Choosing your book’s Cover style and size can be challenging, whether you’re writing a mass-market non-fiction memoir or an independent thriller. As a writer, it makes sense to focus more on the content of your book than the proportions and styles of the front and back covers, but those details will eventually be crucial.

This article discusses industry-standard Book Cover sizes that will help you whether you’re working with a book designer or designing it yourself.

What are the Dimensions of a Standard Print Book Cover?

The book cover dimension is crucial in designing a captivating cover. You need to know the standard book cover dimensions for different genres to make an informed choice

Non-fiction books

Non-fiction book dimensions always fall within the range of the most typical sizes. Since there are many different categories of non-fiction books, there is also a wide range of sizes for the book covers. It is preferable to choose larger sizes depending on the type of material, and how many words and pictures the book will contain.

Fiction   

With sizes ranging from 4.25 inches to 5.5 inches, fiction is one of the genres with the widest range in size. This allows for some flexibility in word count as well as the caliber and purpose of the book—is your book meant for a proper sit-down reading session at home or the library, or is it meant to pass the time while taking public transportation rather than staring at a phone screen? These elements will ultimately have an impact on the book’s final size.

Children’s books

Youngsters’ books have a lot more visual imagery and art to aid children in understanding the text as they first begin to read. A larger book size is good so that the children can grasp the book and be able to view the words and illustrations. Bulkier, more animated, and script fonts are also advised.

Novella

A smaller book cover can seem cozier to touch and read than a large, encyclopedia-like book, which might appear rational and stern. Using a smaller cover size can make it easier for the reader to immerse themselves in the content by removing the book’s obstruction.

Textbooks

Textbooks and informational books are more concerned about fitting all the knowledge on the subject covered inside the pages. Because textbooks are often longer than other books, having a cover size that is too small will make the book too thick and unwieldy to carry around in a backpack, which is a major application for books in this category. Because of this, textbooks frequently have a hardback and are bigger in size, making them simpler to transport. Check out the interesting facts about book cover designs.

Memoirs

Memoirs are a fantastic method of getting to know someone in depth and connecting with a fascinating personality. Like novels, memoirs benefit from having a slimmer cover that won’t be too uncomfortable and obstruct the reader from getting to know the person behind the words.

Check out some amazing book cover design ideas to inspire you.

What are the Dimensions of a Standard eBook Cover?

Most aspiring writers frequently publish their works as eBooks. Publishing an eBook alongside print books will improve book sales. Thus, doing so is advantageous. To make the greatest decision when publishing your eBook, it is necessary to have a gorgeous eBook cover design and a better understanding of the different eBook cover sizes. Here are the popular ebook cover sizes in pixels:

• Kindle Direct Publishing – 2,560 x 1,600 (1.6:1 aspect ratio)

• Novels and Non-Fiction 2,569 x 1,600

• Illustrated books – 2,800 x 3,920 (1.4:1 aspect ratio) or 3,000 x 3,600 (1.2:1 aspect ratio)

• Audiobooks – 3,200 x 3,200 (1:1 aspect ratio)

Terms Related to Cover Size & Design

As a writer, you can focus more on honing the inside content than the external one. You might be completely unfamiliar with the book cover’s ratio, cover art, and measurements. However, it is essential to getting your work published.

Even if you are hiring a professional graphics designer or doing it yourself, it is better to be aware of the requirements and terms associated with design if you are a first-time author looking to self-publish your book.

In terms of cover design and cover size, the following terms are frequently used:

File Format

It is a common method for digitally saving images and photographs. Knowing the proper file type is preferable when choosing your own cover image. JPG, TIFF, and PNG are the common file types used for cover images. Before uploading the cover image, ensure the cover file complies with the platform’s specifications.

• JPG = saves storage space with little perceivable loss in quality
• PNG = high resolution + supports transparency
• TIFF = popular in photography and printing, high image quality (but large file size)
• PDF = fixes the file exactly the way how you want others to see it (regardless of device type or size)

Resolution

It alludes to the specifics of a specific photograph or image. An image with low resolution appears to be pixelated. It lacks the clarity of a high-resolution image and has fuzzier details.

Typically, DPI (dots per inch) or PPI (pixels per inch) is used to measure the resolution of a picture. When printing the cover, you use DPI resolution; when you want to view the designed cover digitally on electronic devices, you use PPI resolution.

Aspect Ratio

It is a rectangle’s proportional relationship between its width and height. The rectangle is typically utilized for print publications and digital screens. In mathematics, it is typically shown as a ratio with two integers separated by a colon. (height: weight). The term “4:3 ratio” refers to a ratio of 4 inches in width to 3 inches in height.

It is important because you need to be aware of the aspect ratio that is set for each ebook publishing platform.

Color Settings

Schemes like RGB, CMYK, etc., are used when deciding on the color needed for the cover and typography. When you decide to publish your book, you will eventually need to become familiar with these as well.

The RGB (red, green, and blue) color scheme deals with eBooks, while the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, key) model is ideal to for print books. Here, you can check out the best booklet design services.

How to Choose the Right Book Cover Size

Choosing an ebook or print book cover’s dimension is crucial in your book publishing. If you want to print your book, the cover proportions are solely determined by each page’s trim, size, and shape. The typical book cover dimensions are primarily expressed in inches. The same applies to ebook covers.

Keep the following in mind while picking your trim size/spine width:

Reader size: Many book lovers use a personal e-reader frequently to consume new books. You can select a suitable cover size by thoroughly understanding the dimensions of typical e-readers and how they show covers.

Genre: Each genre typically has its standard book cover sizes. A story may not always fit cleanly into one genre or another. You may choose the ideal size for your print book and ebook cover image by considering how your book will be packed and promoted.

Word count: You should undoubtedly consider word and page count when selecting a cover and page size. Covers of various sizes better complement books of various lengths. You wouldn’t want to select a large page for a brief novella. You wouldn’t want to pick a small cover size for a lengthy hardcover book with a matte dust jacket.

Place of Sale: You can choose the right cover size by considering where your book will be sold the most. When creating a printed book, consider whether it will be a mass-market paperback or a more specialized academic edition. Self-publishers will have to make most of these decisions independently, but if your book has a big publisher connected, they might handle them.

Designer: Working with a designer can facilitate crucial decisions about image size, cover art, and page size. If you’re self-publishing your book, you might not have the budget for an outside designer. Therefore, you could prefer to handle the design work yourself. You’ll be better equipped to create your own cover art if you better understand book cover size and how it influences cost and marketing.

Printing costs: Size requirements are crucial in the cost of publishing a book because printers charge per page when the trim is substantial. If you are self-publishing, choosing fewer pages can help you cut costs.

As soon as you have determined the trim size of your book, you must determine how it relates to the cover. You must submit a cover design that includes the front cover, the back cover, the spine, and the bleeds if you want to publish with KDP and IngramSpark, the two largest Print On Demand providers in the world.

When putting the cover design file together, the width can be calculated by adding the following:

• 2 x trim width. This is for the front and back cover.
• Spine width. This must be calculated carefully based on your page count and paper stock. You can use Kindle Direct and IngramSpark figures for accurate and up-to-date values.
• 2 x bleed. Bleed is an additional design element that is extended on all sides to accommodate small printing faults. Most printers require a 0.125′′ (3mm) bleed on all sides of the design, excluding the border between the covers and spine.

And the height is calculated by adding up the following:

• Trim Height
• 2 x Bleed. 0.125” or 3mm, typically.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? If you’re working with a professional book cover designer, they will consider everything for you. They’ll also help you calculate the trim lines. Explore the yearbook cover ideas.

What Resolution Should You Choose?

The resolution you choose for your book cover is also as important as the cover’s dimensions. After all, you don’t want to spend ages creating the perfect cover dimension only to end up with a blurry cover image

Choosing Your eBook Cover Size

The typical reader’s screen on an eBook device like the Kindle or iPad has a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. It implies that there will be a height of 133 pixels for a width of 100 pixels. The shape of the Kindle is similar to an old standard-definition TV, although some publishers prefer to design a cover specifically for the Kindle. The reader rarely truly sees the cover design on their e-reader because each device will center it flawlessly. So, it’s important to consider how the ebook will look on the retail platform.

Obviously, an ebook doesn’t need a trim but remember that the cover must still be visually appealing and understandable when displayed in a thumbnail form.

The Amazon KDP Book Cover

The Amazon store is a super popular and flexible publishing platform. The store has various cover sizes from different authors in several genres.

The ideal dimensions recommended by the platform are a height/width ratio of 1.6:1. For every 1,000 pixels in width, the image must be 1,600 pixels in height.

The height of your image must be at least 2,500 pixels to guarantee the best quality, particularly on high-definition devices. A cover file should be 2,560 by 1,600 pixels in size.

Paperback fiction typically has a 1.6:1 ratio, especially in the smaller, mass-market versions. However, you might observe that it creates a “thinner” appearance than what you might anticipate from most novel covers on Amazon.

Novels and Non-Fiction Book Covers – 1.5:1

Publishers frequently show a book’s original hardback design on the Kindle page, which frequently has a 1.5:1 ratio. It’s a little “wider” than Amazon suggests, giving the design more “real estate,” which is especially important when you’re showing them as thumbnails.

It’s crucial to remember that utilizing this somewhat broader cover style doesn’t usually result in the design being made any “shorter” to make up for it. The cover is a little bigger, which may greatly impact this scale.

Illustrated Book Covers – 1.4:1 or 1.2:1

Picture-heavy books are referred to as illustrated books. This group includes books about photography, art, textbooks, children’s literature, etc.

These books often have a wider trim and a book cover with an aspect ratio of 1.4:1 or 1.2:1. The photos, which are strewn across the entire cover, are lovely. These novels’ artistic merits are a massive selling point. Check out some finest ideas for yearbook designs.

Audiobooks Cover – 1:1

Today, audiobooks are growing in popularity. You only need to wear it while driving to be functional. They typically feature a 1:1 aspect ratio and a square-shaped cover.

The audiobook’s cover is typically a cropped image of the print book because many authors produce the audiobook after the release of their paperback. Set your cover’s dimensions to 3200 x 3200 pixels for the 1:1 ratio. Learn more about how to design a book cover.

Bottom Line

Now that you know a lot about a book cover’s measurements, you can confidently select the one your book needs.

The post Book Cover Size: A Detailed Guide to Choosing the Perfect Dimensions appeared first on All Time Design.