So. You log into your KDP dashboard, coffee in hand, dreams of bestseller status in your heart… only to be met with the terrifying words:
“Your account has been suspended.”

Cue the dramatic music. Fade to black. Maybe a few choice words.

If this has happened to you, first: deep breath. You are not alone, you haven’t broken the publishing universe, and no — Jeff Bezos probably doesn’t hate you personally.

Account suspensions on Amazon KDP have become one of those things — like forgetting to save your Canva design or sneezing mid-voiceover. Annoying, disruptive, occasionally panic-inducing, but (mostly) fixable.

So Why Do Accounts Get Suspended?

Amazon KDP has systems in place to detect potential policy violations, copyright issues, spammy content, metadata problems, and a range of other “automated red flags.”
Sometimes those systems are accurate.
Sometimes they are… shall we say… a little overzealous.

Your account might get flagged for:

• Reusing content that’s too similar to another book (even your own)
  This might be templates or interiors that look identical to ones already on the platform, or multiple books that only differ by a single word in the title.

• Inconsistent or misleading metadata
  Metadata is basically the information you enter when you publish your book — like the title, subtitle, author name, description, categories, and keywords. Amazon uses this to decide where your book should appear and how it should be found. If you tell Amazon it’s a "wellness journal" but pop it in the “Finance” or “Romance” category… the system gets confused (and suspicious).

• Poor-quality interior or cover files
  This could be a fuzzy, stretched or pixelated cover image, pages that are off-centre or cut off, or a design that just doesn’t print cleanly. Imagine someone paying for your journal and opening it to find blurry fonts, weird margins, or graphics that look like they were made in Microsoft Paint in 1999.

• Duplicate titles, keywords, or excessive keyword stuffing
  Keywords are the search terms people might type into Amazon to find a book like yours — for example, “self-care planner” or “menopause journal.” You can list up to 7 when you upload. But if you repeat the same ones over and over, or cram in every possible combination (like: “wellness, wellness planner, wellness tracker for women, planner wellness, daily wellness, weekly wellness journal wellness wellness wellness”) — that’s keyword stuffing. Amazon doesn’t like it. The bots get twitchy.

• Uploading lots of very similar books very quickly
  Even if they’re totally legit, bulk-uploading 10 “Daily Affirmation Trackers for Teens” on the same day can look like spam. And the bots really don’t like spam.

• Content that Amazon’s bots think might be AI-generated
  Especially if it’s vague, repetitive, or matches patterns from previously flagged uploads. (Even if it wasn’t AI-generated, it can still get caught in the net.)

• Or just… vibes. Sometimes, it’s vibes. The system spots something it doesn’t like and sends your account into a time-out.

What To Do If Your Account Gets Suspended

1. Don’t Panic.
   Honestly. It’s horrible, yes. But most suspensions are not permanent bans. Stay calm and businesslike.

2. Check Your Email.
   Amazon will usually send a message explaining why your account was suspended or under review. It may be vague (annoyingly vague), but it’s a starting point.

3. Respond Professionally.
   Send a polite, clear reply. Acknowledge the issue, ask for clarification, and — if you do know what caused it — offer a short, respectful explanation of how you’ll fix it.

4. Fix What You Can.
   If there’s something obvious (like an error in your keywords or a cover image that looks like it was printed through cling film), make the correction. Don’t resubmit yet — wait for KDP’s reply.

5. Don’t Create a New Account.
   Seriously. Amazon will spot it. It’ll make things worse. This isn’t the time to go rogue.

6. Consider Getting Help.
   If things aren’t moving, you can escalate by replying again, or (if you're really stuck) contacting KDP support via Author Central or even — gently — reaching out on Amazon forums. Just avoid ranting. (Or at least rant privately, into your coffee mug.)

How To Avoid Suspension in the First Place

Let’s be clear: you can’t guarantee immunity. Even the most angelic, rule-abiding publishers sometimes get caught in the algorithmic crossfire.

But here’s what you can do:

🟢 1. Only Upload Original or Properly Licensed Content.
If you’re using templates, interiors, or even images from other sources, make sure you have the correct rights — and modify things enough that it’s truly yours.

🟢 2. Keep Your Metadata Clean.
Stick to what your book actually is. Don’t try to game the system by using unrelated categories or descriptions. Describe your book clearly and honestly, and keep your keywords natural and relevant.

🟢 3. Don’t Upload Ten Identical Books in One Afternoon.
Even if they’re all totally legit, Amazon might assume spam. Pace your uploads. Breathe.

🟢 4. Quality Check Like a Pro.
Make sure your interior isn’t blurry, misaligned, or full of typos. Likewise, check your cover resolution and spine alignment. A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t be happy paying £7.99 for it, don’t publish it that way.

🟢 5. Read the KDP Content Guidelines Occasionally.
I know. They’re about as exciting as a rice cake. But skimming them now and again can save you a world of drama.

🟢 6. Back. Everything. Up.
Keep copies of your interiors, covers, keywords, and descriptions somewhere safe — just in case you need to prove you created them.

One Last Pep Talk

Getting suspended feels personal. But in reality? It’s usually an algorithm doing its slightly robotic thing. The key is to stay calm, respond clearly, and keep going.

And if you haven’t been suspended? Brilliant. Let this blog post be the reason you never are. 🫶

Keep creating your beautiful books, trackers, planners, journals and guides — and keep being the wise, creative, rule-abiding rebel we both know you are.

And if the KDP gremlins ever do come for you?
You’ll know exactly what to do.

Want a simple checklist to help you stay in KDP’s good graces?
Click HERE to access a plain-English checklist you can use before you hit publish (amongst other free resources!).

Love and light,

Anne xx