Kindle Bleed / margin / document size problems

[Bad_Wolf]

Hello Everyone,

Please, can you help me with a Kindle KDP bleed/margin/document size problem?

My document is 8.5 x 11 inches in size, a standard Kindle KDP template. I include both the original Affinity Publisher file and the closeup screen capture.

I downloaded a template from bookow.com to check if my document is correct. I placed that template precisely in the middle. Now everything seems out of alignment. I looked and tried many things; however, whatever I did, it seemed my document was utterly wrong.

Please, can you tell me what I do wrong and how I can solve it? Your help will be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Have a lovely day!

Chris

 

 

PuzzleBookInterior.afpub

[PaulEC]

It looks like you're using the cover template for the interior, which means that all the pages are out by the width of the spine. As far as KDP is concerned, you need to treat the cover and the interior as two separate files, with different sizes.

[Bad_Wolf]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your reply. The file I included is the interior of the book, not the cover.

However, I think I found what was wrong. I divided 18,106 by 2, which gives me 9,053 inches. Then I went back to the document setup and changed the 8,5 in 9,053 inches for the width. Now everything seems to be good (I hope) because the bleed in the template is smaller than the bleed in Affinity Publisher. I have included the new document with this reply

I do appreciate your help.

Chris

PuzzleBookInterior.afpub

[PaulEC]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're doing, but why are you using a cover template for the interior pages? (The cover needs a spine in the middle, the pages don't!)

[Bad_Wolf]

Hi Paul,

You are correct that the cover template is proposed for the cover. However, because it is my first time creating a book for KDP, I wanted to check if what I did was correct. That is why I downloaded the cover template, put it on a background layer and saw if my bleed, page size and margins were correct. See it as an extra assurance.

Thank you again for your reply.

Chris

 

[PaulEC]

Hi Chris

You may find this page helpful with regard to setting up the interior for KDP books:

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GVBQ3CMEQW3W2VL6

 

[Bad_Wolf]

Hi Paul,

Thank you again for the link to the page on Amazon. I read the page and watched the videos, which makes all much clearer now.

I wish you a nice day and all the best!

Chris

[Bad_Wolf]

Hi all,

I finally figured out how to set up a document in Publisher for Kindle Paperback printing. In case someone else is looking for the same information or has the same problems as myself, I give her the information.

Set the width and height exactly as you intend. For example, for a book 8.5" x 11", for the width, you set 8.5, and for the height, you set 11". For the bleed, you set a value of 0.125" for all sides of the page. 0.125" = 0,3175 cm.

When you export your document to PDF (for Kindle), select "Include bleed" in the export dialog. Export as PDF/X-1a:2003. This ensures that all transparencies (if any) are converted to white. It is forbidden to use transparency in your document for KDP. The PDF/X-1a:2003 type will flat your file.

It is hard to understand Amazon bleed. At one time, they say 0 bleed at the inner sides, then in another video, they say 0.125" on all sides.

Another problem I have is putting text on the spine in Affinity Publisher.

I am thinking about creating the whole cover in Designer with the total page width (0.125" (bleed) + 8.5" (page width) + 0.393" (1,27cm spindle width) + 8.5"(page width) + 0.125" bleed. I draw a rectangle from bleed edge to bleed edge and ensure I put "Snapping" on. I place a guide at the middle point of this rectangle so at least I have a reliable reference of the exact middle of the book. I take that vertical reference point as starting point for all my margins. This should hopefully lead to a perfect cover/interior.

My margins are outside, top, bottom: 0.472" (12mm) and inner margins 0.787" (20mm). This should give the intended results.

I still have to do a lot of research, but I slowly get where I wanted to be.

Thanks, everyone, for your help.

Chris

Ps: I include a screen-capture for a book of 150 pages, printed on white paper in standard color.

[Oufti]

31 minutes ago, Bad_Wolf said:

the total page width (0.125" (bleed) + 8.5" (page width) + 0.393" (1,27cm spindle width) + 8.5"(page width) + 0.125" bleed.

Probably not very important, but if I make no mistake 1,27 cm is half an inch not 0.393". 

[Bad_Wolf]

@Oufti,

Thank you for the correction which I appreciate. Indeed 1,27 cm is 0.5". I apologize for my mistake.

Chris