COVER FIX GUIDE — Back Cover Text Too Close to Edges
The Problem
Amazon KDP requires 0.375 inches (9.5mm) safe margin from ALL edges for text.
Your current cover has text too close to:
- Top edge (the red stamp)
- Bottom edge (publisher info/price)
- Possibly sides (blurb text)
The Solution
Step 1: Understand the Safe Zones
BACK COVER DIMENSIONS (6" x 9" trim size)
=============================================
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ ← Trim edge (where paper is cut)
│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ ← Bleed area (0.125") - NO TEXT
│░┌─────────────────────────────────────┐░│
│░│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│░│ ←
│░│░ ░│░│ ← SAFE ZONE MARGIN (0.375")
│░│░ ✓ TEXT CAN GO HERE ░│░│ Keep all text inside this
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░ [Red stamp moved down] ░│░│
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░ Blurb text... ░│░│
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░ Quote... ░│░│
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░ [BARCODE ZONE - 2" x 1.5"] ░│░│
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░ Publisher info moved up ░│░│
│░│░ ░│░│
│░│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│░│ ← SAFE ZONE MARGIN (0.375")
│░└─────────────────────────────────────┘░│
│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ ← Bleed area (0.125") - NO TEXT
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘ ← Trim edge
↑ ↑
0.375" margin 0.375" margin
(NO TEXT HERE) (NO TEXT HERE)
Step 2: Specific Fixes Needed
TOP of Back Cover (The Red Stamp)
CURRENT (WRONG):
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SESSION 28409296 ← TOO CLOSE TO TOP EDGE!
│ ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT
│ DO NOT REMOVE FROM PREMISES
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
FIXED:
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │ ← 0.375" empty space
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SESSION 28409296 │ │
│ │ ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT │ │
│ │ DO NOT REMOVE FROM PREMISES │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
Action: Move the red stamp box down 0.375” from the top edge
BOTTOM of Back Cover (Publisher Info)
CURRENT (WRONG):
│ │
│ CONVERGENCE PRESS ← TOO CLOSE TO BOTTOM!
│ North Platte, Nebraska
│ www.kbird.ai
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
FIXED:
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ CONVERGENCE PRESS │ │
│ │ North Platte, Nebraska │ │
│ │ www.kbird.ai │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ ← 0.375" empty space
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Action: Move publisher info up 0.375” from the bottom edge
LEFT/RIGHT SIDES (Blurb Text)
CURRENT (WRONG):
THEY CAN ALL BIRD presents the ← TOO CLOSE TO LEFT EDGE!
recovered papers of Dr. Eleanora
Voss, a computational biologist
who vanished from the University
of Nebraska–Lincoln in February ← TOO CLOSE TO RIGHT EDGE!
FIXED:
THEY CAN ALL BIRD presents the ← 0.375" margin
recovered papers of Dr. Eleanora
Voss, a computational biologist
who vanished from the University
of Nebraska–Lincoln in February ← 0.375" margin
Action: Keep all text 0.375” away from left and right edges
Step 3: Exact Measurements for Your Cover
Your book: 6” x 9” trim size
Back Cover Safe Area:
- Width: 6” - 0.375” - 0.375” = 5.25” safe width
- Height: 9” - 0.375” - 0.375” = 8.25” safe height
Text Box Maximum Dimensions:
- Red stamp box: Max 5.25” wide, position at least 0.375” from top
- Blurb text: Max 5.25” wide, keep 0.375” from sides
- Publisher info: Max 5.25” wide, position at least 0.375” from bottom
Step 4: Quick Fixes by Tool
If using Adobe InDesign:
- Open your cover file
- Go to Layout > Margins and Columns
- Set margins:
- Top: 0.375”
- Bottom: 0.375”
- Inside: 0.375”
- Outside: 0.375”
- Keep all text INSIDE the margin guides
- Export new PDF
If using Canva:
- Open your cover design
- Go to File > View Settings > Show Margins
- Set margin to 0.375” (9.5mm)
- Move all text inside the safe zone
- Download as PDF Print
If using Photoshop:
- Open your cover PSD
- Create guides:
- View > New Guide > Horizontal: 0.375”
- View > New Guide > Horizontal: 8.625” (9 - 0.375)
- View > New Guide > Vertical: 0.375”
- View > New Guide > Vertical: 5.625” (6 - 0.375)
- Move all text inside these guides
- Save as PDF
Step 5: Revised Back Cover Layout
Use this exact spacing:
BACK COVER LAYOUT (CORRECTED)
================================
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ ← Trim edge
│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ ← Bleed (0.125")
│░ ░│
│░ [0.375" MARGIN - NO TEXT] ░│
│░ ░│
│░ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ ░│
│░ │ SESSION 28409296 │ ░│ ← Red stamp
│░ │ ARCHIVAL DOCUMENT │ ░│
│░ │ DO NOT REMOVE FROM PREMISES │ ░│
│░ └─────────────────────────────┘ ░│
│░ ░│
│░ THEY CAN ALL BIRD presents... ░│ ← Blurb
│░ ░│
│░ Based on the original academic ░│
│░ preprint: ░│
│░ DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18912642 ░│
│░ ░│
│░ "The birds are patient..." ░│ ← Quote
│░ ░│
│░ ─────────────────────────────── ░│
│░ ░│
│░ [BARCODE ZONE - Leave blank] ░│
│░ ░│
│░ CONVERGENCE PRESS ░│ ← Publisher
│░ North Platte, Nebraska ░│
│░ www.kbird.ai ░│
│░ ░│
│░ [0.375" MARGIN - NO TEXT] ░│
│░ ░│
│░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░│ ← Bleed (0.125")
└─────────────────────────────────────┘ ← Trim edge
Step 6: Visual Check
Before uploading, verify:
- No text within 0.375” of top edge
- No text within 0.375” of bottom edge
- No text within 0.375” of left edge
- No text within 0.375” of right edge
- Barcode zone is still blank (bottom right)
- Spine text is still centered and legible
Step 7: Re-upload to KDP
- Go to KDP Bookshelf
- Find “They Can All Bird”
- Click Edit Paperback Details
- Scroll to “Cover Creator” section
- Click Upload your cover file
- Select your corrected PDF
- Preview in the KDP Previewer
- Check that no warnings appear
- Click Save and Continue
- Submit for review
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
❌ DON’T: Put text at exactly 0.375” — give it a little extra space (0.4” or 0.5”)
❌ DON’T: Forget about the barcode — Amazon adds it in the bottom right, so don’t put text there
❌ DON’T: Only fix the back cover — check front cover and spine too
❌ DON’T: Use your ebook cover for print — they have different requirements
✅ DO: Use the KDP Cover Template generator for exact dimensions
✅ DO: Download and use their template as a guide layer
✅ DO: Check the previewer carefully before submitting
KDP COVER TEMPLATE GENERATOR
URL: https://kdp.amazon.com/cover-templates
Enter these specs:
- Trim Size: 6” x 9”
- Page Count: [Your actual page count]
- Paper: Cream
- Finish: Matte
Download the template and use it as your guide. The template shows:
- Exact bleed areas (red)
- Safe zones (green)
- Trim lines (blue)
- Barcode placement (gray box)
EMERGENCY FIX (If You Can’t Edit the Cover)
If you can’t edit the PDF yourself:
Option 1: Use KDP Cover Creator
- Go to your book in KDP
- Choose “Launch Cover Creator”
- Use their templates (they handle margins automatically)
- Less control but guaranteed to pass
Option 2: Hire a designer
- Fiverr: Search “KDP cover fix” ($20-50)
- 99designs: “Fix Amazon KDP cover margins”
- Tell them: “Text is too close to edges, need 0.375” safe margins”
Option 3: Use Canva template
- Go to canva.com
- Search “KDP book cover 6x9”
- Use their template (has guides built in)
- Recreate your cover with proper spacing
CHECKLIST BEFORE RE-SUBMITTING
- Downloaded KDP cover template
- Measured 0.375” from all edges
- Moved red stamp down from top
- Moved publisher info up from bottom
- Checked left/right margins on blurb
- Left barcode zone blank
- Exported as PDF
- Previewed in KDP Previewer
- No margin warnings in previewer
- Submitted for review
TROUBLESHOOTING
“I moved the text but still got rejected” → Check if text is within the bleed area (0.125” from edge). Bleed is for images only, not text.
“The spine text looks wrong” → Spine has different rules. Text should be 0.0625” (not 0.375”) from spine edges.
“I don’t know my exact page count” → Upload your interior PDF to KDP first. It will tell you the page count. Then generate the cover template.
“The template doesn’t match my cover” → You MUST use the template for your exact page count. Spine width changes with page count.
BOTTOM LINE
Keep ALL text at least 0.375” away from ALL edges.
That’s it. That’s the fix.
The red stamp needs to move down. The publisher info needs to move up. The blurb needs to stay within the safe zone.
Once you fix this, Amazon should approve the cover immediately.