An ebook's cover does two jobs: it is the book's first page, and it is the picture e-readers show in the reader's library. In Deckle you set it once, and it goes into every EPUB you build. A printed cover is a different thing, made as its own file, and Deckle gives you the number its designer needs.
What You'll Need
- Your cover as an image (JPG or PNG). Stores publish their own size guidance; Amazon KDP, for example, recommends a tall image of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels.
Step-by-Step
- Open Export, then the Metadata tab. Under Book Details, find Cover image.
- Choose your image. Click Choose image… and pick your cover. It is kept with the project, so you only do this once.
- Export an EPUB. The cover becomes the EPUB's first page, edge to edge, and is marked as the cover image for e-readers and stores. Your Title Page stays a title page after it.
- Upload the cover to the store too. Stores such as Amazon KDP also ask for the cover as its own upload, alongside the EPUB.
The Printed Cover
A paperback cover is one wide image: the back, the spine and the front. It is made in a cover tool or by a cover designer, not in the interior file, and the spine width depends on your page count and paper. In Export, choose PDF and use the Spine Width Calculator: enter the page count and pick the paper, and it gives the spine width in inches and millimetres.
Common Mistakes
- Putting the cover in the Title Page instead. The Title Page is the page inside the book with the title and author. The cover belongs in Cover image, which is what e-readers show in the library.
- Expecting the print PDF to include the cover. The print PDF is the interior. The printed cover is a separate upload.
FAQ
Do I need to set the cover again for each export?
No. It is set once, in Metadata, and every EPUB you build uses it.
Can Deckle make my paperback cover?
Deckle makes the inside of the book and works out the spine width. The cover itself, back, spine and front, is made in a cover tool or by a designer.