Book covers and trim
7 guides on this topic, in the order we suggest you read them. Start with How to Make a Book Cover for Print and Ebook.
- How to Make a Book Cover for Print and EbookMain guide
To make a book cover, pick your trim size and page count first, because they set the cover dimensions. Then design the front, spine and back, add bleed, keep text inside the safe zone and export a print-ready PDF. For an ebook, you need only the front cover as an image file. - KDP Paperback Trim Size: How to Choose the Right One
Choose the smallest KDP trim size that suits your genre and layout. KDP counts a book as large if it is wider than 6.12 inches or taller than 9 inches, and large books cost more to print. Common choices are 5.5 x 8.5 and 6 x 9 inches. - How to Calculate Spine Width for a KDP Paperback Cover
Spine width is your final page count multiplied by a paper factor. KDP lists 0.002252 inches per page for white paper and 0.0025 for cream. A 320-page book on cream paper has a spine of 0.8 inches. - Paperback vs Hardcover vs Mass Market: Which to Pick
Paperbacks are the standard print format. They cost less to print and suit most self-published books. Hardcovers last longer, cost more and suit gifts, collectors and library sales. Mass market paperbacks are small, cheap books mainly made by large publishers in big print runs. Most new authors start with a paperback. - KDP Cover Calculator Guide: Spine, Bleed and Size
A KDP cover calculator finds the full cover size from your trim size, page count and paper type. The width is two cover panels plus the spine plus bleed. The spine equals the page count times the paper thickness. Always confirm the result with the KDP template before you upload. - Canva Book Cover for KDP: Settings That Work
You can make a KDP paperback cover in Canva by creating a custom-size design that matches your full cover width and height, including spine and bleed. Place guides for the spine, keep text in the safe zone, and export as a print PDF. Check the file against the KDP template before upload. - AI Book Cover Generators and KDP Rules to Know
You can use an AI tool to help make a book cover, but you must follow KDP's rules. KDP asks you to say when images are AI-generated. You also need the rights to use the output, and the cover must not copy another work. Check the quality, the text and the size before you publish.