DAN VAU
Book Cover Designer for Amazon KDP, Google Play & Apple Book
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How big should your full wrap cover file be?
Width = bleed + back cover + spine + front cover + bleed
Height = bleed + trim height + bleed
Example: 5 x 8 in paperback, 246 pages, white paper, B&W
Width: 0.125 + 5 + 0.554 + 5 + 0.125 = 10.804 in
Height: 0.125 + 8 + 0.125 = 8.25 in
KDP wants one single PDF with the back cover, spine and front cover as one image, at 300 DPI or higher.
Tip: use KDP's cover calculator to confirm your numbers before you export.
What trim size are you publishing at?
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Bleed and safe area: where your artwork goes, and where your title must stay.
For a KDP paperback cover:
-Bleed: 0.125 in added to the top, bottom and outside edges. Backgrounds and images must run all the way to the bleed edge, because that strip is trimmed off.
-Safe area: keep front and back text and images at least 0.125 in inside the trim line.
-Spine: keep spine text at least 0.0625 in from the spine edges, and don't let front or back text run into the spine.
-Resolution: 300 DPI minimum.
In the picture, red is the bleed that gets cut, white dashes are the trim line, and gold dashes are the safe area.
What's the most common cover mistake you see?
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How many pages does your spine need? Start with the page count.
Spine width (in) = page count x multiplier
-White paper, B&W: 0.002252
-Cream paper, B&W: 0.0025
-Standard color: 0.002252
-Premium color: 0.002347
Example: 246 pages x 0.002252 = 0.554 in.
Two things to remember:
1.Spine text needs at least 79 pages. Below that, KDP can reject a cover that has spine text.
2.Always use your final page count. Adding or removing pages changes the spine and moves your title.
Which paper do you print on?
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A sample project: matching covers for a cozy mystery series.
Two Kindle ebook covers, one consistent look across Book 1 and Book 2, with titles that stay readable at thumbnail size. A self-initiated sample project, not client work.
If you are planning a series, I can design all the covers to match.
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