Now Create Your Book Covers in Microsoft Word

by Joel Friedlander on June 13, 2014 · 20 comments

Post image for Now Create Your Book Covers in Microsoft Word

Earlier this week I promised some help for authors who want to create their own book covers in Microsoft Word, but who find getting all the technical parts right a bit of a challenge.

Today we’re launching a brand new tool to help get this right. It’s part of our series of templates to help you create books in Microsoft Word.

And, I have to say, this new Cover Template is kind of magical.

Why? Because I really didn’t think you could do this in Word, period.

Part of the reason is that you have to be able to adjust the size of the cover based on how many pages are in your book and what kind of paper you’re using.

This need to adjust the spine width causes a lot of grief for authors trying to create their own book covers.

And it also created problems for the talented Tracy Atkins, who developed the cover template.

But the solution turned out to be amazing to see, and that’s part of the magic.

In this cover template, when you re-size the spine, the entire template re-centers itself, like magic. And it really works.

We’ve already field tested the cover template by printing books whose covers were created with it in Word, and they look great. Both CreateSpace books and Ingram Spark books, in fact.

Book Cover Template

(From the top: “blank” cover template, template with artwork and copy in place, books printed from the template. Neat, huh?)

Here’s What You’ll Get

Like all our templates we try to take the frustration and delay out of creating your own books. With this new template, we’ve taken the same approach, and more.

Here’s what you’ll get when you buy the Cover Template for Microsoft Word:

  • Cover template for use with books printing at CreateSpace
  • Cover template for use with books printing at Lightning Source or Ingram Spark
  • Cover template for use with books printing at other vendors (generic)
  • PDFs of each of these templates, for your reference
  • Graphic templates to show you exactly how big your artwork needs to be for front cover, back cover, spine, and for a full cover wrap
  • A 50 page formatting guide with step-by-step instructions on how to do everything you’ll need to know to create your cover in Word
  • 20 fonts I hand selected for you to use on covers of various genres.

Video Help for Users

For the first time, we’ve also got instructional videos that will help you see exactly how to use the cover template. They cover:

  • Cover Template Preview
  • Adjusting the Spine Width
  • Changing Artwork for an Individual Pane
  • Creating a Full Wrap Cover
  • Changing Cover Text Boxes

You’ll find these on our new video page here: Book Design Templates Instructional Videos

And a BIG Sale to Celebrate

We’re so excited about offering you this new, fast, easy way to create your book covers in Microsoft Word, we’re running a store-wide sale to celebrate.

So from now until Wednesday night (6/18/2014) everything on our site will be 25% off. You don’t even need a coupon code, prices will automatically adjust when you add an item to your cart.

(And, like all of our products, it’s backed by our friendly 30-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. We want you to feel comfortable and safe while shopping at our site!)

So go check this new template out now, here’s the link: Cover Template for Microsoft Word.

And while you’re there, make sure to check out the 2:29 video on the sales page, it will show you exactly how the template works, and will give you an idea of why I’m so excited about it.

And have a great weekend!

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    { 19 comments… read them below or add one }

    Jenny Hudson June 16, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    Okay, good that there’s a tool, and sorry to sound like sour grapes, but unfortunately, these covers all look like self-published books. There’s no substitute professional design… this is YOUR Book. Make it the best.

    Reply

    Lola June 15, 2014 at 3:23 pm

    I want the cover template for 8.5 x 11… but I can’t find an INSIDE template to go with it. Would you please consider adding an INSIDE template that is 8.5 x 11 for CHILDREN’S picture books (or photo books).
    Thank you!!!

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 16, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    Hello Lola!

    We offer our non-fiction template in the 8.5×11 trim size currently. However, if you need a picture book template in that size, we are happy to work with you to create a custom trim size. Just give us an email.

    Thank you
    Tracy

    Reply

    Paul zante June 14, 2014 at 10:16 am

    Hi,
    the extended licence asks for more than one ISBN / ASIN (AISN looks like a typo on the Registration form ;)). I can understand if you’re re-doing the covers for previously published books, which have existing ISBN’s & ASIN’s, but what about those yet to be written?

    Reply

    MaryAnn June 13, 2014 at 9:54 pm

    Do the templates allow for multiple images? How about curved text, like in a semi-circle?

    Reply

    Jason Matthews June 14, 2014 at 8:05 am

    I was wondering those same things too, MaryAnn. Also how about text that pops in some way with a shadow or emphasis?

    Reply

    Joel Friedlander June 14, 2014 at 9:54 am

    MaryAnn and Jason,

    The text layer in the template is separate from the image layer, so you can use effects on the type with no problem. For multiple images, it would be easiest to composite the images in a photo editing program into 1 file, then place that file in the template. Keep in mind that Word doesn’t contain the kind of functionality to allow control of blending properties the way a graphics program would. But within the bounds of what it can do, covers produced with the template can be quite good, like the sample shown in the photos in the article. And even the “placeholder” text has a soft shadow on it, as you can see in the enlarged detail at the top of the post.

    Reply

    Derek June 13, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Will this template work in Mac’s Pages program, or is it limited to Word?

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 13, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    Hello Derek!

    We have not tested the Cover Template in Pages, nor have any documentation/support for using it with Pages. We do have a 30 day money-back guarantee though, if you want to try it out.

    Thank you
    Tracy

    Reply

    Kristin Holt June 13, 2014 at 10:32 am

    What a fantastic tool! I was all ready to click “buy”….

    ….and discovered standard trim size all of my paperbacks are (5×8-inch) isn’t offered. True, there are two options within a 1/4 to 1/2 inch….but silly me, I want all my paperbacks to be the same size.

    Is there any possibility you will create a 5×8-inch software option?

    Please do!
    Kristin Holt, Author

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 13, 2014 at 10:37 am

    Hello Kristin!

    I am compiling a list of other trims that our customers are requesting and plan to build more to meet the demand. 5×8 seems to be fairly popular, so I will make it a priority.

    -Tracy

    Reply

    Janet Wellington June 13, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    Yes, I think 5×8 would be fabulous–if we buy now, would we get the 5×8 template as a free upgrade or ?

    Reply

    Kristin Holt June 13, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    Thank you, Tracy–

    That’s wonderful news. I want very much to purchase the software for 5×8-inch. I’ll keep checking back to the sale page to see when it’s for sale. Thank you for listening to your customers! (and I’m glad I’m not the only one who prefers this smallest Createspace trim-size option.)

    Now, if only the possibility existed to get the 5×8-inch size AND the current -25% promotion, I’d be a happy buyer. =)

    Best,
    Kristin Holt, Author

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 13, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    Hello Janet and Kristin!

    We have added the 5×8 trim size to the Cover Template sales page. You are all set to purchase it.

    Thank you for your business,
    Tracy

    Reply

    Janet Wellington June 13, 2014 at 7:33 am

    Prepare for your ears to be burning as I shout your name out to writers in my universe! Many have been waiting for just this kind of tool–thank you!

    Reply

    Anthea June 13, 2014 at 7:09 am

    Is it easy to get the front cover as an image for e-book covers out of the template too? Might as well do the design work all in one place, for both e-book and POD. :)

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 13, 2014 at 10:51 am

    Hello Anthea!

    We are working to complete a purpose built eBook cover template package to make getting a nice, high-resolution eBook specific cover easy. We hope to have that package completed in the near future. With the current print template, you can crop the cover image to generate an eBook cover if you need, but the specific eBook template we are working on will have even better results.

    Thanks!
    Tracy

    Reply

    Alan Drabke June 13, 2014 at 5:26 am

    Do you pinkie promise the final cover, in the pdf format, will read out as 300 dots per inch? Even if the background image (from Pixabay) is just 72 dots per inch? (I’m talking about background images of 1-3 megabytes, big enough to fit the cover template without stretching)

    Reply

    Tracy Atkins June 13, 2014 at 10:48 am

    Hello Alan!

    That is a great question.

    Word’s built in PDF engine has some limitations on the DPI output, and will sometimes render portions of the PDF at a resolution lower than 300 DPI. In our extensive testing with the major printing companies, the print output of the cover files was razor sharp and free from any blurring or resolution issues. However, if your printer requires a higher DPI format file, we recommend creating the PDF using Genuine Adobe Acrobat Pro, using the Press-Quality settings outlined in our Cover Formatting Guide.

    We have a video (and still picture) on the Cover Template sales page that shows an actual cover we created using the template, and the finished physical book printed by a major printer, showing the high quality of output you can get just using the PDF engine built into MS Word.

    Reply

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