TopShelf TG Fiction in the BigCloset!
Okay so, does anyone know how to set up book covers? I recently commissioned a book cover for my story In the Darkness is the Light. And it came out beautifully. I don't know how to set it up though, anyone know?
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Finalising your cover
If it’s Amazon or Lulu, part of the paperback setup process gives you the option to download a template that’s based on the chosen page sizing, paper type and page count of your book (which is to say, it reveals the width of the spine of your book).
You download the template, import it as a layer within Photoshop (or GIMP, which is free) and use it to get everything (your commissioned art) arranged, e.g. to ensure that when Amazon adds the barcode, it won’t go over the top of your blurb.
You might already have ‘Darkness is the Light’ drawn on the cover as part of the artwork. If not, you can add lettering and effects within Photoshop... or you can add lettering within Amazon’s web-based tool. (Don’t do this last if you can possibly avoid it, because the results are pretty poor.)
Be sure to allow some image bleed (picture goes off the edges, which is why the template has two sets of dotted lines) because the machine that crops the edges of the book doesn’t always make each one exactly the same. Keep your lettering away from edges for the same reason, including on the spine.
Finally, set the template layer’s opacity to zero, or send it to the back, or delete it entirely, so it doesn’t appear on your finished book cover.
And with that, upload and enjoy!
Sugar and Spiiice – TG Fiction by Bryony Marsh
I use Desygner Book Cover Maker on my Chromebook
...it is a free app from the PLAY STORE that allows you to use their stock photos or upload your own. It is easy to use and has a great selection of templates and fonts. Once complete, you save it as a PDF or JPEG and then download it to your computer (or Google Drive or whatever). It is worth knowing that the picture will be a small resolution so before using it on Kindle or other platforms, you may need to resize it bigger. There is a Pro+ side of the app that requires paying for, but I haven't needed it. All it gives you are a few extra cover templates and one or two extra whistles and bells that I have not needed. It is also available for iPads.
If you want the hardcover or paperback, then I suggest you use the generic cover maker in the platform - e.g. Amazon Direct Publishing
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