Forum: Author Hangout

As my default size is for a 6 x 9 inch US Trade Print Book I use one suitable for that at 600 pixels per inch.

Alas, 600dpi is excessive, as most outlets and professional printers only process 300 dpi (which fits your 1800 x 2700 pixel framework, meaning your images are actually overly detailed miniatures! Though how lulu prints those is open to question (whether they preserve the defined physical ratio or the underlying displayed data point definitions.

600dpi is excessive

While that's true I have noticed that the print book copies cover art for a 1838 x 2775 x 600 cover is a clearer and better quality print than the ones I did at 1838 x 2775 x 300 - - btw the submitted 1838 x 2775 is the recommend for a print cover of 1800 x 2700 and the book comes out at 1800 x 2700 as the rest is for what they call bleed.

typo edit

Since you aren't trying to fit a specific size of paper, it doesn't seem that important.

The 2 articles I read said the cover image does fit the specific dimensions of an e-reader device which varies by device. But they said you shouldn't worry about that. The person won't even see it on their device until they purchase it. And then the ebook usually starts after the image so they have to back up to actually see the image on their device.

What the two articles said is that it's the thumbnail that's important and 1.5 looks better than 1.6 and is close enough to 1.6 that it won't look like a sore thumb.

What the two articles said is that it's the thumbnail that's important and 1.5 looks better than 1.6 and is close enough to 1.6 that it won't look like a sore thumb.

A 1.5 ratio, which fits a traditional 6 x 9 image, works best because it's the traditional publishing standard used in both trade paperbacks and hardbound books (mass market paperbacks are shorter).

Thus there's really no reason or justification for the standard, it simply looks like most books.

Since you aren't trying to fit a specific size of paper, it doesn't seem that important.

Alas, the outlets consider it essential, neither Amazon nor lulu will publish anything which doesn't fit their defined standards.

Since I publish to multiple outlets, I'm constantly juggling and resizing images. It's the nature of the industry. Each outlet displays covers on their main website differently, though what you include inside the book is entirely separate (though in the case of Amazon, Kindle readers won't display anything outside of their defined ratios). :(

I just read that publishers use a 1.5 ratio.

I'm not sure where you read that.

They were talking about the thumbnail when for sale on Amazon.

it doesn't make sense that the thumbnail would be a different aspect ration than the physical book cover

The article said 6x9 was the most typical paperback and that's a 1.5 ratio. That was one of the reasons they gave for using 1.5. If I ever offered a paperback it would be 6x9.

They were talking about the thumbnail when for sale on Amazon.

Which Amazon itself mangles when they tack on the 'look inside' image to it.

Which Amazon itself mangles when they tack on the 'look inside' image to it.

What do you mean?

Which Amazon itself mangles when they tack on the 'look inside' image to it.

What do you mean?

I mean, when they tack on the 'look inside' logo on the book cover, it 'stretches' their display to the standard 1:5 ratio. Thus Amazon's ration was selected to allow them to 'add onto' your basic cover display.

I mean, when they tack on the 'look inside' logo on the book cover, it 'stretches' their display to the standard 1:5 ratio.

I just checked one of my 1:6 covers. The "look inside" is above the cover. When I click on it, the cover looks like the one I created. It doesn't look stretched.

I just checked one of my 1:6 covers. The "look inside" is above the cover. When I click on it, the cover looks like the one I created. It doesn't look stretched.

I didn't say that the displayed cover was stretched, I said the extra space (between the 1:5 and 1:6 ratios) is reserved for the extra "look inside" display (i.e. the ratio is entirely for Amazon's benefits, rather than a device or app physical requirement).

sold in the mass market paperback/pocketbook size

Not relevant to the question being asked as the question is about cover images for e-books at KDP, not print books.

Also, most print book artwork is actually a bit bigger than the book cover to allow for what they call bleed. While I use an 1800 x 2700 pixel image for the e-books at Lulu, the image for the print book has to be 1838 x 2775 for the final print size of 1800 x 2700 with allowance for the bleed. Both are the recommended sizes from when I started at Lulu.

D2D recommends images of 1600 x 2400 pixels which is a 1.5 ratio, and it's all e-books.

To the question perhaps not, but go back and look at what I quoted.

I did, and the majority of the publishers use 1.5 for their e-books, as SB said. Which is what the topic is about.

Also, most print book artwork is actually a bit bigger than the book cover to allow for what they call bleed. While I use an 1800 x 2700 pixel image for the e-books at Lulu, the image for the print book has to be 1838 x 2775 for the final print size of 1800 x 2700 with allowance for the bleed. Both are the recommended sizes from when I started at Lulu.

Typically, the bleed is more commonly 6.333 x 9.5, which retains the basic 1-5 ratio, even when more is actually trimmed in the finished product (the bleed covers their mistakes in cutting the image, rather than preserving the original dimensions of the cover). Though once again, the bleed factor varies with each print outlet. The more precise you are with the image (defining the precise spine measurements), the less 'bleed' they need to cover their mistakes.

Kindle requires a HD figure to be precisely 1563 x 2500 pts (a normal 6"x9" image is 1800 x 2700 pts.

Do you mean the Kindle device? And not KDP.

The cover I'm working on is 1668 x 2500 which is 1:5.

Do you mean the Kindle device? And not KDP.

The cover I'm working on is 1668 x 2500 which is 1:5.

No, I mean ALL Kindle submissions (i.e. anything sold via Amazon). They may have loosened the requirements, but they would reject any cover which didn't fit those dimensions, and those were the maximum size allowed too (High-Def retina). Though it's been some time since I tried forcing the issue.

You can include whichever size you wish within your document, but when you submit something, they want to ensure it matches their intended display resolution, thus the 300dpi was a gift to authors who continued to bitch about their crappy cover displays.

If they do accept your version, they'll undoubtedly 'trim' it to fit their requirements (a more modern version of size restrictions.

If they do accept your version, they'll undoubtedly 'trim' it to fit their requirements (a more modern version of size restrictions.

Not according to the articles I read. They specifically said not to make it squarer than 1:5 so it doesn't look out of place among all the 1:6 ones. They said the traditionally published books on Amazon are 1:5.

Not according to the articles I read. They specifically said not to make it squarer than 1:5 so it doesn't look out of place among all the 1:6 ones. They said the traditionally published books on Amazon are 1:5.

That's the idea, so that when it is resized, it won't look odd or 'weird'. For me, I don't change my 1:6 ration 6"x9" covers when I convert to Amazon's 1:5 ration, so both images look natural without requiring excessive adjustment or revising. It does look a little squished, but not enough so to waste time mucking with it.

But no, I haven't heard of Amazon retrofitting covers, but ... I wouldn't put it past them.

I have at least 4 or 5 different cover or thumbnail picture styles or sizes.

Yeah, that's what I learned from the articles. I used to think the size had to fit Amazon's "standard."

Yeah, that's what I learned from the articles. I used to think the size had to fit Amazon's "standard."

The mainstream publishers have more sway (withholding all bestsellers from Amazon if they don't relent, so that probably accounts for many. Plus, the sizes depend on the type of book (mass market, print, or from other sources), so I can't identify why the specific images you note were granted exceptions, but independent publishers, like Switch, Ernest and I, aren't given any latitude. They consume 30% to 70% of our sales, but don't care about our 'personal' standards.

Just looking at my kindle library, I have at least 4 or 5 different cover or thumbnail picture styles or sizes. And no I am not going to measure them to get the size ratio.

The figures I quoted are what Amazon requires/required for submission. Amazon typically shrinks or expands their images to meet your display size (a very nice feature, and yet another reason for the HD sizes), plus, as I've noted, the cover you include inside your book isn't limited by the same restrictions.

@Switch

Correction: Amazon does allow other sizes, especially when accepting books from other outlets/publishers, but they then 'shrink' the dimensions (by cutting the margins) to fit their predefined ration.