How to title a book for Amazon KDP
The title is where your book stands out. The subtitle is where it matches how buyers search. What each one does depends on the kind of book:
| Book | Title | Subtitle |
|---|---|---|
| Adult coloring book | A 2–5 word theme name | What it is, who it’s for, one benefitMidnight Garden: A Floral Coloring Book for Adults with Calming Patterns |
| Kids’ coloring book | The theme, said plainly | The age band parents search forOcean Animals Coloring Book: Big, Simple Pages for Kids Ages 4-8 |
| Puzzle or activity book | The puzzle type buyers search, with a theme or audience | Difficulty and who it’s forGarden Word Search: Easy Puzzles for Seniors |
| Picture book | A character and what happens to them | Optional: the lesson or the occasionPip and the Very Big Storm: A Bedtime Story About Being Brave |
| Comic | A punchy hero, team or story name | Optional: the format and audienceThunder Gate: A Superhero Graphic Novel |
| Novel or nonfiction | Fiction: right for the genre. Nonfiction: the promise | Fiction: often none. Nonfiction: the benefit and the readerThe Salt Orchard: A Novel |
The examples are made up for this guide. Don't put a page or design count in a subtitle unless it's the real one.
What the KDP checks look for
A suggestion that breaks one of KDP's rules is dropped before you see it; warnings and tips still show, so you can decide. The checks run again on anything you edit or paste into the checker. They follow KDP's published guidelines, and KDP still reviews every book.
- Length. Title and subtitle together under 200 characters.
- Other people's names. No brands, licensed characters, celebrities, other books or other authors (“for fans of”).
- Claims. No “bestselling”, “#1”, “free”, sales or prices. “Stress-free” is fine.
- Keyword stuffing. The same generic word (“book”, “coloring”, “gift”, “journal”) twice, or a subtitle that reads as a list of keywords.
- Other fields. Series numbers (“Book 2”) and editions have their own fields in KDP, and HTML or web addresses don't belong in a title.
- Style tips, marked as tips because KDP doesn't write them down: a main title over 60 characters gets skimmed, ALL CAPS reads as shouting, and Amazon adds “Kindle” or “Paperback” itself.
Should your title use the same words as competing books?
Use the plain words buyers type, like “coloring book”, “word search”, “for kids ages 4-8” or “mandala”: every book in the niche shares them, and KDP only objects when they're repeated. Don't borrow another book's title, series name or author. Put the shared words in the subtitle and keep the title your own. ColorCraft's Niche Research lists the words the top titles in a niche share; paste them into “Words to include” above.
Book title FAQ
Sources
- KDP: Metadata guidelines for books (title, subtitle and series rules)
- KDP: Books titles and editions
- KDP: Guide to Kindle content quality (metadata)
- KDP: Update your book details (the 72-hour title window)
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 33, works not protected by copyright
Rules checked against KDP's help pages on November 7, 2026. The brand and character screen is a screen, not legal advice. Also see the KDP spine width calculator and the KDP royalty calculator.