Amazon's new Cover Creator (beta) shows great promise.
While earlier versions were pretty basic, this new version can create a very professional-looking cover for your Kindle eBook.
Before starting this exercise, make sure you have your manuscript (preferably as a well-formatted squeaky-clean MS Word file) ready, and know where it is... and, if you have an image you want to use for your cover, that you have it ready and know where it is.
To get started, go here:
You'll see the Home for Amazon KDP:
Click Bookshelf (the first of the four selections near the top of the display).
[While you are here... especially if you are new to Kindle... notice that this is the starting place to build a Kindle format eBook... and all your Help files are right here.]
Your Bookshelf will appear.
The image shows my own Bookshelf with my "eBooks in work" displayed in the contents list.
Your Bookshelf will display your eBooks or will be blank if you have not started any eBooks.
Click the large yellow button titled "Add New File" just above the list of titles.
Type the name you want on your book cover in the "Book Name" slot near the bottom of this display.
[I like to use the name I want on the cover, and let the Cover Creator place it on the cover, but this isn't absolutely necessary, as you can edit the cover later.]
Now move down to number 4: Upload or Create a Book Cover
[fill out details as you go]
Choose Launch Cover Creator beta. It's a gray button just above the next major step (number 5 in red letters.)
Cover Creator Help Display
You may be tempted to try to select an option here, but this is just a Help display.
Study the Cover Creator Help Display to understand how this works, then click the orange button titled Continue at the bottom right of the display.
Chose the image you want to use for your Cover. For this exercise, I have elected to use a plain brownish red background.
As soon as I select my image, the Cover Creator uses my image plus the title and author name I entered (earlier on this form), builds several different design ideas, and presents them to me:
Cover Creator presents a variety of different designs for you to select the one you like best.
I decide to look at the one in the middle of the top row... the one that has text at an angle.
Cover Creator displays the cover I chose. Notice buttons at the bottom of the screen to add final touches to the cover.
Here is a different design. I decide I like this one best.
Notice the edit box is now at the bottom left is now open.
I choose fonts to see how different fonts will look.
A scroll under the cover shows different fonts available.
This selection shows what the font Philosopher will look like on my book cover.
I hadn't expected to use a fancy font, but Great Vibes looks good and expresses the feel of elegant drop caps.
I decide to ask Cover Creator to Preview it. (click orange button at bottom)
Here is my cover with Great Vibes font for the title and the original font for the subtitle and author name.
Note: I have used the edit box to touch up the display of the lines for sub title and author name.
I decide I like this cover, so I click the orange button at the bottom of the screen, "Save and Submit".
After the cover is saved, the main screen is presented again, where I go to item 4. Upload Your Book File.
I click the orange button "Browse", then choose my (ready and waiting) MS Word file for this eBook.
The Amazon KDP loads my MS Word file, applies the cover I've just made, and converts to Kindle content format.
When the conversion finishes, the Amazon KDP software gives me the opportunity to view my new Kindle eBook in the on-line Previewer or download a preview file to be viewed on the downloadable Kindle Previewer.
Kindle Fire HD 7"
Screenshot from Kindle Previewer, but it is identical to the display on actual device the Kindle Fire HD, except for name of file at top of screen on this screenshot.
Kindle Fire 8.9"
Screenshot from Kindle Previewer, but it is identical to the display on actual device, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9", except for name of file at top of screen on this screenshot.
Kindle Paperwhite
Screenshot from Kindle Previewer.
Identical to actual physical device Kindle Paperwhite.
Kindle Keyboard
Screenshot from Kindle Previewer.
Identical to actual physical device Kindle Keyboard.
iPad 4
iPad 4 screenshot from Kindle Previewer. My computer screen does not show entire 9.5-inch iPad screen without scrolling (so bottom of iPad screen is not shown in screenshot), but this view is identical to actual view on actual iPad 4 device.
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