What common issues cause delays in Amazon KDP manuscript review and how can authors avoid them?
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Executive summary
Authors typically see KDP reviews finish within about 72 hours when there are no problems, but delays are common — especially for public-domain, low‑ or no‑content books, or when Amazon’s automated checks flag issues — and KDP sometimes notifies authors of “temporary delays” or asks for resubmission [1] [2] [3]. Community reports and complaint sites show recurring causes: automated content/rights checks, formatting/price errors, identity or account-verification snags, and high submission volume or slow support responses [2] [4] [5] [6].
1. Automated rights and content screening: the gatekeeper that stalls many titles
Amazon runs automated checks for rights (especially for public‑domain material) and questionable content; when those checks trigger, titles often move from “In Review” to draft or require proof of publishing rights — community threads and forums show public‑domain and low‑content books are disproportionately flagged and delayed [2] [4] [7].
2. Formatting and file errors: a silent but common cause of resubmission
KDP’s review looks for formatting and technical compliance; if the manuscript, cover or metadata don’t meet guidelines the system can reject the submission and ask you to resubmit. Guidance posts and how‑to articles repeatedly advise submitting final, correctly formatted files at least 72 hours before a launch to avoid last‑minute rejections [1] [3].
3. Volume, seasonal backlog and “temporary delays”: unpredictable queue times
Authors report that even normally fast turnarounds can slow without explanation; forum posts show titles that used to go live overnight can sit in review for days, and KDP support has sometimes replied that they’re “experiencing a temporary delay” in publishing some titles [4] [2]. Industry commentary notes that although 72 hours is often cited as a target, real review times vary with submission volume [3].
4. Account and identity verification problems: friction that can block publishing
Customer complaint sites document cases where identity verification or account access (two‑step codes, verification failures) prevents account setup or timely publication; these problems can stop authors from completing required steps and delay release or access to support [6] [5].
5. Pricing, metadata and distribution mismatches: simple mistakes with big delays
Authors in forums report pricing errors and metadata mismatches causing delayed availability or incorrect pricing for days — sometimes affecting promotions and royalties — and requiring manual correction by the author or intervention by support [4] [1].
6. Poor support response and reputational friction: slow human help makes small problems worse
Complaints collected on review sites describe generic or slow KDP customer service responses, which amplify delays when an issue requires human review or escalation; the pattern is repeated in journalistic write‑ups and complaint aggregators [5] [6].
7. How authors can reduce delays — practical steps that align with reported causes
Submit final, properly formatted files and metadata well before your launch date (many guides recommend 72 hours minimum), double‑check rights for any public‑domain or republished material, resolve account verification and two‑factor access ahead of time, and avoid last‑minute pricing or category changes that can trigger rechecks [1] [3] [2]. Community sources also recommend building buffer time into promotional plans because reviews can exceed the 72‑hour target [4] [3].
8. Tradeoffs and the limits of available reporting
Available sources document common causes and community experience but do not provide Amazon’s internal error‑rate statistics or a definitive, up‑to‑the‑minute SLA; advice to “submit 72 hours early” and the 72‑hour target come from guides and user reports rather than an official public performance dashboard [1] [3]. Where sources disagree — for example, on typical review durations — reporting relies on authors’ anecdotes and company guidance, not a single authoritative dataset [4] [3].
9. What to do if you’re stuck: escalation and documentation practices
If review stalls after the usual window, authors report success by first checking error emails or dashboard messages, confirming rights/formatting, then contacting KDP support through the account and keeping copies of communications; if identity or payment issues are involved, complaint sites show prolonged cases where persistence and documentation were necessary [2] [6] [5].
Limitations: sources are forum posts, how‑to articles and complaint aggregators that reflect author experience and guidance; they document common failure modes and user remedies but do not include Amazon’s internal review metrics or process map beyond public guidance [1] [3] [2] [5].