Cover size?

Joseph Picard · 06-03-2012, 10:47 PM

I'm almost done the conversion of my first novel (2 more to do after this! Hopefully I've LEARNT enough to make the next voyages easier)

But I'm having one of my 'final problems' with the cover size.. If I use a smaller-ish file, it WORKS, but it's a tad small onscreen...(when reading, mind you, not in book selection menus) if I go with 600x800, nothing shows up... as if it just didn't accept displaying it.

I'm targeting epub and mobi, and I get similar results as I convert to either one.

Is there a magic number than google has failed to tell me?

charlesatan · 06-03-2012, 10:58 PM

Hi Joseph,

The question for cover is:

a) Does the app/device support embedded covers? and

b) For what device/app/retail store are you targeting? "epub" isn't a good enough qualifier, although "mobi" is because we're presuming that's the file you're sending to Amazon (hence the Kindle).

Here's a website with the breakdown for some of the retailers:

http://www.natashafondren.com/writin...-ipad-formats/

Joseph Picard · 06-03-2012, 11:22 PM

Hmm... I've really only been targeting my primary test mediums... 'kindle pc' and ADE. (I loathe to bring out my ancient first gen kindle, and I mourn the death of my android machine)

But if just 'making it work in the software' isn't good enough, I guess I'll have to trust resources like the link you gave.. well.. that or the publishers themselves, I guess. (I'm assuming they give target specs during submission)

Bleh... I made the covers myself (originally for 6x9 print, mind you) so if I'm forced to resize and adjust for every venue I attack, I'll survive.

Thanks for the tip, onward I go...!

Edward M. Grant · 06-03-2012, 11:58 PM

Note that Amazon recently started demanding that cover images be at least 1000 pixels high. I think mine are 625x1000 now and they work fine.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-04-2012, 01:21 PM

I've been making covers in 3 sizes for my ebooks: 500x700 pixel for the covers embedded into the books themselves; 150x210 pixel "large thumbnails" for my main webpage displays, and 100x140 pixel "small thumbnails" for multiple-novel pages. (See my site for examples of all.) I hadn't heard about Amazon's new size limitations, but these sizes always worked well for the ebooks and other display needs.

Your 600x800 covers may not have shown up if you saved them in the wrong file format. There is a slight difference in saving files for the web that compresses them differently than standard JPG and GIF files (in Photoshop, you need to select "Save for Web and Devices" in the File menu); many ebook readers will only handle files saved for web formats, even if the size is the same.

Joseph Picard · 06-05-2012, 01:55 AM

I've been a graphics guy professionally in the past... so I'm happy to produce whatever formats and such. My only real issues here is definite specs.

I had set up the start of my book on amazon some time ago, and I'd already provided a cover for that. (yeah, that thousand pixel thing sounds familiar..)

BUT, the book is up and done. I'm not super super happy with the embedded cover in the book itself, but at this point, I'm just getting picky.

for the record, here it is!: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088LI9CY

Thanks folks (and a few other folks on the forums) for the tips.. now onto converting my 2nd book. Likely a lot smoother now that I've figured out the little messy nagging things.

meme · 06-05-2012, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I hadn't heard about Amazon's new size limitations, but these sizes always worked well for the ebooks and other display needs.

The new size is only for images uploaded to Amazon that will be used for their catalog - and doesn't affect the image you use in your book (which I believe means the image in your book file that is marked as cover). See their KDP information at
https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishi...A2J0TRG6OPX0VM

But then again they have a confusing comment saying that when you publish your book, your cover image will be automatically added to the inside of your book. So do they mean they will take the catalog cover image and use it inside your book instead of the cover image you added when creating your mobi file, or do they just mean that when you create your mobi file it will always include a cover image in the book.

Marseille · 10-30-2012, 04:21 PM

In addition to minimum 1000 high and 625 wide, Amazon recommends a 1.6 ratio, which upon experimentation looked for what I was doing -- too tall. My first piece is one of humor, and my instincts suggested the average such book would have a wider cover. After browsing a bit today, I'm finding quite a number of books in my area with a ratio of 1.275.

It's a subtle difference, but people pick up on cues they aren't consciously aware of. When you're truly on your own, you gotta play every angle.

06-03-2012, 10:47 PM	#1
Joseph Picard Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 497132 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Various	Cover size? I'm almost done the conversion of my first novel (2 more to do after this! Hopefully I've LEARNT enough to make the next voyages easier) But I'm having one of my 'final problems' with the cover size.. If I use a smaller-ish file, it WORKS, but it's a tad small onscreen...(when reading, mind you, not in book selection menus) if I go with 600x800, nothing shows up... as if it just didn't accept displaying it. I'm targeting epub and mobi, and I get similar results as I convert to either one. Is there a magic number than google has failed to tell me?

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06-03-2012, 10:58 PM	#2
charlesatan Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 3799024 Join Date: May 2012 Device: iPad	Hi Joseph, The question for cover is: a) Does the app/device support embedded covers? and b) For what device/app/retail store are you targeting? "epub" isn't a good enough qualifier, although "mobi" is because we're presuming that's the file you're sending to Amazon (hence the Kindle). Here's a website with the breakdown for some of the retailers: http://www.natashafondren.com/writin...-ipad-formats/

06-03-2012, 11:22 PM	#3
Joseph Picard Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 497132 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Various	Hmm... I've really only been targeting my primary test mediums... 'kindle pc' and ADE. (I loathe to bring out my ancient first gen kindle, and I mourn the death of my android machine) But if just 'making it work in the software' isn't good enough, I guess I'll have to trust resources like the link you gave.. well.. that or the publishers themselves, I guess. (I'm assuming they give target specs during submission) Bleh... I made the covers myself (originally for 6x9 print, mind you) so if I'm forced to resize and adjust for every venue I attack, I'll survive. Thanks for the tip, onward I go...!

06-03-2012, 11:58 PM	#4
Edward M. Grant Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 3000000 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Canada Device: Kindle Keyboard, Asus Transformer	Note that Amazon recently started demanding that cover images be at least 1000 pixels high. I think mine are 625x1000 now and they work fine.

06-04-2012, 01:21 PM	#5
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I've been making covers in 3 sizes for my ebooks: 500x700 pixel for the covers embedded into the books themselves; 150x210 pixel "large thumbnails" for my main webpage displays, and 100x140 pixel "small thumbnails" for multiple-novel pages. (See my site for examples of all.) I hadn't heard about Amazon's new size limitations, but these sizes always worked well for the ebooks and other display needs. Your 600x800 covers may not have shown up if you saved them in the wrong file format. There is a slight difference in saving files for the web that compresses them differently than standard JPG and GIF files (in Photoshop, you need to select "Save for Web and Devices" in the File menu); many ebook readers will only handle files saved for web formats, even if the size is the same.

06-05-2012, 01:55 AM	#6
Joseph Picard Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 497132 Join Date: May 2012 Device: Various	I've been a graphics guy professionally in the past... so I'm happy to produce whatever formats and such. My only real issues here is definite specs. I had set up the start of my book on amazon some time ago, and I'd already provided a cover for that. (yeah, that thousand pixel thing sounds familiar..) BUT, the book is up and done. I'm not super super happy with the embedded cover in the book itself, but at this point, I'm just getting picky. for the record, here it is!: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088LI9CY Thanks folks (and a few other folks on the forums) for the tips.. now onto converting my 2nd book. Likely a lot smoother now that I've figured out the little messy nagging things.

10-30-2012, 04:21 PM	#8
Marseille Guru Posts: 687 Karma: 5700000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: kindle	In addition to minimum 1000 high and 625 wide, Amazon recommends a 1.6 ratio, which upon experimentation looked for what I was doing -- too tall. My first piece is one of humor, and my instincts suggested the average such book would have a wider cover. After browsing a bit today, I'm finding quite a number of books in my area with a ratio of 1.275. It's a subtle difference, but people pick up on cues they aren't consciously aware of. When you're truly on your own, you gotta play every angle.

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