Your book’s cover has an important role to play in the success of your latest book. Discover how you can create stunning book covers.

What makes an amazing book is not just superb writing. It’s not just about the words beautifully woven together to create a unique story. An excellent book cover is also crucial for the success of any book.

Why?

Because it creates the first impression for potential readers.

People don’t open books on a whim. They check out the book cover and the back cover to see if it’s worth taking off the shelf.

The same is true for eBooks.

With so many things competing for a person’s attention online, your eBook must stand out from the crowd. And the best way to do that is to create a one-of-a-kind book cover.

In this article, you’ll discover the three ways you can create the best book cover for Kindle Publishing.

The Three Ways

Way #1. Using the KDP Cover Creator

Amazon knows how crucial book covers are when it comes to the success of their eBooks. And they are also well aware that authors aren’t automatically the most visually-creative people around.

That’s why they offer a free tool called the KDP Cover Creator. This allows authors to customise their book covers.

Here’s the step-by-step guide on how to use the Cover Creator tool:

Step #1: Enter your book details 

Before you use the Cover Creator tool, you will first be prompted to input your book details. These include the title, author name, and series information of your book.

Step #2: Upload and wait for the processing of your manuscript 

After inputting relevant information, you will then be asked to upload a copy of your manuscript. It’s important that you wait for it to finish processing before you move on to the next step.

Step #3: Launch Cover Creator on a compatible browser

Find the book you want to create a cover for on your bookshelf. Then, click the ellipsis button and go to Edit Paperback/Hardcover Content. On the Content tab, scroll to find Book Cover and launch Cover Creator.

Keep in mind that Amazon recommends using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox when launching the Cover Creator tool.

Step #4: Choose an image for your cover

Amazon allows authors and publishers to get images from their existing photo gallery. But you can also upload your own photo for the Cover Creator.

If you’re going to upload your own image, be sure to follow these guidelines:

  • Minimum resolution of 300 DPI
  • Legible text
  • Upload in an image file (JPEG, JPG, TIFF, PNG)

Step #5: Pick a template for your book cover

Once you have your image cover uploaded, you can then move on to choosing a template for your book cover. Choose one from a variety of templates available on Cover Creator. Be sure that the template you pick matches the overall theme of your manuscript.

Step #6: Replace placeholder texts with your book details

Click on the appropriate text boxes to input your book title, name, and the synopsis of your book on the back cover. Don’t forget to put your book title not just in front, but also on the spine of the book cover.

Be sure that you’ve replaced all placeholder text boxes with your details. But if there are too many text boxes on your cover, you may simply delete them. You also have the option to change the formatting, font style, and layout of the texts on your cover.

Step #7: Preview and submit your cover 

Before submitting your book cover, you must review all the details. Check if the line spacing is correct or if there are typographical errors. You can then preview your book cover by hitting Save then Preview. Once you’re satisfied with your work, then click Save and submit.

The best part about doing a book cover in Cover Creator is that it’s completely free. The tool is also pretty much intuitive that you can really do it on your own. However, there are limits to what you can do with KDP Cover Creator.

But maybe you’re looking for more templates or if you’re simply not satisfied with the existing templates available in Cover Creator. You can opt to do the next two ways to create book covers for Kindle publishing.

Way #2. Using Canva to Create Book Covers

Canva is an Australian graphic design platform that allows anyone to design anything. Through the online tool, you can create better documents, logos, and even book covers, too.

The free version is powerful enough to give you better options for book cover templates. Plus, it’s as easy to use as the KDP Cover Creator, too.

The only difference in terms of processes is this:

  • Start by clicking the Create Design button.
  • Select a book cover from the variety of design options on Canva.
  • Just like the KDP Creator tool, you have to pick a template that works best for your book.
  • Input all the necessary details, export, and you’re done.

Now, if you want to unlock more features in Canva (and get better book templates, too), sign up for a Canva Pro account. The paid version costs $12.99 per month and this can be used by up to 5 persons at a time.

Way #3. Hiring a Professional

Maybe you’re really not interested in doing any work when it comes to designing your book cover. If that’s the case, then you can hire a graphic artist that can create a specially-designed book cover for you.

This is best if you have a specific artwork you want to include in your book cover. It’s also great if you have enough budget to spare for your very first eBook.

Just keep in mind that Amazon is very strict when it comes to copyright infringement. You also have to make sure that the book cover that you will commission passes the company’s Content Guidelines.

Navigating the Ins and Outs of Kindle Publishing

Covers have a big influence on the readership of a book. In fact, it can impact whether or not your book would become a smash hit. So, carefully consider how you’re going to create a book cover for your eBook.

To be honest, there is no right or wrong answer as to what tool you’re going to use to create your book cover. For as long as the cover looks great and it can pique the interest of your potential readers, then it should be enough.

Now, if you want more tips on how to navigate the terrain of Kindle Publishing, join my upcoming webinar.