
Image courtesy of bigstock.com
Hello SErs. Harmony here. Here is the first part of the seventh installment in the post series dedicated to taking a step-by-step look at how to get your finished manuscript from your computer and on sale on Amazon in both ebook and paperback.
If you’d like to take a look back at the previous posts in this series, please click on the links below:
Outline: https://wp.me/p7OGru-29c
Part 1 (Software for Writing) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-29t
Part 2 (General Formatting Necessities) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-29J
Part 3 (Ebook Conversion) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2ah
Part 4 (Paperback Formatting) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2eS
Part 5 (Image Software for Making Book Covers) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2gi
Part 6 A (Using Amazon’s Cover Creator Tool for eBook) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2gQ
Part 6 B (Making your own ebook cover to upload to Amazon) : https://wp.me/p7OGru-2hQ
To make it easy to browse back and forth, I’ve set all links to open in new tabs. As this series progresses, I will update the links for you so that each post includes links to all past posts in the series.
So, here’s Part Seven A: Using Amazon’s Create Tool to make your Paperback Book Cover.
First of all, you’ll need to log in to your KDP account and find the book you’ve set up on your dashboard. Click on the ‘edit paperback content’ option by clicking the three dots on the right-hand side of the row.
Scroll down the page until you come to the ‘add book cover’ section. As with the ebook in Part Six A, you’ll want to click on ‘use cover creator …’
Also as with the ebook, follow the prompts and choose your images, fonts, etc. This time, you will also need to consider the spine text and back cover, instead of only front-cover matter. The creator tool will walk you through all of this, including choosing styles, etc.
For a quick refresher on the creator tool options, see Part Six A: https://wp.me/p7OGru-2gQ
It is worth noting that if your page count is below 100, then KDP will not allow you to add spine text. Instead, this slim area will be left blank.
Below is an example of a finished cover using Amazon’s cover creator tool and viewing it on their online previewer. I used one of their stock images for this mock-up …
Amazon will add the barcode for you when they process and publish all the files into a book.
As with the ebook cover creator, Amazon’s stock images and templates are limited. So, if at all possible, please try and make your own bookcover for upload, which I will show you in Part Seven B on April 20th.
Once you’re happy with the cover, click on ‘save and submit’, and KDP will save your book cover for you.
That’s it from me for today. I hope you’ve found this post useful. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, and I’ll see you all again on Monday, April 20th, where we’ll be taking a look at making your book cover for your paperback: Part SevenB–Creating your own PDF file.
©Harmony Kent 2020
(If you're reading this post on or after April 20th, 2020, then here's the link for Part 7 B in the How to Publish with KDP series: https://wp.me/p7OGru-2kf. Please note, the link won't work until April 20th, 2020.)
I have quickly gone through your series this morning and plan to go back and read each one in detail. It looks like exactly the information I need. I noticed a highlighted note at the end of each post starting with, “In case you’re reading this after” such-and-such a date…. ” I haven’t been able to see the text after that date. Can you please tell me what those messages say? Thank you, and thanks for all the detailed information.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Janet, I’m so pleased you’re finding this post series helpful. The note at the end provides a link to the next post but may not display on all devices. Best of luck with your publishing endeavours. I’d love to know how you get on 😊
LikeLike
You can find April 20th’s post here: https://wp.me/p7OGru-2kf 😊
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Archer's Aim and commented:
Harmony Kent shares more publishing how-to’s in KDP from Story Empire.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the reblog, PH 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just might have to try this out. Thanks, Harmony! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Best of luck with it. I’d love to know how you get on. Thanks,, Yvi 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
Those of you who have been following Harmony Kent’s series on how to publish with KDP will want to check out her post on Story Empire today. She gives a very comprehensive explanation of how to create a cover for a paperback novel, and you’ll probably want to save this for future reference. Enjoy, and pass it along if you can, so that others can learn from it, too. Thanks, and thanks, Harmony, for such a well thought-out and informative post! 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome. So glad you’re enjoying the posts. Thanks so much for sharing, Marcia 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have used cover artists but will look forward to the next installment to see what can be done. Thanks, Harmony
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome. Thanks, John 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😊
LikeLike
Very handy, Harmony. I did this only once and it went pretty smoothly. It’s been so long though, and I’m sure a lot has changed. I did end up using my own book design, but I’m drawing a blank on how I did it, so I’ll be look forward to Part B of this post.
Another good one today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it. Thanks, Mae 😊
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing another piece to the KDP Publishing puzzle, Harmony! These have been great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you’re enjoying them. Thanks, Jan 😊
LikeLike
Very helpful post, Harmony, and one of these days, I may be referring back to it. For now, I have a cover designer I love working with, so I don’t do my own, but you never know what changes life will bring your way, as has been made painfully clear in recent weeks. So I keep these kinds of lessons for when I might need to do things differently. And I also share them for those who can take immediate advantage of this information. I’ll be reblogging on TWS after 4:00, and sharing on FB, etc, too. Super job! Thanks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for sharing, Marcia 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I may never have physical books, but it’s nice to know someone has thought all this out for us. I found the tutorial interesting, even if I never need it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s good to know. Thanks, Craig 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for creating all these wonderful postings, Harmony! Very interesting and usful. Thank you for your efforts, and have a beautiful weekend. Stay save, too. Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael. You too 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
:-))
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t used the cover creator but used Amazon’s template to create from scratch. It’s important to follow the directions exactly. (I’ve had a couple of hit and misses.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
For sure! Thanks, Joan 😊
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for the reblog, Chris 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great series, Harmony 👍🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this great post by Harmony Kent via the Story Empire blog with the topic: How to Publish with KDP: Part Seven A
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for the reblog, Don 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have used the cover creator before and if your follow the directions, you can make a nice cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sure is a useful tool. Thanks, Michele 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tried helping someone with this tool once. I didn’t have much success, but you know me and technology. I’d rather design mine from scratch. But I love that there is a tool that will help people who need it. Thanks for sharing the instructions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m with you. I’d much rather design my own from the ground up. Thanks, Staci 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi everyone! A quick note from Harmony … my internet keeps going down. We just got back online after hours of outage, so if I can’t answer your lovely comments right away, that’s the reason. But please do leave your thoughts, as I love to read them 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pingback: How to Publish with KDP: Part Seven A | Legends of Windemere
Reblogged this on Legends of Windemere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for the reblog, Charles 🙂
LikeLike
You’re welcome. 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person