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Publishing your book

Keystone's output is publication-ready: the PDF is a print-quality file and the EPUB is a standards-compliant e-book. When the writing is done, the last step is getting those files to readers — Keystone produces the artifacts, and a publishing platform handles printing and distribution.

Which file goes where

  • PDF → print. Print-on-demand (POD) services and offset printers take a PDF. Match your page setup to the printer's spec first — trim size via papersize and binding margins via geometry (see Book metadata).
  • EPUB → e-book stores and readers. EPUB is what e-book retailers and reading apps expect. Set a cover with cover-image so it appears in the store listing and the reader's library.

These platforms turn your files into a printed book, an e-book listing, or both — you upload, they handle the rest. Common starting points:

  • Lulu — print-on-demand and distribution.
  • Amazon KDP — print and Kindle on Amazon.
  • IngramSpark — print distribution to retailers and libraries.
  • Draft2Digital — e-book distribution across multiple stores.

Keystone doesn't endorse any of these. Each sets its own specs for trim size, bleed, margins, and metadata — read theirs and match yours in pandoc.yaml.

Before you upload

A short checklist for a first book:

  • Pick a trim size and set papersize / geometry to match the platform's template.
  • Add a cover. cover-image covers the EPUB; print covers are usually a separate wraparound file the platform builds to your page count.
  • Get an ISBN if you want retail distribution — some platforms provide one free.
  • Proof the PDF at full size, and open the EPUB in a couple of readers to check how it reflows.
  • Fill in your metadata — title, author, description, and keywords all carry into the files (see Book metadata).

The file you built is the file you publish — there's no separate export step.