Create a book cover using Amazon KDP's cover calculator and template.

[@StevePeel]

I've created this channel to help you succeed in self-publishing. If you like these videos give them the thumbs up and subscribe. If you also have some helpful information, add it in the comments. Cheers. Steve.

[@liveandlovenutrition4687]

I subscribe to not many people ( a handful) and I just had to subscribe to you. Thank you, thank you for this video! It is the only one I found that helps perfectly and thank you for taking your time with it! I wish you all the best in all you do! Cheers!

[@StevePeel]

Brilliant, thank you very much and all the best! Steve

[@AngeleKamp]

The left to right page-turn direction had me boggled. Thanks for explaining that at the beginning of the video :)

[@StevePeel]

:) Thank you, Angele. Steve

[@leahrichardson9774]

I can't tell you how immensely helpful this was! I have searched a lot of videos and your made it very easy to follow along and practical, very thankful for your assistance. Thank you for making the time to make and share this!

[@StevePeel]

Thank you, I’m glad it helped. All the best, Steve 🤙

[@souhardyakundu4120]

Damn that was sooo helpful.. Thank you so much Stephen!!

[@StevePeel]

You're welcome 🤙

[@annegrace7925]

Thank you so much for the video! This is my first book, and this was so helpful.

[@StevePeel]

So glad it helped Anne, all the best. Steve.

[@MasterLife.Ministry.Inc.]

Thank you. I followed step by step and my book cover was approved by KDP within 25 hours.

[@StevePeel]

That's great, well done 🤙

[@luisrivera5314]

Thanks for all you did to make this video.

[@StevePeel]

🤙

[@nnbrn1444]

@Stephen. Thank You sir. Thank you. Detailed and straight to the point!!!

[@StevePeel]

🤙

[@blessedffs]

Thank you so much. I was so confused on page turning direction settings. This video helped me alot!

[@StevePeel]

You’re welcome 🤙

[@tomnelsondrums]

very helpful, thanks Stephen

[@StevePeel]

Thanks, Tom 🤙

[@akovattana]

This was exactly what I needed to complete a cover on Canva using the downloaded KDP cover calculator. I did find that when I downloaded the PMG it was an inch too small for the KDP cover. I then downloaded it as a print ready PDF and that was the right size.

[@StevePeel]

That's great Amanda 🤙

[@baileyellard1]

Thank you Stephen. Until I saw this video of yours, I just couldn't figure out that read left-to-right thing!

[@StevePeel]

Thanks Brian, glad it helped 🤙 Steve

[@laurieandreoniwilson597]

Outstanding tutorial - thanks so much!

[@StevePeel]

You're welcome. Steve.

[@patchadventures9247]

Awesome video, explained all the questions I had. 🤙🏼

[@StevePeel]

Brilliant, thank you. Steve.

[@lisawhittybradley]

GREAT REVIEW! THANK YOU

[@StevePeel]

You’re very welcome Lisa.

[@shango6100]

Thank you so much very helpful!!!!!!

[@StevePeel]

You're very welcome 🤙

[@tommarello01]

Indeed! Glad I found your video because I too was thinking that the new cover template (opposed to the directions in the majority of older tutorial videos) calculates the overall dimensions that can now be entered straight into Canva, Illustrator etc. Without having to manually approximate bleed, spine, margins and what have you? Thus it seems a much improved system. Many thanks in advance, Stephen.

[@StevePeel]

Cheers Tom. I'll be more likely to use the templates.

[@theverseshed]

Very useful and very clear explanations of what happens on-screen. My main comment would be that you based the design process upon using just text with a single image chosen and inserted across the whole cover and placed beneath the text. It would be useful if you also looked out uploading any whole, or just front cover design images that folks create beforehand (after having decided upon the required dimensions). Also, how to use a mixture of typed-in text with the addition of uploaded and inserted, separate image files.

[@StevePeel]

Hi, thanks. I think the idea was to keep it simple for those that can’t create complex designs through other apps. I feel that if someone is capable of creating such covers, they might as well download it as pdf and publish that. That said, I could have looked at all the template options to present other ideas, so I might create an updated video on that. Your suggestion of the front cover design is a good one 🤙

[@denisebowen9803]

Thank you for this video. Regarding the KDP Template, I followed the instructions however, the bleeds on either cover refuse to stay on the canvas

[@StevePeel]

Hi I commented to you on you’re other comment 🤙

[@Sammy_Worships]

Much appreciation for sharing the video. Is it popped to increase the kdp size on my cover Editor app?

[@StevePeel]

Hi, I’m not sure what you mean by popped to increase. Can you elaborate please Micky 🤙

[@davebrzeski]

I'm not sure how likely you are to see a comment posted on a year old video, but I do have some questions. I tend to add all the text to my cover art first, so I'd be simply adding several images, over a black background. Does Canva handle that sort of thing easily. Does it have layer support. I only have the free version, as I can't afford the monthly fee for the pro version. I note that you didn't mention the dpi in the video. KDP templates tend to come in 600dpi, but we always upload in 300fpi, same as with the internal illustrations. I assume you need to make sure the dpi of imported images matches that of the template, or does it not matter, as you drag all the images to fit, and set the final dpi when you save it?

[@StevePeel]

Canva offers a straightforward overlay feature, allowing image fading for blending. While it has limitations, there are ways around them. Regarding DPI, don't fret over it. KDP printing is fine with 200 DPI, even if they recommend 300 DPI. Due to the paper quality and matte finish, achieving photorealistic images isn't going to happen. However, downloading CMYK colour images from Canva might give you the best outcome. I've used RGB images at 150 DPI without issues, but for A4 full-page prints, opt for the highest resolution possible. As to Canva's claim of 600 DPI, I can't verify its accuracy, but it shouldn't be a concern. KDP will print based on their capabilities, irrespective of the original DPI. Steve.

[@davebrzeski]

@@StevePeel In the end, I worked out how to do it in GIMP. 😉

[@brooksanderson1903]

Great video! Very helpful! If I don't have my own barcode and ISBN, will Amazon create them and put them on the back cover for me?

[@StevePeel]

Yes, you simply choose to use their ISBN when you are publishing your book and the barcode automatically goes on the back page lower right corner, so don't put text in that part of the back cover.

[@brooks.anderson6742]

Thanks very much@@StevePeel!

[@StevePeel]

🤙

[@askimiag2648]

Great video, however I have a question. Once templet is completed what are the dimension that you use on Canva for a new project?

[@StevePeel]

Written on the template on the righthand side with be the OVERALL DIMENSIONS. Those measurements will be what you create your Canva page with. Once you have created the Canva page and uploaded the template, click on the template in the uploads, and it will drop onto the page, then pull the left top corner of the template and the right bottom corner until it fits on the Canva page. Do not drag the uploaded template onto the Canva page; just click on it. Otherwise, it will be out. Steve

[@MultiNesha123]

When i published both my front cover and back cover shows in the website. Together, but others' only the front side shows in the website. How can i fix that.

[@StevePeel]

I need a little more detail. Is the website your own or something else?

[@FuzzyAason]

what about the content inside the book? Is it right to say that I can fill up the entire space and try to make both pages meet in the middle?

[@StevePeel]

What content you put inside is entirely up to you. If you’re going bleed, you can fill to the edges, double-page or not. View my video on double page spreads about meeting in the middle.

[@denisebowen9803]

Thank you for this video. Regarding the KDP template, I am having issues with the bleeds on both covers. The vertical ones refuse to stay on the canvas. So, as a result, I did not take the template fully to the end of the canvas. If I had done that, the bleed would cut off. Will it affect the size of the cover? Thanks for responding.

[@StevePeel]

Hi, quite often I don’t use the templates, but you must make sure your cover size is the size the template states it should be. For example; a cover width for a book of 8.5x8.5 might be somewhere in the region of 17.334, or thereabouts. If you are not using templates at all, when you go to view your uploaded PDFs during publishing, there will be a message to the left of the cover screen to tell you the correct sizes. Like I say, I often don’t use the templates and just upload the cover and see how it looks in the viewer. If things look uneven, I go back to Canva, move things about and upload the new cover PDF. I’ll keep doing that until it looks great in the viewer. Also, if your cover image is not all the way to the edges, you could end up with white uneven edges on all sides where there is no image. However you look at it, you have to allow for a small bleed edge to be trimmed off. Steve

[@StevePeel]

If you still have trouble after that, email me your cover file, and I'll take a look, including the internal page sizes with or without bleed. [e-mail]

[@jessicaroberts8250]

Should the dimensions of the cover be bigger than the dimensions of the pages?

[@StevePeel]

Yes, because the book cover takes into consideration the thickness of the book due to the spine. Also, even if your internal pages do not have bleed, your cover does. Steve

[@pop-uplaw]

Hi Stephen! Thanks a lot for the great video! How about the ISBN barcode?

[@StevePeel]

Hi, if you are referring to the ISBN barcode on the back of the cover, done automatically by Amazon during the printing process, you don't have to do anything other than leave space for it. As in, do not put text near that rear righthand corner. If you are referring to the barcode on the book's last manuscript page, again, Amazon does that automatically and will use the previously blank page to print that. Amazon will add a blank page for the manuscript barcode if you don't have a previously blank page. If you are referring to the one you might have purchased, you don't need to do anything other than enter that you already have an ISBN during KDP publishing. Amazon will then automatically print the ISBN barcode on the cover as before.

[@pop-uplaw]

@@StevePeel I meant the first, thank you!

[@mwj5368]

What happens if you choose cream paper. I notice the page count range changes, but is there pros and cons to choosing cream. I thought it might look nicer than plain white but does that increase the cost of a hardcover POD book with KDP? You choose a random page count of 300 but isn't the number of pages suppose to be known, or important for first timers? I know my manuscript pages are 186 and it's not a long novel so is 24 - 776 page range is all I need to enter or do they need an exact number?

[@StevePeel]

Cream paper is great for fiction-like novels, whereas I'd recommend white paper if the book has colour images or is non-fiction. Regarding page count, if you know the count, enter it as close to that as you possibly can because calculations will be made regarding the cover, including the spine and gutter margins. A gutter margin on a page count 24 will be much narrower than a gutter margin on a page count 500.

[@mwj5368]

@@StevePeel Hi Steve! Great help! I wrote a trilogy and want to do "Rapid Release" but getting a page count it seems a domino effect to get it determining trim size, margins, loading my manuscript into the template and then I guess knowing my page count then taking the template to Canva to do the rest then back to KDP to load it in finally I guess and barely holding my head up being up all night and better go to bed and liked and subscribed. Thanks for your help and will see what I can do!

[@StevePeel]

@mwj5368 😀Welcome to self-publishing, it’s hard work, but it can save you a fortune.

[@mwj5368]

@@StevePeel You're so good I've been slowly going over your video and almost verbatim typing your instructions my learning curve is so flat ha! You enter 300 pages so the spine area is nice and wide but I wonder if one does that once it gets down to manufacturing or the POD you'd end up if you have a lot less than 300 like me, my regular manuscript is 186 for my Book One, the spine cover would be far to wide so really you need to do the trim and margins etc first or you'd be in trouble, right? Really I like your tutorial because you know how to teach. There are so many with tutorials and they streamline things or go far too fast. If you're working like with MidJourney their images are only 96dpi and WEBP files and when you convert to the required JPG or TIFF the dpi drops to only 75dpi. You got to make sure you get the "--ar2:3" aspect ratio in your MJ description and even then I wonder if it's really at 2560 x 1600 and 300dpi for a 6 x 9 cover like KDP requires or your POD covers end up being very grainy etc. It's a job and a half like you say and I've really been going through the school of hard knocks and first had to extend my launch from 9-1 to 10-1 and now thinking I might have to change to 10-15. Now some saying don't use MD for book covers and spent $60 there for 2 months so far plus they don't say add another $10 a month because you can't use MD without Discord... wow! I haven't even started an author website and being low budget I must make it my musician website too it seems. The covers are so critical and they say you got 5 seconds to hook a shopper with the thumbnail. Any other advice appreciated. Thanks as I am grateful to you!

[@themaltwhiskytrail6714]

Hi stephen, I have my own ISBN Bar code and I am not using amazon's, I guess I just put my ISBN barcode in the box shown on the amazon KDP's cover template?

[@StevePeel]

Hi, an no. All you do is, go through the motions of publishing your book on KDP, and when you get to the second section - Paperback Content - where you upload the manuscript and cover files. Right at the top it will ask you if you want to get a free KDP ISBN or use your own. Simply choose the option to use your own then follow the instructions. It’s that simply for the ISBN number. Amazon will create the barcode and place it on the back of the book.

[@StevePeel]

If you still wish to use your own barcode image, just stretch it an extra couple of millimetres over the barcode section of the template.

[@themaltwhiskytrail6714]

@@StevePeel thanks your you help

[@ashrodders]

alright mate love the channel btw learnt alot ive got this problem and im watching the vidoes but cant get around it i wanna resize my book so it can publish ive set the interior pages as 8.5 x 11 inch illustrated how do i resize my cover so it fits what do i put into KDP cover template? do you know what custom size i can make the cover i know its gunna be huge but its just for my kids please help me mate

[@StevePeel]

Thanks Ash: Binding Type: Choose Paperback or Hardback depending on your preference. Interior Type: Choose either Black and White or one of the 2 colour options. Paper Type: Choose your colour. Page Turn Direction: Left to Right. Measurement Units: Inches. Interior Trim Size: 8.5 x 11. Page Count: Whatever it is. Press: Calculate Dimension. Press Download Template. It downloads as Zip, open the PNG file. Use the widest and largest hight size on the template. Steve.

[@ashrodders]

thank you i did this and it all seemed ok until i preview the KDP at the bottom its got white space like a line and I've made sure in canva i have expanded the background and images past the trim way past the template i know im asking a lot but do you have any idea what this could be I've attempted to do this so many times @@StevePeel

[@StevePeel]

@ashrodders Do me favour, take a screenshot of the Print Preview and email it to me and I’ll have a look in the morning. It does sound strange. [e-mail]

[@ashrodders]

awesome i just seen this im going through and learning alot i made some improvements il get that screenshot as soon as i can preview it again i stupidly tried to approve again, thanks steve your channel is dope btw i pretty much nearly got it all created and published watching these lol obviously still got far to go yet but thanks for the knowledge @@StevePeel

[@StevePeel]

@ashrodders Brilliant 🤙

[@outofthebox7]

I can't figure it out.... I put in the template, and I want to add two images/pics (PDF), one for the back cover and one for the front cover, with a black background color. Just as I put more one images, the template disappears and I'm nowhere again. Can you please help see what I am doing wrong, I've done it another time and I didn't have a problem. Thanks.

[@StevePeel]

If you're adding images on top of the template, the template will vanish behind that image, which is the idea, so that you can move images or text about on top of the template. If you are using an image as large as the template like a background, then the whole template will vanish behind it, so you will need to send that background image backwards. What program are you using?

[@outofthebox7]

@@StevePeel Thanks! Windows and Canvas. It wasn't that. The template got removed once you placed a second image, you couldn't find it. I solved the problem in a strange way. I copied the one image that could be placed (but not always!) on the template, then removed it, then added the other image and then I pasted the previous image and it kept them all with no problem. Another time, this was not an issue. Don't know what was going on. Probably spiritual in nature. Thanks a lot for you time and interest!

[@StevePeel]

@outofthebox7 Ah, then make sure to place your template on the page before dragging the corners of the image into the places you want. If an image or template is dragged into the page, it will become a background image, then if you do the same thing with another image, that image will take priority and the first one will vanish. Sometimes the back button will let you try to place it. Always click on your images to add them and don't drag them from the sidebar, and only slowly pull them into position. Steve

[@outofthebox7]

@@StevePeel Thank you!

[@marshalkara216]

I am confused about the page count, when we put the number of pages do we put it in as single sheet or should we count back and front as page 1 and 2, supposed my manuscript has 100 pages which would mean my printed book will have 50 pages, so which number should we put in 'page count' ?

[@StevePeel]

Each physical sheet of paper in a book has two pages, the front and the back. So a book of 100 pages is 50 sheets, but you put 100 pages in the page count. Think of the numbers, 1,2,3 and so on. Steve.

[@marshalkara216]

Thanks.. 😊😊

[@AphroditeLee]

Hey there!

[@StevePeel]

Hi Aphrodite, welcome and all the best. Steve

[@williamwells1862]

I am on the sight as I watch this. The first page does not even work. It stops after the third insert. Watt gives. Is their another link??

[@StevePeel]

What site are you looking at, and what stops after the third insert. Can you be more specific so I can do my best to assist?

[@silentscriptoriumnomore]

Brooo… I am not new to writing, I have been a published author over 20 years now … but I am new to publishing… even newer in using professional software like adobe pro er’ damn thing along with Microsoft pro publishing license er’ damn thing. Wtf with fixing the bleed on these software platforms?!?? Before I throw my new pc out the window what the trick? I feel like I’ve tried everything 😩 there’s still a white line on kdp print preview !!! Helpppp!!!

[@StevePeel]

I know what you mean, I don’t use either of those apps, but with some apps, the PDF conversion doesn’t always go so well. I was amazed when I used Canva and found the PDF conversion was spot on. Also make certain to add .125” to width and .250” hight. I’ve never had the white line issue with Canva.

[@silentscriptoriumnomore]

@@StevePeel really?, I tell you what, I have been having so much trouble ever since I downloaded these expensive office and adobe apps, I believe its the business account Microsoft 365 that is messing me up I will see what i need to do fix this, thanks for the quick response I appreciate it!!!!

[@silentscriptoriumnomore]

​@@StevePeel