Getting your eBook ready for publication is an exciting experience —but for many new authors, the design and formatting stage can feel confusing. You’ve written the content, edited the chapters, and now you’re wondering how to turn your manuscript into a professional digital book that readers will enjoy.
The truth is that great writing alone isn’t enough. If your eBook is poorly formatted, difficult to navigate, or has an unprofessional cover, readers may lose interest before they even get to the first chapter.
Good eBook design plays a key role in your self-publishing success. Clean formatting makes your book easy to read on any device, whether it is your smartphone, e-reader, tablet, iPad, laptop, or computer. A well-designed cover helps your eBook stand out in crowded online stores.
Proper packaging ensures your files meet the technical requirements for platforms like Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play. When everything is done correctly, your eBook not only looks professional but also provides a smooth reading experience that builds trust with your audience.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a graphic designer or a tech expert to create a polished eBook. Many self-publishing platforms provide the tools you need to format your eBook without having to purchase expensive software.
With the right tools, simple formatting techniques, and a clear understanding of platform requirements, beginners can produce eBooks that look just as professional as traditionally published titles.
In this guide, you’ll learn the essentials of eBook design for beginners, including how to format your manuscript, create an eye-catching cover, and package your files correctly for Kindle, Apple Books, and other major self-publishing platforms.
By the end, you’ll have the confidence to prepare your eBook for publication and share your work with readers around the world.
What does eBook Design and Packaging Mean?
Before you publish your eBook, it’s important to understand what eBook design and packaging involve. These three elements—formatting, cover design, and packaging—work together to ensure your book looks professional, functions properly, and meets the requirements of major self-publishing platforms.
eBook Formatting
eBook formatting is the process of transforming your Word document into a file that can be read by e-readers. In other words, it refers to the structure and layout of your content for digital reading.
Unlike print books, eBooks must adapt to different screen sizes, including smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and computers. This is known as a reflowable layout, where text automatically adjusts to fit the reader’s device.
Good formatting includes consistent fonts, properly styled headings, clear chapter breaks, and a clickable table of contents. It also means avoiding common issues such as extra spacing, manual tabs, or inconsistent alignment.
Clean formatting ensures your eBook is easy to read and provides a smooth experience across platforms like Kindle, Apple Books, and Kobo.
eBook Cover Design
Your eBook cover is one of the most important marketing tools you have. Designing a good eBook cover is crucial because it is considered to be the primary marketing tool for your eBook, often forming a reader’s first impression within 8 seconds of viewing your eBook’s cover image.
It’s the first thing potential readers see when browsing online stores, and it plays a major role in whether they click on your book or scroll past it.
A strong cover design communicates your book’s topic or genre, uses clear and readable typography, and looks professional even at thumbnail size. An attractive, well-designed cover increases visibility, builds trust with readers, and can significantly improve your conversion rate and sales.
eBook Packaging
The final step before publication is eBook packaging. This involves preparing the correct file format (such as EPUB or DOCX), creating a high-resolution eBook cover, and adding essential metadata like your title, description, keywords, and categories.
Proper packaging ensures your eBook meets platform requirements and uploads without errors. Taking the time to package your eBook correctly helps avoid technical issues, delays, or rejection during the publishing process.
Now we will explore the 4 steps required to design and package your eBook for publishing. These 4 steps include:
- Formatting your eBook manuscript
- Designing a professional eBook cover
- Converting your eBook to the relevant file format
- Packaging your eBook using metadata
Step 1 – Format Your eBook Manuscript Properly
Proper formatting is essential to creating a professional eBook. A clean, well-structured manuscript not only looks polished but also ensures your book displays correctly across Kindle, Apple Books, and other reading devices.
Clean Up Your Document
Start by simplifying and standardising your text. Use a consistent, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Calibri, and Verdana throughout your manuscript. Avoid mixing fonts or manually adjusting sizes and spacing, as this can cause formatting issues during conversion.
Next, remove common formatting problems. Delete extra spaces between paragraphs, avoid using the Tab key to create indents, and eliminate multiple line breaks. Instead of manual formatting, use your word processor’s built-in paragraph styles. Apply Heading 1 for chapter titles and Heading 2 for subheadings. Using styles helps your eBook convert cleanly and makes it easier to generate a table of contents later.
Structure Your eBook
A well-organised eBook improves the reader’s experience and gives your work a professional look. Your manuscript should include a title page, a copyright page, and a clickable table of contents at the beginning. Follow this with your main chapters and finish with an About the Author section. This is also a great place to add links to your website, social media, or email mailing list to stay connected with readers.
There are plenty of websites that offer free copyright templates that you can copy and paste and make adjustments as needed for your eBook.
Add a Clickable Table of Contents
A clickable table of contents is essential for Kindle and EPUB formats. It allows readers to move easily between chapters and sections. This simple feature improves navigation, enhances the reading experience, and helps your eBook meet platform publishing standards.
Step 2 – Design a Professional eBook Cover
People say that you should “never judge a book by its cover,” but in the case of eBooks, the cover usually determines whether readers will buy your book or move on. Your eBook cover is one of the most powerful tools for attracting readers. In online bookstores, people often make decisions within seconds, and your cover is the first thing they notice. A professional design creates a strong first impression, communicates the topic or genre of your book, and builds trust with potential buyers. An eye-catching cover can significantly increase click-through rates, which ultimately leads to more downloads and sales.
Why Cover Design Matters
Unlike print books displayed on shelves, eBooks compete in crowded digital marketplaces. Your cover must stand out at a small size and clearly signal what readers can expect. If the design looks amateurish or is difficult to read, readers may assume that the content is low quality and move on.
eBook Cover Size Guidelines
To ensure your cover displays properly across platforms like Amazon KDP, Apple, and Kobo, follow standard technical requirements for an eBook, which should be 2560 x 1600 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 1.6:1.
The aspect ratio refers to the proportional relationship between the width and height of the cover image. It defines the shape of your cover—whether it is tall and narrow, or more square-shaped —rather than its exact pixel dimensions. This means that for every 1,000 pixels in width, the cover should be 1,600 pixels in height.
Your file should be saved as a JPG or TIFF at 300 dpi for high-quality resolution. A sharp, properly sized image prevents distortion and ensures your cover looks professional on all devices.
Design Tips for Beginners
Keep your design clean and easy to understand. Use large, readable fonts so the title remains clear even at thumbnail size. Choose high-contrast colours to make text stand out against the background. Avoid clutter, too many fonts, or excessive graphics. Instead, aim for a simple layout that matches your book’s genre and audience expectations. If in doubt, search for similar books in your genre and look at what types of fonts are used for the eBook cover.
Tools for DIY Covers
You don’t need advanced design skills to create a professional cover. Beginner-friendly tools like Canva, Adobe Express, and BookBrush offer templates sized for eBooks. If you prefer a custom design, you can also hire affordable freelance designers through platforms like Fiverr or Upwork, or work with a professional for a more polished result.
Step 3: Convert Your eBook to the Right File Format
Once your manuscript is properly formatted and you have designed your eBook cover, the next step is to convert your eBook into the correct file format that self-publishing platforms can accept. Choosing the right format ensures your book displays correctly on different devices and avoids technical issues during upload.
Best File Formats for Self-Publishing
The EPUB format is the industry standard and is accepted by most retailers outside of Amazon. It supports reflowable text, responsive layouts, and interactive features like clickable tables of contents.
The DOCX format is commonly used when uploading directly to Amazon and works well if your manuscript is cleanly formatted using styles.
While PDF files are useful for print or lead magnets, they are not recommended for most eBooks. PDFs have fixed layouts that don’t adapt well to different screen sizes, which can lead to a poor reading experience on e-readers and mobile devices.
Free Conversion Tools
Several free beginner-friendly tools can help you convert and format your eBook correctly:
- Kindle Create – ideal for formatting your manuscript and exporting a Kindle-ready file (KPF) for Amazon
- Calibre – allows you to convert between multiple eBook formats
- Draft2Digital – automatically formats and distributes your book
- Reedsy Book Editor – creates clean and professional EPUB files with very little effort.
How to Format and Package Your Ebook for Kindle (Amazon KDP)
Supported File Types
Amazon KDP accepts:
- DOCX
- EPUB
- KPF (created using Kindle Create)
Kindle Formatting Tips
For the best reading experience, use reflowable text rather than fixed layouts. Insert page breaks between chapters so each one starts on a new screen. Include a linked Table of Contents to help readers navigate easily. Before publishing, always check your file using the Kindle Previewer to see how it will appear on different devices.
Kindle Cover Requirements
Your cover should be uploaded separately in JPG format. The longest side must be at least 1000 pixels, though the recommended size is 2560 x 1600 pixels for optimal quality.
Final Packaging Checklist for KDP
Before publishing, make sure you have:
- Your manuscript file (DOCX, EPUB, or KPF)
- A high-quality cover image (JPG format, size 2560 x 1600 pixels)
- A compelling book description
- Relevant keywords and categories
How to Format and Package Your eBook for Apple Books
Required Format
Apple Books accepts EPUB only, so your file must be properly converted before upload.
Apple Books Formatting Tips
Use a validated EPUB file to avoid errors. If you export from a design or editing program, ensure the underlying HTML structure is clean and free of unnecessary code. Always test your eBook using Apple Books Preview or an EPUB validation tool to confirm that formatting, images, and links display correctly.
Cover Requirements
Apple Books accepts JPG or PNG cover files. The shortest side should be at least 1400 pixels, and high-resolution, retina-quality images are recommended for the best display.
Formatting for Other Platforms (Kobo, Google Play, Barnes & Noble)
Standard Requirements
Most other eBook retailers prefer:
- EPUB format
- Reflowable text
- A clickable Table of Contents
Embedded fonts are optional but can help maintain a consistent design.
Using Aggregators
If you want to distribute your eBook widely without uploading to each store individually, consider using an aggregator such as:
These services allow you to upload your book once and distribute it to multiple platforms. This saves time, simplifies updates, and helps you reach a wider audience with minimal effort.
Step 4: Metadata: The Hidden Part of eBook Packaging
Metadata is one of the most important parts of eBook publishing, yet many beginners overlook it. Think of metadata as the information that helps readers discover your book online.
Metadata provides information about a book’s title, author, publisher, and subject matter. It helps readers to find exactly what they are looking for quickly and easily. Even if your content and design are excellent, poor metadata can make your eBook difficult to find in crowded digital stores.
Essential Metadata Elements
When uploading your eBook, you’ll be asked to provide key details about your book. Start with your title and subtitle, making sure they clearly reflect the topic and include relevant keywords where appropriate. Your author name should be consistent across all platforms to build your brand.
Next, write a compelling book description. This should be engaging, benefit-focused, and written with search visibility in mind. A strong description helps both readers and store algorithms understand what your book offers.
You’ll also need to select keywords that readers are likely to search for. Choose phrases that match your topic, audience, and niche. In addition, select the most accurate categories so your book appears in the right sections of the store. If your eBook is part of a collection, include series information to link your titles together and encourage repeat purchases.
Why Metadata Matters
Good metadata helps readers find your book when they search for related topics. It also improves your visibility in store search results, category rankings, and recommendation systems. In short, metadata plays a major role in discoverability, traffic, and sales.
Common eBook Design Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid
Many self-publishing issues come from simple mistakes that are easy to fix. One common error is uploading a PDF instead of an EPUB, which can cause display problems on e-readers. Another is using too many fonts or complicated layouts, which may not convert properly across devices.
Low-resolution covers can make your book look unprofessional, while a missing table of contents makes navigation difficult for readers. Finally, always preview your eBook on different devices or using preview tools. Failing to test your file can result in formatting errors that affect the reading experience.
Beginner Tools to Make eBook Design Easier
You don’t need advanced technical skills to create a professional eBook. Canva is excellent for designing covers and simple layouts. Kindle Create helps format manuscripts specifically for Amazon. The Reedsy Book Editor allows you to write, format, and export clean EPUB files online.
For file conversion and management, Calibre is a useful free tool. If you want an easier publishing workflow, the Draft2Digital formatter automatically prepares your eBook and distributes it to multiple retailers.
Final eBook Packaging Checklist
Before publishing, take a moment to go through this checklist to ensure that your eBook has been properly formatted and that you have a professional cover design:
- Review your files. Make sure your formatting is clean and consistent.
- Your table of contents should be clickable
- Your manuscript should be saved as EPUB or DOCX.
- Confirm that your cover is high quality and correctly sized.
- All metadata fields, such as the title, subtitle, author name, book description, and keywords, are complete.
- Finally, preview your eBook on Kindle and mobile devices to ensure everything looks professional and ready for readers.
Final Thoughts
Designing and packaging your eBook may seem technical at first, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right steps, simple tools, and a clear understanding of platform requirements, any beginner can create a professional-looking eBook.
Clean formatting, a strong cover, and well-prepared files not only improve the reader experience but also increase your credibility as an author and help your book stand out in competitive online stores.
Taking the time to package your eBook properly can make a real difference in visibility, reader satisfaction, and sales. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on getting the essentials right and moving forward. The most important step is to publish and start sharing your work with the world.
If you’d like extra support, join my email list for self-publishing tips, or explore my other posts on self-publishing and making money with eBooks. Your publishing journey starts today.
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