example
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ eBOOK FORMAT COMPARISON │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌──────────┬───────────┬──────────┬───────────────┐ │
│ │ Format │ Reflowable│ Platform │ Best For │ │
│ ├──────────┼───────────┼──────────┼───────────────┤ │
│ │ PDF │ No │ Any │ Workbooks, │ │
│ │ │ │ │ design-heavy │ │
│ │ EPUB │ Yes │ Apple, │ Wide distrib, │ │
│ │ │ │ Kobo,B&N │ most books │ │
│ │ MOBI │ Yes │ Kindle │ Legacy Kindle │ │
│ │ │ │ (old) │ (deprecated) │ │
│ │ KPF │ Yes │ Kindle │ New Kindle │ │
│ │ │ │ │ publishing │ │
│ │ AZW3 │ Yes │ Kindle │ Kindle │ │
│ │ │ │ │ delivery │ │
│ └──────────┴───────────┴──────────┴───────────────┘ │
│ │
│ DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM COMPARISON: │
│ ┌────────────────┬──────────┬─────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Platform │ Cut/Fee │ Reaches │ │
│ ├────────────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────┤ │
│ │ Amazon KDP │ 30-35% │ Kindle, KU │ │
│ │ Draft2Digital │ 10% │ Apple,Kobo,B&N,15+ │ │
│ │ Smashwords │ 15% │ Apple,Kobo,B&N │ │
│ │ PublishDrive │ 10% │ 400+ stores │ │
│ │ StreetLib │ 10% │ EU-focused stores │ │
│ └────────────────┴──────────┴─────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ISBN COSTS BY COUNTRY: │
│ USA (Bowker): $125/one | $295/ten │
│ Canada: FREE (through govt) │
│ UK: FREE (through Nielsen) │
│ Australia: FREE (through Thorpe-Bowker) │
│ Draft2Digital: FREE (D2D-assigned ISBN) │
│ │
│ RECOMMENDED WORKFLOW: │
│ .docx → Calibre → .epub + .pdf │
│ → Kindle Create → .kpf (for KDP) │
│ → Upload .epub to Draft2Digital │
│ → Upload .kpf to Amazon KDP │
│ → Sell .pdf on Gumroad/website │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘Line-by-line walkthrough
- 1. The format comparison table shows that PDF is the only non-reflowable format — it looks identical on every screen but can't adjust text size for phones. Choose PDF for visual content, EPUB for everything else.
- 2. The distribution platform table reveals that Amazon takes 30-35% but reaches the most readers. Draft2Digital takes only 10% and reaches 15+ platforms from one upload — the best option for going wide.
- 3. ISBN costs vary wildly by country. If you're in Canada, UK, or Australia, you get free ISBNs from the government. US authors can use Draft2Digital's free ISBNs to save $125.
- 4. The recommended workflow shows you need three outputs from one manuscript: KPF for Amazon, EPUB for wide distribution, and PDF for direct sales. Calibre handles the conversions for free.
- 5. Notice MOBI is marked as deprecated — Amazon is phasing it out in favor of KPF. Don't waste time creating MOBI files manually; KDP converts your uploads automatically.
Spot the bug
Distribution Plan:
- Format: PDF only (looks the same everywhere!)
- Platform: Amazon KDP only
- DRM: Enabled (prevent all piracy!)
- ISBN: Skip it (Amazon gives ASIN for free)
- Price: $9.99 everywhereNeed a hint?
This plan has at least 4 strategic mistakes. Think about format compatibility, platform reach, DRM impact, and future flexibility.
Show answer
1) PDF only won't work — KDP needs EPUB/DOCX/KPF, and PDF doesn't reflow on Kindle devices. 2) Amazon-only limits you to 60-70% of the market — go wide with Draft2Digital for Apple, Kobo, etc. 3) DRM frustrates legitimate buyers and studies show removing it increases sales by 10%. 4) No ISBN means you can't distribute widely later. Get a free one from Draft2Digital to keep options open.
Explain like I'm 5
Imagine you drew a picture and want to show it to all your friends. But some friends can only see photos, some can only see drawings, and some can only see paintings. You need to make copies of your picture in different styles so everyone can enjoy it. That's what eBook formats are — different styles of the same book so every reader's device can show it!
Fun fact
The EPUB format is technically just a ZIP file with a different extension. If you rename any .epub file to .zip and unzip it, you'll find HTML files, CSS stylesheets, and images inside — it's basically a website packaged in a container. You can even edit the HTML directly to fix formatting issues!
Hands-on challenge
Download Calibre (free) and experiment with format conversion. Take any free EPUB from Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org), convert it to PDF and MOBI using Calibre, and compare how it looks in each format. Then create a distribution plan for your eBook: list which platforms you'll use, which formats you'll need, and whether you'll go Amazon-exclusive or wide from day one.
More resources
- Calibre - Free eBook Management and Conversion (Calibre)
- Draft2Digital - Free eBook Distribution (Draft2Digital)
- KDP Formatting Guide - Official Amazon Documentation (Amazon KDP)