How to Make Your Own Book Cover in Under 10 Minutes, Using Canva

[@artycraftmom]

Dearest Rachel, I'm on top of the world right now! Thanks to all your guidance, I was able to upload my very first journal, and just a few days later got my very first SALE!!! You and your teachings are simply HEAVEN SENT!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

YES!!!! Congratulations, not only on your first published book, but your FIRST SALE!!!!! Remember, if you can make even $1 online, you can make $100, $1,000, $10,000 and beyond! I'm so thrilled that you've put my guide to use and are already seeing results. Amazing!

[@nyrew06]

this is amazing! are you still selling journals?

[@KeithWheelerBooks]

Rachel, I’m so glad I found your channel after watching your interview with Kelli Publish. I’ve been self-publishing since late 2016, though I’m not at the same financial level as you, yet. I’m so glad to see another self-publisher providing honest, white hat tactics and advice to their viewers. Best of luck to you and thank you so much for sharing your story!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Keith! Thanks for the compliment! I've visited your channel several times and have found your videos really helpful. Like you said, it's great to find someone offering honest advice and long-term strategies for success, rather than shortcuts and short term strategies. Thanks for all your tips; I'll definitely keep watching!

[@tmac8892]

@@RachelHarrisonSund hey! This is the internet. Could we get some nasty, snarky comments going before we get banned from the intrawebs.

[@AjaArrow]

Rachel I'm publishing my first LCB today! I'm so thankful for your tutorials and your knowledge!

[@jade2927]

Congratulations

[@rogermcreynolds6996]

Ah, a closer look, and a little more mental elbow grease, and viola, the deed is done! I have tried off and on for several years to create a cover for the paperback edition, using many KZbin tutorials, and this is the first time I’ve succeeded. Thank you Rachel, and I was able to do it using the free CANVA App, and without paying a professional.

[@VasilKrstevski]

Thank you Rachel! I just "published" my first lined journal thanks to your guidance - very clear steps! :) Greetings from Poland!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

You're welcome! I wish you a mountain of sales! :)

[@Simplewisdomwithandrea]

This is absolutely one of the best tutorials on book covers in Canva I have seen! Thank you so much for sharing. New sub!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Thank you so much Andrea! I'm thrilled that you found the video so useful!

[@diannebutts4466]

OMG. I've searched and searched for how to make a cover for a print book for free and everything I found was so complicated. I'm familiar with Canva and you made it easy. Thank you! I'm excited to give it a go now ... with my first low content book. (You didn't put text on the spine, but I'm sure I can figure that part out.) Thanks again!!

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@purplebliss17]

Publishing today.... I am so grateful for your help. Wish you keeping the success, health and everything you want. 🥰😍

[@stevensouthcoat9961]

Thank you, this is the best tutorial on Canva I have seen.

[@art_strings]

I've seen two of these tutorials now. I feel much more prepared to make my own cover on Canva.

[@CherylYHowardGetYourLifeBack]

Hi Rachel, thanks for sharing. I created a masterclass on how to write an eBook and I'm going to use your tutorial here as a resource for my masterclass participants.

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Cheryl, thanks so much! I appreciate that!

[@journeywiththecampbells]

Hey...I had to comment your video was so clear on how to get things done ..thank you so much.

[@darknessfierce4209]

Bookmarked this one Thank you for sharing your hard work

[@BenjaminUgoji]

Thanks Rachel. Beautifully illustrated.

[@jenniferlambert3886]

Thanks, Rachel! I feel like your experiences / views on design resonate with my own really well compared to other KZbinrs. 😊

[@genevadaye5131]

Thank You, Very Helpful!

[@bobwilson7275]

Many thanks Rachel watched a lot of video's on this could not get my head around the bleed finally a video i can under stand THANKYOU

[@lawrencepatrickmcneela8089]

Thanks a million for this Rachel. Your video was really easy to follow and very helpful. I couldn't have done what I did tonight without your guide.

[@rimshabatool2511]

Its amazing way to make a book cover thanks

[@evelynbourne2500]

Thank you! This was sooo helpful and clear. I've now made my first cover and published my first LCB on KDP!👍🏼❤

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@Coolguyallthetime2k]

Amazon really needs to fix this crap. It’s makes no sense that their cover creator will cause your books to be rejected. Thanks for the video!

[@heatnicoleher]

By far the best tutorial I have found. Thank you so much! Edit - I designed and uploaded several notebooks covers using this method, but the Amazon Specification Details show that it's 120 pages. Not sure where i went wrong...

[@TheMatrixSeer]

Thanks for teaching us how to create a cover. I would like to know where and how I can create the inside of the books...from simple lines up to a more advanced interior??? Thanks in advance for your answer 😊

[@kloveenn9062]

Look up how to create your own kdp interior by pod hustle

[@VictoriaGomez-rf2qw]

Thank you! Thank you!

[@DaniOcean17]

This was very helpful. Thank you. And the final result looks great. Amazing!

[@KJT3000]

thank you so much for this!

[@GaryCarter1956]

You're AWESOME!!! Very well explained and demonstrated.I'm going to practice covers a few times first. Then I'll see you about doing content. Thank you so much.

[@7heavencatholictalkseries]

Thank you! Nicely put together tutorial!

[@cherisepatterson6961]

Thanks for the information! I'm still confused on the dimensions with the template.

[@scarlettmcneilly5718]

I really enjoyed this video! I’m writing my first book now and I am making my first book cover today !

[@kathrynwatkins5510]

its ok I have figured it out ! thanks Kathryn

[@maitreya1906]

So grateful for this tutorial , THANKS

[@AnitaDawes]

I have always wanted to know how to make these, thank you so much for making it look easy!

[@DolphincrierLA]

Love your helpful videos. Feel like a big wide door opened today. Thank you!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

So great to hear, LeeAnn!

[@molecularunity]

Excellent thank you

[@diyday21]

Great video Rachel! Thanks!

[@iheama]

This is so helpful. Thank you Rachel.

[@supermarcusandfam4640]

This video is so helpful even if was made in 2019. I was able to make my nephew's project about making a book cover. Good job! Thanks and God bless! New subscriber here :)

[@kissnmakeupwithali8526]

This was so incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for sharing this information with us.

[@cineseavivamento]

Thank you Rachel!!

[@fabiolaparra8]

Amazing! Thanks Rachel!!!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

You're so welcome!

[@mohammedashraf-tw6oy]

Great idea thanks love from Pakistan

[@LAYDEEPINAYY]

How about if we wanted to make customized pages inside? How can we go about that! Thank you for this simple tutorial you're amazing! Love from Canada

[@naturalmystique1237]

Thanks for this tutorial! I was frustrated for weeks trying to work book bolt's platform..doesn't seem to work. Well done! Let me subscribe toute de suite!

[@rutinesocks]

Thank you🎉

[@jenniferaftene7223]

Thanks so much, Rachel!!! This helped a lot!!

[@BarbTodd]

Nice tutorial!

[@markpetrovic6223]

I'm curious on what to do with the spine if I'm using two images for the front and back. Any suggestions?

[@COJAZZ3]

Great tutorial. Thanks!

[@LillyInHell]

Love the content, Rachel! I have a question regarding the number of pages one should make. When using the KDP template, you put in 200 pages. Does that mean that the printed book will have 100 sheets of paper in it (since every page is printed both sides) or 200? Therefore, how many pages should the PDF file you upload to KDP have? Hope that made sense! Thanks in advance!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Lila! 200 pages means 100 pieces of paper with a page each side. Your PDF will have 200 pages. Hope that helps!

[@LillyInHell]

@@RachelHarrisonSund Thank you!

[@Jordan-jh7ck]

This was so helpful thank you!

[@_Ivonka_]

Thank you so much! It was very helpful for me! ❤️👌☺️

[@blackkitt98]

Hi Rachel! I had published two journals on KDP using covers I made in Canva (free version) before I came across your KZbin channel (which is excellent, btw; I subscribed :-) ). They turned out fine in the end, but it wasn't straight forward. Even though I had created a canvas with the exact dimensions - in inches - and downloaded it as PDF Print, when I uploaded it to KDP the preview showed only the bottom left part of the cover - as if the image size was 4 or 5 times what it really was. I googled this issue and came across other people who mentioned they had the same exact issue when using a cover they made in Canva. I ended up having to open the document in Photopea (a free photoshop alternative) and exporting it as a PDF, then they uploaded properly. I created a couple of other sample covers in Canva, triple checking that the dimensions were correct and in inches, etc., with the same result when I uploaded to KDP. I know lots of people use Canva for their covers, so I'm puzzled by how this happens just sometimes. Thoughts?

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Thanks for the sub! Honestly, I'm not sure what this could be; I've never come cross it myself. Have you tried to email Canva to see what the issue might be?

[@jenniferlambert3886]

Rachel, it’s me again! Due to grad school commitments, I am just now getting around to creating an LCP. Anyway, can you please answer the below question, as I continue to get error messages from KDP on my submissions: How do you handle the *title* if you are submitting the same type of journal but with different cover designs? For example, I keep hearing that the title has to be the same as on the cover, but journals do not vary in their “titles” regardless of the design. Thanks in advance! Jennifer

[@lorinash]

Thank you for this! Very easy to follow. One question -- how do you calculate the size for the bleed and spine?

[@pennz2354]

This is so helpful thank you.

[@paolabueso]

Great tutorial! Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@matrixxafterdark6704]

Love it!AWESOMENESS THANK you

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

You're welcome!

[@bruntwoodestates503]

What an amazing video! Thanks to your excellent teaching, I uploaded my first book today. Yay! But I chose " bleed" for my 6 x 9 lined journal. Should I have chosen "No bleed" when setting up on KDP?

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Congrats Beverly! When you choose "bleed" or "no bleed" within KDP you are choosing this for your interior, not your cover. Your covers will automatically always have a bleed, so you don't need to make that choice. Choose "bleed" for your interior file only if it contains images that extend to the edge of the page.

[@bruntwoodestates503]

@@RachelHarrisonSund Ahhh...this clears it up perfectly. Thanks for responding. Thanks for all you do😊

[@bruntwoodestates503]

Omg...I sold. My first book!! I'm so excited about the possibilities.

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@Jojorocks23]

Hello Rachel, I have reviewed your course and this video... excellent, very helpful. I am looking forward to uploading my first book this week. I have a question about matte or glossy finish. In my Facebook group, many questioned the fingerprint complaints from clients for the matte covers. But also complaints of cracked edges on the glossy. I suppose if the book is darker, the fingerprints would be less noticeable on the matte? What is your preference? Thank you

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi @Jo G. Like you said, there will be some complaints regardless of what you go with. I usually let the type of book and specific cover design dictate my decision. I prefer the look of matte, as it looks more professional to me, but if I'm doing something like a blank recipe book that will spend time in the kitchen, I'll choose glossy so that it can be wiped down if necessary. Or, if my cover has a sparkly design, I might choose glossy so that it brings out the sparkle more. Hope that helps!

[@SarahMJordan]

Thank you so much for an easy to follow video.

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@clairekeen5734]

Amazing! So helpful.

[@loryjones7220]

Thanks for this. How to fill in the spine, though?

[@smartphonetechs8939]

Hi nice video there, but you didn't add the spine why I thought you said spine will be added or aren't they necessary

[@AndrewStephensonKDPLowContent]

nice video, thanks

[@iamlcriley]

Thank you!

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

You're welcome!

[@dananorthover9022]

Great video as usual. I am a bit confused about colour compared to black & white. If you choose the less expensive black & white for publishing will your cover like yours in the video print coloured/green leaves or a grey scale of this cover. Thanks

[@anastasiyapasc8222]

are the free background and images from Canva ok to use for commercial use?

[@theonlychrishale]

This is a great tutorial. Thanks so much for being so generous with this. I am having a problem with the background in canva. After adding the template and locking it in place, when I go to add a background it tells me that the background is locked and that I have to unlock it. So I do, add the background but then it erases my template. I literally did it twice following your directions exactly and everything worked and now all of a sudden it is not.

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Glad you liked it! I've been seeing this as well-it tends to happen while using the background templates, but not regular images. If your template disappears, just add it again on top and lock it. Then, bring the elements you need to adjust on top of the the template by bringing them forward. This way your template will be in between your background and your other design elements.

[@reneedubois]

Just finding your page and loving your content. I'm starting at the beginning, which is how I got to this video. When creating the cover and back page, I noticed you didn't add a box for the barcode, for example, even though it is on the Amazon template. Is that the way Amazon wants it, or do they want you to put a white box for the barcode? Thanks!

[@SpilledTeaWithTheMrs]

Do you have a video for creating interior pages in Canva? Thank you!

[@milight9498]

Het Rachel. I'm working of my first book and just a quick question: if my cover is 8.5 x 11, isn't the interior pages supposed to be less since a cover spreads over 2 pages?

[@scadstersworld5634]

Rachel, I am new to Canva and just today created my first cover for an ebook. I don't know how to transfer that cover to the desktop of my computer. I need to transfer the file to the desktop so that I can upload it to Barnes and Noble Press. Would you please explain how to transfer the cover file to the desktop of my computer? Thanks

[@BritleighKoudelka]

Can you use an inspirational quote on the book cover if you give the author credit?

[@rogermcreynolds6996]

I thought, finally, this will work. But when I loaded my new paperback cover to KDP it was rejected, because it did not fill the entire template--only about 80% of it. Any suggestions? At first, I thought it was because I didn’t Delete the KDP template before downloading, but that didn’t seem to help. Your tutorial was excellent--there must be something I missed.

[@starqueenlotus3755]

What to write on back cover page of log books based on the niche.?

[@scvtdf]

Thanks so much

[@CraigHawks]

I’m following along on this video and I have an issue that I just cannot get past. I do the download of the template from KDP. It saves into a folder called Download. When I go to Canva to do the upload, the template is not there. Nor can I find a way to tell Canva where the Download folder is located. Can anyone help?

[@ranjiegovender5184]

Hi, I'm waiting for my Payoneer account to be opened. In the meantime I'm designing some covers. How many books can I publish for the first time,is there a limit. Thanks. I love your videos, you explanation is so simple. Sending you love and light.

[@hajar1234562]

Hi rachel ! Thank you for this content, it's so inspiring i love it ! I have a question : i designed a cover following your steps, and downloading it in pdf print, but i don't know why, when i launch the print preview on kdp, the title of the book disappears. I tried the same thing for three books and i always get the same problem :(

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@vincentyes5617]

How did u get on this exact page on Amazon or rather KDP “ PAPERBACK COVER TEMPLATE” page..?..

[@Derekphysique]

hi rachel. What if I was wanted to add my very own image? Could that be done through canva as well?

[@umamasyeda6566]

Can anyone tell me that at final look it is showing single broad page The back cover was not showing If we design for someone else should we send him like this

[@kaurji1006]

How do you create these videos. What application do you use to record and publish?

[@chrysanthusokoro9075]

i customized the size of the cover, but cant get other pages(interior)to resize. How do i do that? I guess i have to be premium.

[@VanSile]

Rachel, How would you put text on the spine? Really appreciate your video.

[@c.h.2627]

Sorry, to add to that is there a software out there to help convert your cover and paper sizes?...Im not getting the math portion at all. ;/

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

My math is terrible also, so you're not alone! Are you using a KDP template for the cover? That will have your sizes to add right on it. Width = front cover+back cover+spine+bleed. Height=front/back cover+bleed.

[@MaxWinner]

I found that opening the file in paint to save as jpeg, it gave size dimensions in pixels at the bottom of the page - This can also be found by "right clicking" on the image icon and choosing "properties from the pop-up menu - Not sure about mac, maybe someone could come in and add to this

[@MaxWinner]

I found a free tool online that will show the size - Just upload and it will give you the dimensions in pixels - tools.knowledgewalls.com/onlineimagesizefinder

[@hectorkingjr]

Why is it after I created the cover and then I uploaded it on amazon the book was sideways so I cancelled it?

[@dignairizarrycassens1113]

The problem I have with some of the instructions, such as the KDP one is that terms used are deceivingly simple. For example: # 2 & #3 state to: 1. Create a new layer in your image editing software. This layer will serve as the design layer. 2. Design your cover in the design layer, using the template PDF or PNG file as the guide layer. I don't know what a design layer is. Is it the actual design or graphic I create? or is it a text box I draw (such as when using Word docx "insert" in a document?

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Digna, design software uses "layers" so that you can work with certain elements while not disrupting others. For example, I might have a background image on a background layer, my type on a type layer, and images on an image layer. If my type was over top of my image, I might want to lock the image layer so that it doesn't move when I edit my type. Or, I might want to turn the visibility of my type layer off while I work on the image layer underneath. Similarly, if I'm using a template, I might add a "template" or "guide" layer to place it in, so that I can work freely with the other elements while keeping my template in place. I might turn the visibility of my template layer off while I work on my cover, but then turn it on again once my cover is done so that I can see if it's all within the guides. If you're working in a program like InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator, there is a "Layers" palette that would allow you to do this.

[@honabuy2419]

TNANKS A LOT

[@EffieReal]

Thanks for the tutorial. How do you know the size of the bleed? I couldn’t find it on the template.

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

The bleed should always be 0.125", for both interior and cover files.

[@ChrisBicourt]

So why do you select custom dimensions 12.7 x 6.2 inches in Canva if the template says 6 x 9 with 0.45" spine? Those figures don't seem to add up...?

[@kettyketty637]

Yes she didn't explain

[@AnnaLevinaZubarev]

Fond your tutorial very helpful, however, my dilemma is calculating 8x10 cover the numbers just don't add up on my end... is there a formula to calculating in pixels or inches? None of KDP videos are helpful either. Pls help. Thx

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Anna, be sure to use KDPs cover templates, and then create your file width as front cover + back cover + spine + bleed (.25"), and your height as height + bleed (.25"). Then ensure that when you create your file you do not have bleed selected. Otherwise, it will add an additional bleed in the wrong size. I hope that helps!

[@AnnaLevinaZubarev]

@@RachelHarrisonSund, Thank you for your response, however, my issue my mac doesn't have excel. KDP provides a cover calculator that only works if excel is available on the computer, in my case that wasn't the option. So I just called them and they helped me with calculating that format.

[@peggylindstrom4668]

Hi Rachael how did you label your book cover before you downloaded it. I can’t seem to do that anywhere? Also I’ve made so many book covers and never deleted the template. I didn’t see it when I uploaded to Kdp my image and text covered it up, will it show up in the printing? Thanks

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Hi Peggy, you should be able to enter the title at the top right of your screen. It's okay if you don't delete the template if it's completely hidden, so don't worry, it won't be printed!

[@Davidvrjsullivan]

thank you rachel! xx for some reason the file is too large for me to compress when i download from the kdp file sent. Canva won`t let me upload this until it`s sorted so i`m a bit stuck and i`ve used 2 compress sites, any advice?

[@dianahausler8794]

Doesn't work for me either. I have watched this video 8 times, nothing works - very frustrating. For me, I cannot see the KDP template underneath the book cover template I selected. So, KDP says my measurements are outside of the lines and I cannot publish my book cover. Does anyone else have this problem?

[@olivejuice19]

I followed the same instructions but when I upload my canva cover file and click the preview, it's wayyyyy too big and cuts off like a whole chunk of my cover. I use a macbook. Has this ever happened to you?

[@janetkaygallagher1555]

You are on Canva and you hit publish...where does it go? Does it ask where you want to send it?

[@dlangley012]

Great video however I have a question. Aren't we supposed to modify the actual image/photo for copyright reasons instead of using there unchanged graphic?

[@jameshurst5378]

Hello 👋

[@chinadepowis5952]

can you use canva to create a whole journal (other pages for the journal) as well as the cover for KDP or you can only use canva for the cover only? x

[@RachelHarrisonSund]

Yes. You'll create the cover file as one document, and the interior of the journal as a second document. When you're working on the interior file you can use the "add a new page" button, at the bottom of the page, to add further pages. Or, you can create one lined page and then duplicate that page by clicking the "copy page" button at the top right of the page. Your document can contain up to 100 pages; if your journal is more than 100 pages you can create 2 different documents and then just merge the PDFs afterward. :)

[@CK3CK3]

@@RachelHarrisonSund How about if you want a front and back page that is different. I created page one and then page two which I intend to be the back of the first page. Not sure if this is even possible?

[@kwajrod]

@@CK3CK3 I think you would just add extra pages to your interior file with whatever format you want, e.g. an acknowledgements page in the front and a notes page at the end.

[@hgjames3832]

I've tried this about 5 times and each time I've loaded the cover to KDP, the cover text never appears. It only shows the background I selected for the cover. I've followed your steps on how to add the text and although it does appear on the Canva site it doesn't appear on the KDP site when I upload it. Don't know what I'm doing wrong but another problem is the text size seems very off. A 24 text size on your screen looks very prominent yet on my screen I have to increase the size to 80 before it's visible. I've even selected the exact same fonts and borders you selected but they still don't appear on KDP. Hope you have some advice or suggestions. I did notice this video is almost 2 years old. Maybe the Canva site has changed? Thanks.