Robert Prime
Founder, publishing.co.uk · Co-owner, LoveReading network · Self-published author of Google. Panic. Repeat.
UK-based · 25+ years in eCommerce and digital publishing · Writes here about UK self-publishing, KDP formatting, and the things authors only find out the hard way.
What I do
I run publishing.co.uk — a UK book-formatting service for self-published authors using Amazon KDP. We turn DOCX manuscripts into KDP-ready paperback PDFs and reflowable Kindle EPUBs in under 24 hours, from £69. Every file is audited against the same 36-point KDP rejection checklist before delivery.
I co-run the LoveReading network — a UK book discovery and reader-recommendation platform with 100,000+ readers, operating since 2018. We work with both traditional publishers and indie self-publishers to surface books that match readers' actual tastes.
I founded MrPrime — an Amazon strategy consultancy for UK brands doing £200K-£3M in annual Amazon revenue. I've spent 20+ years inside Amazon's marketplace ecosystem and seen the patterns repeat.
I write the guides on this site myself. They draw on what I've learned formatting 500+ self-published books, building eCommerce businesses on Amazon, and self-publishing my own work.
My book
I self-published Google. Panic. Repeat. in the early days of my eCommerce career — a frank account of building, scaling, and breaking digital businesses. Going through KDP's upload-rejection-fix cycle for that book is the reason I now know exactly where most UK self-publishers trip up. Half of what's on publishing.co.uk is rooted in mistakes I made on that file.
What I write about here
I write about the practical, UK-specific edge of self-publishing that most online advice misses:
- UK copyright — what's automatic, when registration helps, how to evidence ownership. Start here.
- KDP formatting — margins, gutters, fonts, embedded metadata, the things KDP rejects you for without explaining. Run the free Readiness Score.
- UK-specific obligations — ISBNs, legal deposit, VAT on books, the bits American guides skip
- Amazon marketplace mechanics — categories, keywords, ad strategy, why launches succeed or stall
- The honest economics of self-publishing — what's worth paying for, what's not, when £200 gets you better output than £2,000
If you read one thing first, the copyright guide is probably the highest-leverage. If you have a manuscript ready, run the free 60-second audit before you upload anywhere.
How to reach me
- Email: hello@publishing.co.uk — goes straight to my inbox. I read every email and answer most within a working day.
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robert-prime-0668378
- Twitter / X:
- Other:
If you've spotted a factual error on a guide here, or have a UK self-publishing question that isn't answered elsewhere on the site, send me a note — those questions are what shape the next round of guides.
What I'm not
I am not a UK copyright solicitor, not a tax adviser, and not a literary agent. The guides on this site are practical operational guidance based on lived experience and verified sources. For specific legal/tax/contract questions, the Society of Authors (whose members get free initial legal-query support) or a qualified UK IP solicitor is the right call. I link to primary UK government sources throughout my guides so you can verify everything I claim against legislation.gov.uk, the IPO, the British Library, and Nielsen directly.
Selected work and credentials
- Self-published author — Google. Panic. Repeat. (multiple editions, Amazon KDP)
- Founder — publishing.co.uk (2025-present)
- Co-owner — LoveReading network (since 2018)
- Founder — MrPrime Amazon strategy consultancy
- 25+ years in eCommerce, including early-stage startups through enterprise-scale Amazon operations
- 500+ UK self-published books formatted via publishing.co.uk to date
- 100% KDP-acceptance rate on files we deliver (with the unlimited-revisions guarantee that backs it)
Last reviewed and updated: May 2026. If anything on this page is out of date, please tell me — hello@publishing.co.uk.
