Book Cover Design for Indie Authors
Book Cover Design for Indie Authors is just as important for indie authors as it is for traditionally published writers. Whether you do-it-yourself or hire it out with such services as Fiverr, Upwork and even Reedsy. A well-designed book cover is essential for attracting readers and increasing book sales. Whether you’re browsing online, in a bookstore, or at the library, book covers are often the first thing that catches your eye. An appealing cover can entice readers to pick up your book and learn more about it.
DIY Book Cover Design Options
If you’re an indie author on a budget, there are several cost-effective options for creating your own book cover:
Free online eBook cover software: There are a number of free online tools that can help you create a basic eBook cover. These tools typically offer a limited selection of templates and graphics, but they can be a good starting point if you’re new to cover design.
Book cover software provided by KDP Kindle: If you’re self-publishing with KDP Kindle, you can use their free cover design software to create both eBook and print covers. This software offers more flexibility than free online tools, but it still has some limitations.
DIY with Adobe software: If you have Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, you can create your own book cover from scratch. This is the most versatile option, but it also requires the most design expertise.
Create on Canva: You can even use the the easy to access templates using the online software called Canva.com
Professional Book Cover Design Services
If you don’t have the time or skills to create your own book cover, you can always hire a professional designer. There are many freelance designers who specialize in book covers, and you can find them on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Reedsy.
Additional Resources
Smashwords Cover Requirements: Smashwords is an eBook publishing platform that accepts covers in JPEG or PNG format. Your cover must be at least 1,400 pixels wide, with a height greater than the width.
KDP Cover Requirements: KDP has a print-on-demand platform that accepts covers in PDF format. They have premade templates for book covers for eBooks, paperback and hardback covers. The Kindle covers can be in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format. Your cover must be at least 1500 pixels wide, with a height of at least 1600 pixels.
Draft2Digital Cover Requirements: Is a print-on-demand platform that accepts ebook covers in a JPEG at 1600px x 2400px and the paperback cover can be created using their cover design template or upload a full cover in PDF format 300dpi and CMYK color format.
Ingram Spark Cover Requirements: Is a print-on-demand platform that accepts ebook covers in a JPEG at 1600px x 2400px and the paperback cover can be created using their cover design template software or upload a full cover in PDF format 300dpi and CMYK color format
ISBN Numbers
If you’re self-publishing your book, you will need to obtain an ISBN number. This is a unique identifier for your book, and it is required by most retailers. You can purchase an ISBN number from Bowker or they can be assigned by your Print-on-Demand company.
Barcode Numbers
The Barcodes are created for paperback and hardback covers by the print-on-demand company based on the information you added during your upload for each of your titles.
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