How I Started Creating Coloring Books & Journals for Amazon KDP (Beginner-Friendly Guide Using Canva, Tangent Templates & Creative Fabrica)

When I first dipped my toes into the world of online income, I kept hearing the same advice over and over again:

“Start with low-content publishing on Amazon KDP.”

At first, I didn’t even know what “KDP” meant — but once I realized how simple it was to create things like journals, coloring books, planners, and activity books (using tools I already loved!), I was hooked.

Today, I’m sharing everything I wish someone had told me on day one. This post walks you through exactly how I create my coloring books and journals, the software I use, and how you can publish your first book on Amazon too.

Whether you’re creative, crafty, or just looking for a practical way to earn passive income, this guide will help you get started.

What Is Amazon KDP (and Why It’s Perfect for Beginners)?

Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is Amazon’s self-publishing platform. You upload a book file → Amazon prints it → Amazon ships it → you get paid.

✔ No upfront costs

✔ No inventory

✔ No printing

✔ Worldwide distribution

This is why KDP is so popular for “low content” books like:

• Coloring books

• Journals

• Planners

• Sketchbooks

• Logbooks

• Activity books

These books don’t require writing full chapters — you’re mostly designing pages, repeating patterns, and creating useful layouts.

The Tools I Use (Beginner-Friendly + Budget-Friendly)

1. Canva

I use Canva for:

• Designing page layouts

• Creating coloring pages

• Formatting journal templates

• Designing KDP covers

• Adding text, borders, and details

If you’re not a graphic designer, Canva’s drag-and-drop features make everything simple.

2. Tangent Templates

This is one of my favorite tools because it gives you:

• 120+ ready-made interiors

• KDP sizing templates

• A cover calculator

• A font pairing tool

• A listing helper

• An interior designer tool

It saves HOURS of time, especially when making journals or planners.

3. Creative Fabrica

This is where I source:

• Coloring page graphics

• Patterns

• Fonts

• Illustrations

• Procreate brushes (if you draw)

• Bundles with commercial use licenses

It’s a massive resource for creators, and the licensing is extremely generous for KDP publishers.

How I Create Coloring Books for KDP: Step-by-Step

This is the process I personally use every time I create a new coloring book.

Step 1: Choose Your Niche

Ask yourself:

• Who do I want to help?

• What themes are already selling?

• Can I make something unique?

Some popular niches:

• Animals

• Mandalas

• Cute chibi characters

• Nature scenes

• Affirmations

• Flowers

• Holiday coloring books

• Witches, fairies, fantasy

• Simple coloring books for seniors

Tip: Search Amazon for “coloring book for…” and see what auto-fills.

Step 2: Create or Source the Artwork

✏️Option A: Use Creative Fabrica

• Download coloring page bundles

• Check for “commercial use”

• Use them as-is or modify in Canva

  <This is perfect for beginners.>

🎨Option B: Create Your Own in Canva

• Use “draw” tool

• Use shapes + lines for patterns

• Vectorize sketches

• Add backgrounds

🖊Option C: Draw Your Own (Procreate, Photoshop, etc.)

If you’re artistic, this gives you full uniqueness.

Step 3: Format the Interior (Canva or Tangent Templates)

The most common KDP sizes for coloring books:

• 8.5 x 11 inches (most popular)

• 8 x 10 inches

Page count:

50–120 pages

If using Canva:

1. Create a new design with custom size

2. Upload your graphics

3. Place one coloring page per sheet

4. Leave margins around the edges

5. Add page numbers if you want

If using Tangent Templates:

• Choose “Interior Designer”

• Select your size (8.5x11)

• Add your graphics to their grid

• Export as PDF

Step 4: Create the Book Cover

Amazon requires:

• Front cover

• Back cover

• Spine

• ALL in one PDF

Use Tangent Templates Cover Tool:

• Enter page count

• Enter book size

• Download template (PNG)

Then:

1. Upload template to Canva

2. Create your cover on top of it

3. Remove template before exporting

Tips:

• Use bright colors

• Add large text

• Keep it simple and professional

• Make sure the spine text is centered

Step 5: Export Your Files Correctly

Interior (PDF print)

• No bleed OR bleed (depending on your design)

• Black and white (unless you’re making a color book)

• High resolution

Cover (PDF print)

• CMYK colors

• Correct dimensions from Tangent Templates

How I Create Journals for KDP

Journals are even easier than coloring books.

Step 1: Pick Your Journal Style

Examples:

• Daily journal

• Gratitude journal

• Therapy / shadow work journal

• Trauma healing prompts

• Pregnancy journal

• ADHD planner

• Wellness tracker

• Fitness log

Step 2: Interior Creation

With Tangent Templates:

Pick an interior like:

• Lined pages

• Dot grid

• Graph paper

• Habit trackers

• Weekly planners

• Goal pages

Then customize using:

• The Interior Designer

• The Graphics tool

• The Fonts tool

With Canva

1. Create blank page

2. Add lines, headers, trackers

3. Copy/paste pages to repeat

4. Add prompts, dates, affirmations

How to Upload Your Book to Amazon KDP

Go to: kdp.amazon.com

Then:

Step 1: Create a New Paperback

Click: “Create → Paperback”

Step 2: Fill Out Book Details

• Title

• Subtitle

• Author name (pen name is OK)

• Description

• Keywords

• Categories

• Adult content: No

Step 3: Upload Files

• Upload interior PDF

• Upload cover PDF

• Preview

Fix any errors before continuing.

Step 4: Set Pricing

Recommended price for coloring books:

• $6.99–$9.99

Recommended for journals:

• $5.99–$8.99

Then hit Publish!

Books usually go live within 72 hours.

Keyword Tips for More Sales

Use keywords like:

• “Coloring book for adults stress relief”

• “Cute animal coloring book for kids”

• “Daily journal for women”

• “Guided journal for healing”

Use these in:

• Title

• Subtitle

• Description

• 7 KDP keyword boxes

Affiliate Marketing Tip (Important!)

Since this is your first blog post, it’s the perfect place to add affiliate links to:

• Tangent Templates

• Canva Pro

• Creative Fabrica

• KDP tools

• Graphic bundles

• Tablets, iPads, Cricut tools

• Home office accessories

Readers who want to follow your exact process can click and buy — earning you commission.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Avoid these:

❌ Using graphics without the correct commercial use license

❌ Exporting covers in RGB instead of CMYK

❌ Making interiors with margins too small

❌ Forgetting to check bleed settings

❌ Overloading with too many fonts

❌ Publishing in a niche with no demand

❌ Creating low-quality or pixelated images

Final Checklist Before You Publish

✔ Niche researched

✔ Interior sized correctly (PDF print)

✔ Cover sized correctly (PDF print)

✔ Has bleed/no bleed set correctly

✔ Commercial licenses for graphics

✔ Clear title and subtitle

✔ Keyword-rich description

✔ Proof copy ordered (optional)

✔ Price chosen based on competition

Final Thoughts: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

When I created my very first coloring book, I had:

• No design background

• No idea how to use Tangent Templates

• No clue how formatting worked

• No prior publishing experience

But the tools are so beginner-friendly that I was able to publish my first book in just a few days.

Creating coloring books and journals for KDP is one of the easiest, most creative ways to start building passive income — and once you publish one book, you can rinse and repeat forever.