What to check
1. Write the title, subtitle, author, genre, tone, and one-sentence visual promise before choosing art
Write the title, subtitle, author, genre, tone, and one-sentence visual promise before choosing art.
2. Build the title as editable typography over text-free art and check the design at both full size and thumbnail size
Build the title as editable typography over text-free art and check the design at both full size and thumbnail size.
3. Only assemble the print wrap after trim, paper, binding, and final page count are known
Only assemble the print wrap after trim, paper, binding, and final page count are known.
Match the file to the platform
Every platform has its own cover specification. A Kindle ebook uses a 2,560 × 1,600 pixel portrait file, a KDP paperback needs a calculated wrap, and a story publishing on Wattpad uses the 512 × 800 pixel Wattpad cover size.
Design once with editable layers, then export each format from the same project instead of stretching one image across incompatible sizes.
Sources: Amazon KDP cover preparation. Recheck the current printer template before export.