Answering Top KDP Queries: KDP Book Cover Dimensions
Do you want to publish your book through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing? Well, one thing you need to consider and work hard on is your book cover. A perfect cover can attract readers and make a difference in your book and this is why understanding the dimensions for KDP book covers is crucial.
This article will explain the dimensions for KDP book covers, the significance of proper sizing, and where you can find the latest guidelines on KDP. Let’s dive in!
What Are The Different Formats?
When writing for KDP (excluding hardcovers which are less popular), you have two primary types of books: eBooks and paperbacks. Each has different dimensions for the cover.
eBook Covers
eBooks are books that customers download to read on Kindle e-readers, tablet PCs, or mobile phones. The general dimensions for eBook covers are:
- Minimum: 1,000 pixels in height and 625 pixels in width.
- Ideal: 2,560 pixels in height and 1,600 pixels in width.
These dimensions ensure your cover looks sharp and attractive on every device. Why would anyone want this? A cover that is not large enough can appear blurry or pixelated, which will send a reader packing.
Paperback Covers: Dimensions for KDP Book Covers
Paperback covers are for soft books that you can hold in your hands. The size of the dimensions will often depend on the size of the book you choose for sizing. Some common sizes include:
- 5″ x 8″ (12.7 x 20.32 cm): Ideal book cover size for Memoirs, Short Story Collections, and Poetry Books.
- 5.5″ x 8.5″ (13.97 x 21.59 cm): Novels, Novellas, Memoirs, Poetry Books and Short Story Collections.
- 6″ x 9″ (15.24 x 22.86 cm): Ideal book cover size for Self-Help Books, Novels, Business Books and General Non Fiction.
- 8″ x 10″ (20.32 x 25.4 cm): Ideal for Children’s Books, Art Books, Educational Textbooks, Cookbooks, Workbooks and Manuals.
- 8.5″ x 11″ (21.59 x 27.94 cm): Ideal book cover size for Cookbooks, Workbooks, Manuals, Children’s Books, Art Books, Planners, Journals and Educational Textbooks.
Examples of the more popular Amazon KDP paperback book cover specifications can be seen in our Etsy shop. There we we offer high-quality premade book cover templates for a variety of page counts and trim sizes to save Amazon KDP publishers time and energy.
Remember that a paperback book cover specifications includes the spine and back cover as well unlike the eBook cover which simply has a front cover. This means that you have to take into consideration the total width: the front cover, the spine, which is determined by the number of pages, and the back cover. Thankfully, there is an official tool known as the Amazon KDP Calculator which assists users is finding out the precise dimensions for book covers.
Why is Correct Size Crucial?
Your next question may be, “Why does getting the size right matter so much?” The reason is simple: accurate dimensions mean you have an attractive, professional-looking cover for your book. Here’s why proper sizing matters:
Professional Appearance
An adequately sized cover will make your book look polished. You’re far more likely to grab a beautifully designed, attractive cover off a bookshelf.
Printing Quality
Incorrect dimensions for KDP book covers may cause distortion or cropping. Suppose after hours of designing a lovely cover for a book, you find that it gets clipped when printed. Well, all your hard work goes down the drain.
Reader Experience
With eBooks, incorrect sizing of the cover will spoil your reading experience. Readers are likely to get bored before reading your book if the cover appears stretched or blurry.
How Wrong Dimensions Can Impact Your Finished Product
You have now completed writing your book and devised a great cover. You can hardly wait to see it on the print or web page. Suddenly, you notice that the dimensions were wrong. Here is what can go wrong:
Unsharp Images
If the image of your cover is not large enough, it may be pixelated and blurry, thereby coming out very unprofessional.
Crop Issues
When you have wrong dimensions, KDP will cut part of your cover, and the resulting parts of your cover will be missing or confusing. This may make text on the cover appear cut off or perhaps pictures on it.
Poor Sales
When your book’s cover is not attractive enough to attract readers to buy the book, then you may never sell your book. A great-looking cover is the difference between a sale or a lost opportunity.
Reference to KDP Resources
Thankfully, KDP does provide additional resources to help direct you through the design process of the cover for your book. They include in-depth guidelines and templates, which will take the hassle out of doing it for you.
Where to Find the Most Recent Guidelines for KDP and Dimensions For KDP Book Covers
The easiest thing to do just to see the most current dimension guidelines is to follow these instructions found on the KDP site:
- Go to the KDP website.
- Click on the Help section.
- Type in “cover guidelines” or “book cover dimensions.”
This will bring you to the latest, ensuring your cover meets all the requirements.
Conclusion
Developing a book cover is one of the exciting facets of publishing. Remember that dimensions count too; regardless of whether an eBook or paperback, getting the sizes right will help your book look professional and reach out to readers.
Using the guidelines and resources on KDP will bring you one step closer to producing a cover that really shines against this somewhat crowded marketplace. Ready to design your book cover? Let the creativity blossom.
Be sure to check out the premade book cover templates in our Etsy shop if you want to make the design process super easy and quick.
FAQ
- What is the best size for an eBook cover?
An eBook cover would be ideal at 2,560 pixels in height and 1,600 pixels in width. - Can I use the same cover for eBook and paperback?
You can use the same design but change the size to fit the proper requirements for eBook and paperback covers. - What happens if I upload a wrong-size cover?
When you upload a cover with the wrong size, it will look blurry, cropped, or unprofessional, which might discourage a customer from buying your book.