Did you know that you can create a book in Canva before sending it to a publisher? While many authors only use Canva for cover art, others choose to create entire books on the platform. It's great for crafting books with illustrations and photographs, but it can also be used to put together short stories, poetry, novels, and other works that are heavier on the text.
Canva is an innovative web- and app-based tool that allows users to flex their creative muscles and bring their work from inspiration to publication. To print a book from Canva, you'll need to learn how to use the platform, design your project, edit your book, and download the file to get your work published.
At Book1One, we'll discuss the benefits of using Canva and how you can get your book from the digital platform to your readers' bookshelves.
Learn How to Use Canva
Canva is perfect for authors with little or no graphic design skills. All you need is an Internet connection and a desire to create a book of your own. This user-friendly platform puts a host of tools at your fingertips, including:
- Design templates: From picture books to novels, Canva has the tools to bring your project alive. You can choose a design template that suits your vision or start entirely from scratch.
- Images: You don't have to be a graphic designer to make your project look great. Canva has a library of stock photos, graphics, shapes, charts, and frames.
- Textual elements: Putting pen to paper (or words to screen) is simple. With Canva, authors can create well-organized pages of text in the font style and size of their choosing. This includes headers, footers, and page numbers.
- Guides and margins: The helpful guides and margin settings ensure each component of your book is in alignment.
Start by experimenting with a test project to get to know the tools and how they work. Once you've familiarized yourself with the platform, you can get started on your book.
Design Your Book Step by Step
While crafting your book in Canva, it's often easiest to put your project together in actionable steps. Doing so can help make the entire project flow more productively and feel less overwhelming. Here are three main steps you can take:
- Step 1: First, write your story in a separate word processing program. Getting your story down on your computer can make it easier to direct all of your attention to this essential piece of the puzzle.
- Step 2: Next, lay the groundwork for your book in Canva. This is where the graphics and other design features come into play. Start designing your cover art, page layout, and other visual elements.
- Step 3: Once the framework for your book is set, add the text. Simply go page by page and copy your story over to Canva's digital workspace.
While creating your project, you may have noticed that Canva has a page limit. If your work exceeds that limit, simply create a new project on the platform and continue where the previous file left off.
Edit and Proofread Your Work
After you're done putting your book together, take a break. For many people, the more time they spend on a project, the more likely it is that tiny flaws go unnoticed. You not only deserve a break, but it will also help you come back to your work and review it with a fresh pair of eyes.
The goal is to give yourself enough distance to clear your mind of everything you wrote.
Putting some time between the writing and revising stages gives you a chance to reset. By the time you return, it'll almost feel like someone else wrote the words on the page. Whether you need a few days or a few weeks to look at your work with a fresh perspective, it's entirely up to you.
When you return to your project, tackling the revision process in phases can help ensure you've covered everything. Here are some tips for creating a print-ready book:
- Read your story aloud: Hearing your written words can make it easier to spot repetitive language, sentence flow issues, and other hiccups.
- Examine the big picture: How does your entire storyline flow? Will additional scenes bring greater clarity to your reader? At this point, keep a lookout for any plot holes and inconsistencies within your storyline.
- Review each scene: Once the overarching storyline feels complete, review the dialogue, setting descriptions, and other details that help make each scene a page-turner.
- Edit for spelling and grammar: There's nothing worse than finding a typo in the final version of your manuscript – or worse, the printed copy. Look for punctuation issues, spelling mistakes, extra spaces, and other errors within the text.
- Illustration edit: Review the graphics you've placed throughout the pages of your manuscript. Make sure they're paired with the right text, clearly visible, and won't get cut off in print.
- Cover edit: Lastly, review your cover art. While readers are not supposed to judge a book by its cover, it doesn't hurt to make sure your design will stand out on the shelf at a glance.
If self-editing your book feels like an insurmountable task, outsource. You can enlist a friend or family member with a keen eye for detail or hire an editor from a freelancing website. These websites are populated by professionals with varying levels of experience and a desire to do exactly what you need them to do: help you make your book as perfect as possible.
Download the File and Publish Your Story
Now, it's time to publish your work. Canva offers book printing services, and it is easy to publish through the platform. If you've created a story for your family, like a short children's book or photo book, and only need a couple of copies, this is where those services come in handy.
However, if you're an author who wants to leave your mark in the literary world, a professional publisher will be more useful.
Authors who've written and illustrated books can self-publish their work through a variety of companies, many of which offer intuitive ordering platforms – just like Canva. Publishing companies offer specialty services to ensure your book comes out just right, and many also provide a host of resources for authors who need an ISBN, marketing assistance, and other services.
If you have a self-publishing company in mind, all you need to do is download your file from Canva and place your order with that publisher. If your project spans more than one file, simply combine them using a file merger. Keep in mind that some publishers require separate files for the cover and the pages.
It's always a good idea to review your publisher's requirements, services, and suggestions in advance to ensure your book turns out exactly as it should.
Conclusion
In today's digital world, there are more ways than ever to bring a book idea to fruition. And if you've heard of Canva, it's a great place to start. Simply get to know the platform, design your book, make revisions, and publish your work.
With your creative mind and an array of tools at your disposal, the possibilities are endless.