How to create your book cover

We recommend that you tackle creating a ready-to-print cover file only if you have experience in graphic design and desktop publishing. This is not a good time to experiment. It won’t save you money to do your own cover unless you choose the Print-Ready PDF submission, and you could incur a re-submission fee if your cover file doesn’t meet our POD printer’s specs. If you’re sure you know what you’re doing, here’s how.

Cover template

This diagram shows how to lay out and size the various parts of a cover. It is a PDF file, not the kind of template you open in an image processing or page layout program and create a new document. This is simply a visual guide for creating your own cover or cover graphics in other programs. Please refer to the written cover specifications for additional details.

File format and page size

All covers must be submitted as a single PDF file with all fonts and images embedded.
Trim Size A covers must be produced as a single 8.5" x 14" landscape page.
Trim Size B and C covers must be produced as a single 11" x 17" landscape page.
All printable area should be centered vertically and horizontally on the page.
All covers must be adjusted for final spine thickness and book trim size.
Covers must be submitted at 300 dpi.
Covers are printed CMYK on one side only.

Calculating the spine width

Use the number of pages in your ready-to-print book block to figure the width of the spine.
Our cover template diagrams show a 1/2" spine, which is correct for a 200-page book.
There should be no text on the spine if your book has fewer than 115 pages.
400 pages = 1 inch
200 pages = .5 inch
100 pages = .25 inch
50 pages = .125 inch

Trim and bleed

Cover background must extend 1/4" beyond trim size on all four sides to allow for cutting/trimming tolerance. This is the "bleed." The bleed is shown as the darker blue area on the template diagrams.
Be sure to adjust your bleed and trim lines in or out as necessary to allow for your spine width!
Keep all text and graphic elements at least 1/4" within the trim margin. The trim margin is shown as the medium blue area on the template diagram. The suggested safe zone is shown as the lightest blue area.
All books are trimmed and bound individually, and variations occur. It’s better to allow more cushion in your design than to crowd the margins.

Text and design considerations

Keep all your copy (title, author, blurbs, back cover text, etc.) and primary images (cover image, author photo, etc.) within the light blue area. This ensures that all essential elements fall well within the trim margins.
Your background color or graphic should go all the way to the edge of the bleed area.
All images used in your design must be 300 dpi or higher and in CMYK mode.
Avoid hard vertical lines separating the front or back panel from the spine.
Allow at least 1/8" cushion on either side of the text on your spine. For example, the text should be no more than 3/4" high on a 1" spine.
To place type on the spine, rotate it so that the left type margin falls at the top of the book. The type will then read correctly left to right, when the book lies front cover up on a horizontal surface.
Be consistent in your use of fonts.
Proofread your cover text as thoroughly as the rest of the book. An error on the cover is even more glaring.

ISBN and bar code

We will assign your book its ISBN and provide the bar code for it. This is a small graphic file that we will email to you.
If you have purchased your own ISBN and you wish to use that and your own publisher imprint, you may do so. Please note that you will then be the registered publisher in Books in Print, and stores may contact you directly to place orders.