My CreateSpace Experience Part 4

So I carefully ported the text for The System into the 5×8 inch CreateSpace template, converted it to a PDF then uploaded it. CreateSpace checks the file for formatting errors, called “issues”. Mine came back with several dozen. It turned out that the margin value for the gutter was incorrect. A gutter is the white space where the pages are bound to the book. The value supplied by the 5×8 CreateSpace template was .14 inches, and the the CreateSpace scanning tool stated that the gutter needed to be at least .75 inches. I changed the gutter value in the template margin settings to .75 inches, recreated the PDF and uploaded it. It sailed through the format scanner and I’ll tell you, it felt good to see the scanner message “no issues found”.

My next two books, Reckoning in Escobara and Thomas Edison: RESURRECTOR blew through the process with no errors. The moral of this story is don’t trust the template.

Cover Art

After your manuscript is properly loaded and error free, the next step is to upload your cover art. All book content is important, but having a professional cover and great teaser  text or log lines on the back is what attracts readers. CreateSpace offers free cover templates, and if you’re desperate or flat broke you could use these, but I don’t recommend it. Use a professional cover artist. I do, and I would never think of producing a cover myself because I don’t have the talent. What would you rather do? Start working on a new book or waste time producing an inferior cover? For me, the choice is easy.

Lindsay Breen creates all of my covers for eBooks and paperbacks. Sometimes I’ll supply a photograph and Lindsay takes it from there. Lindsay is reasonable, timely, easy to work with and does a great job. Here are the covers Lindsay has produced for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SITE Z is an eBook work in progress, so there’s no spine or back cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like Lindsay’s contact info, reply to this post and I’ll email it to you.

I downloaded a CreateSpace cover template just to see what it looked like, and I couldn’t make much sense of it. There are three components to a cover, the front, the spine, and the back. The spine width is calculated by the number of pages of your manuscript, the type of ink and paper you use, multiplied by a conversion factor.

Also, you will need a bar code containing the ISBN for the back cover. This usually is attached as a PDF or jpeg when you order an ISBN for your book. Check into this before you order an ISBN. I’m not sure if CreateSpace supplies bar codes with their ISBNs or not. Please post a comment if anyone knows for sure either way.

If you already have eBook versions of your books, keep the covers and teaser text the same, since if you sell on Amazon the eBook and paperback will be linked on the same page. It’s confusing to readers, seeing different covers for the same book.

Once your cover is uploaded it’s time to go through the proofing process. More on this in the next post.