Skip to main content
C
Charly6764
Inspiring
June 30, 2024
Answered

Book Cover Error on KDP

  • June 30, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 2008 views

Hi everyone,

 

I have formatted a book cover and interior for a client using InDesign, to upload onto KDP. The book itself is fine, but the cover keeps erroring saying 'insufficient gutter'. I have attached a screenshot of the error. 

 

The margins I have used on InDesign are,

Front and back - 0.5 top, bottom and outside/ 0.625 inside

Spine - 0.625 top and bottom / 0.0625 inside and outside 

 

The book is 347 pages, and 5.5 x 8.5. Spine size is 0.8675 width. 

 

Bleed - 0.125

Gutter - 0.625

 

I have extended the background to the bleed. I have ensured elements are within the margins. 

 

I can't work out where I am going wrong, so I am seeking advice to see if anyone else knows? I am wondering whether it's because I should be using the page size 6x9 or if it's to do with the design itself. I used illustrator to create the design and the elements, so perhaps something went wrong there? But I didn't think transferring a design from illustrator to InDesign would cause any problems. 

 

Any help would be appreciated! 

 

Thanks,

Charley

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Charly6764

Hi James, thanks for your reply! sorry I thought I had attached! This is what I thought. I am looking at my client's screenshot again, and I am realising what the issue is. She had only sent me a screenshot of the front cover, and asked me to fix the cover margins. But I have done a 'test' upload on KDP my end, and can see it is the manuscript that is causing the issue, not the cover. 

 

I knew it would be something obvious, sorry James. I appreciate your advice however, it is very helpful! 

 

I am going to adjust the inner margin of the manuscript, and then it should be all good to go, fingers crossed. 

1 reply

James Gifford—NitroPress
James Gifford—NitroPress
Brainiac
June 30, 2024

I don't see a screenshot. I am also a bit confused in that "gutter," as KDP uses it, almost always applies to the interior pages and not the cover. (It's a widely misused term, especially in that MS Word applies it as a separate element from inside page margin, which is just nonsensical.)

 

A cover layout should be simple: trim height + 1/4 inch bleed total, and trim width * 2 + spine width + 1/4 inch bleed, total. Any other size will be rejected. (Or, for very small variations, usually related to spine width, given an error but allowed to pass if you okay it.)

 

If your exported PDF — without any crop or bleed marks, KDP doesn't want them — isn't exactly this value, you will get an error.

 

I can't really figure out why a "gutter" error would come into play unless you have what they regard as live content (text, usually) extending into the spine flex/bind area.

 

The simplest check and guide is to go back to the KDP spine width calculator page, carefully enter your book information, and download the template it offers. Take that (JPEG or PDF, as I recall) and Place it in a layer behind all your current cover elements. It should be exact size to your bleed margins, with no adjustment or scaling required.

 

Then use it to verify you have all margins, layout, clearances from spine, etc. correct. This is a fairly absolute check and if there's something out of place (like text extending too close to the spine fold, which is the only relevant meaning of "gutter" here)... you'll see it.

 

Check back if there's no obvious fault to correct.

    C
    Charly6764AuthorCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    July 1, 2024

    Hi James, thanks for your reply! sorry I thought I had attached! This is what I thought. I am looking at my client's screenshot again, and I am realising what the issue is. She had only sent me a screenshot of the front cover, and asked me to fix the cover margins. But I have done a 'test' upload on KDP my end, and can see it is the manuscript that is causing the issue, not the cover. 

     

    I knew it would be something obvious, sorry James. I appreciate your advice however, it is very helpful! 

     

    I am going to adjust the inner margin of the manuscript, and then it should be all good to go, fingers crossed. 

      C
      Charly6764Author
      Inspiring
      July 1, 2024

      Okay. I am still a bit confused in that there's a sort of mix of information and questions about the cover and the interior block, which (as you well know) are two completely separate layout/upload components. The error image you attached is clearly related to interior pages, not the cover.

       

      I was going to note, in any round two (such as this) that the inside margin was a bit tight. Both for perfect binding in general and KDP's rather tight "pinched" binding, anything less than an inch is likely to be unsatisfactory for a reader. Noting that this is a 350-page book, the recommendation/"gutter" error of less than 0.625 is correct; this would be a very tight book needing hard spreading of the pages to read, which is not reader-friendly. If the layout is still in play, I'd make it that full inch.

       

      I'm not sure how you did an upload without a full cover layout, but that's neither here nor there.

       

      As for "doing a test upload," I am not clear if you did that to your own KDP account using a test book listing, or via the author's account. Just a warning: KDP frowns heavily on third parties having access to individual author/publisher accounts and will block the book and/or the account if they detect it.

       

      But assuming you have the cover layout completed etc., the error here is indeed too small an inside margin — which gets confused by loose/somewhat incorrect use of the term "gutter" — and widening that inside margin should fix it.


      Hi, yes, I see this clearly now. At the time I was confused as the screenshot she sent was of the front cover. (I have only sent you the error, not the full screenshot). So obviously you upload both components separately, but when previewing on KDP, it is the cover and interior altogether, so my client assumed it was the cover without looking through the preview fully.

       

      And no I do not have access to her account, I tried uploading from my account to establish exactly what the issue was.

       

      Yes, the cover is completed. But the margins with the cover are correct. It is the interior inner margin that needs enlarging. But perhaps I should increase the cover inner margin to an inch as well as the interior to be safe. 

       

      Thanks for your help!

      quote

      Okay. I am still a bit confused in that there's a sort of mix of information and questions about the cover and the interior block, which (as you well know) are two completely separate layout/upload components. The error image you attached is clearly related to interior pages, not the cover.

       

      I was going to note, in any round two (such as this) that the inside margin was a bit tight. Both for perfect binding in general and KDP's rather tight "pinched" binding, anything less than an inch is likely to be unsatisfactory for a reader. Noting that this is a 350-page book, the recommendation/"gutter" error of less than 0.625 is correct; this would be a very tight book needing hard spreading of the pages to read, which is not reader-friendly. If the layout is still in play, I'd make it that full inch.

       

      I'm not sure how you did an upload without a full cover layout, but that's neither here nor there.

       

      As for "doing a test upload," I am not clear if you did that to your own KDP account using a test book listing, or via the author's account. Just a warning: KDP frowns heavily on third parties having access to individual author/publisher accounts and will block the book and/or the account if they detect it.

       

      But assuming you have the cover layout completed etc., the error here is indeed too small an inside margin — which gets confused by loose/somewhat incorrect use of the term "gutter" — and widening that inside margin should fix it.


      By @James Gifford—NitroPress

       

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices