Why Did KDP Block My Book? And How Can I Get It Unblocked?

Like any platform, KDP has its rules. And those rules exist to maintain the quality of the books, to protect intellectual property, and to ensure that readers have a good experience.

If, for some reason, your book doesn’t hold to their standards, it might get flagged or even blocked.

If your book gets flagged, it will be temporarily blocked from the marketplace, and you then have the opportunity to repair the issues and get your book reinstated. However, if the issue is severe enough, it could be permanently blocked.

Why Was Your Book Blocked?

The usual reasons a KDP book is blocked are as follows:

1. Copyright Issues: If your book contains content you don’t have the rights to, such as fanfiction based on copyrighted characters or material you didn’t create, it will get flagged.
2. Content Guidelines: KDP has rules about what content is acceptable. This includes restrictions on explicit material, hate speech, or anything that might violate their policies.
3. Formatting Problems: Sometimes, the issue is technical. For example, missing page numbers, poor layout, or unreadable text can cause your book to get flagged.
4. Plagiarism or Duplicate Content: If your book is too similar to existing material—whether intentional or not—it might be blocked.

What to Do When KDP Blocks Your Book

1. Check Your Email: KDP will send you an email with an explanation of why your book got blocked.
2. Fix the Problem: Edit your book to meet KDP’s requirements. Or they may need you to submit proof of originality, etc., so the block can be lifted from your book.
3. Resubmit: Once you’ve resolved the issues, resubmit your book if it was due to something that needs to be updated, and to fix any violations.

Keep Writing

Being blocked by KDP is certainly frustrating, but it’s not the end. All authors, no matter whether they are new to writing or well-seasoned best-selling authors, face challenges and revisions. Just keep going, learn from the experience, make the necessary adjustments, and don’t violate their KDP guidelines and rules.