How to Create a Journal to sell on Amazon KDP Using Canva
Would you like to learn how to Create a Journal to sell on Amazon KDP? Publishing journals on Amazon KDP are a great way to share your ideas with the world and potentially make some money along the way.
If you’re ready to start your journey as a self-publisher on KDP and start earning money, you’re in the right place! This guide will show you exactly how to to create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP that not only engage your audience but also drive sales.
With Canva’s easy-to-use tools and endless design options, creating journals and other low content books are a breeze.
Table of Contents
Examples of Journals to sell on Amazon
Amazon offers a vast selection of journals in its marketplace. If you need some ideas to get started, here are examples of journals you can create to sell on Amazon KDP:
- Meditation Journals
- Prayer Journal
- Lined Journals
- Blank Journals
- Fitness Journals
- Shadow Work Journals
- Camping Journals
- Gratitude Journal
- Journal for Kids
- Bullet Journal
- Travel Journal
- Journal for Teens
- Notary Journals
Amazon provides a broad range of journals to accommodate various interests and preferences. From themed journals to guided ones, there’s something to appeal to every individual’s tastes and needs.
If you need more inspiration, check out this blog post on 98 Low Content Book Ideas for Amazon KDP.
Why Canva is the Best Tool for Creating Journals
Canva is a user-friendly graphic design platform that simplifies the process of creating visually appealing journals for selling on Amazon KDP. We will be covering some of the key benefits to using Canva to create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP,

User-Friendly Interface
Canva’s platform is simple to use even for beginners, with its “1-click” feature allowing you to easily add and edit elements on your journal pages without any hassle, making it effortless to bring your creative ideas to life.
Large Collection of Templates
Canva has a wide variety of pre-designed templates that can be used in your journals. Whether you’re looking for minimalist designs, inspirational layouts, or themed templates for special occasions, Canva’s has you covered.
You can easily customize these templates to suit your style and content.
Affordability
Canva offers a free plan, but even the pro plan is really affordable. If you’re just starting out as a self-publisher, you’ll like that you can use Canva without spending a lot of money.
Instead of paying a high price for professional design software, Canva gives you a cost-effective solution that doesn’t skimp on quality.
Customization Options
With Canva, you can personalize every aspect of your journal design. From selecting fonts and colors to adding images and graphics, the customization options are endless.
Tailor your journal to reflect your unique creativity and brand identity, ensuring that your product stands out in the marketplace.
Suitable for All Design Skill Levels
Canva make designing possible for everyone! For beginners, its user-friendly features make it easy to learn the basics of journal design quickly. Advanced users, on the other hand, can leverage Canva’s advanced tools to push the boundaries of their creativity.
Canva’s combination of a user-friendly interface, large collection of templates, affordability, extensive customization options, and inclusivity for all design skill levels makes it the ultimate platform to create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP.
How to Create a Journal to sell on Amazon KDP
Creating a journal to sell on Amazon KDP is simple and straightforward. If you do not already have an Amazon KDP account, hop on over there and create one now.
You can also check out our blog post where we cover how to set up an Amazon KDP account.

Let’s explore the essential steps to create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP!
Step 1: Choose a Profitable Niche for Your Journal
Before you begin creating your journal, it’s important to select a profitable niche for your journal. Brainstorm topics that resonate with your target audience and align with your expertise or interests.
If you are struggling to come up with a niche, you can check out this blog post KDP Niche Research: Finding Profitable Niches For Low Content Books on Amazon
Step 2: Choose Your Trim Size
Once you’ve chosen your niche, the next step is deciding on the trim size of your journal. Look at what sizes your competitors are using to help you decide what works best.
Before you begin creating your journal, you’ll need to choose between bleed or no bleed. Bleed means your design extends to the edge of the page, while no bleed means it doesn’t.
.For the sake of this tutorial, I will be creating a 8.5×11 journal with bleed .To account for the bleed, I will need to adjust my height and width of my interior. Here is a breakdown of my dimensions with bleed:
Width: 8.5″ + 0.125″ = 8.625″ and the height will be: 11″ + 0.25= 11.25
Step 3: Create Your Interior Pages
After you’ve picked the trim size of your journal, it’s time to design your interior pages.

We need to head on over to Canva and click on the “create a design” button. Next, we need to click on “custom size,” and change “px” to “in.”
As you can see in the image above, I will add my dimensions to the width and height boxes and click “create a design.”
You can find templates on sites like Canva, Creative Fabrica, or Etsy, but be sure to personalize them to match your style.
Include eye-catching graphics to attract your audience, and if you’re making a prompted journal, add thoughtful questions to enhance the user experience.
Step 4: Design an Eye-Catching Cover
Your journal’s cover is the first thing potential buyers will see, so make it visually appealing. To ensure that Amazon accepts your cover, follow these steps:
Go to Amazon Cover Calculator, enter your book’s information to get your cover dimensions, and then click on “Calculate dimensions” at the bottom of the screen. (See image below for an example)

Take note of the full cover dimensions on the chart that Amazon cover calculator generated since these are the dimensions that we will enter into Canva.

Click “Download Template”
Head on over to Canva, click on “Create a Design” button that is located at the top right of the page. You will need to go to “custom size,” change “px” to “in,” enter the dimensions from the Amazon Cover Calculator, and click the “create a design” button.
Go to your downloads, click on the cover calculator template, and click on the png file and extract that file.
Now we are going to go back over to the Canva canvas that we created. On the left side of the screen, click on the “upload” tab.
There are 2 ways to add your png file to Canva. You can drag the file into the upload area of the screen or you can click on the “upload file” button to select the png file.
After uploading your cover template to Canva, simply click on the template to add it to your canvas. To align it correctly, place the template in the top left corner and drag the bottom right corner of the template down to match the bottom right corner of your Canva canvas.

It’s time to create your cover! You can make it even better by adding graphics or patterns from the elements tab. Make sure your cover matches your brand’s style.
Use the red guides on the Amazon cover template to line up your elements perfectly, and if you want, add your title to the spine.
Once you’ve finished designing your cover, make sure to remove the Amazon cover template. Simply right-click your mouse, select “Layers,” then choose “Show Layers.” Click on the cover template and delete it from your Canva canvas.
Step 5: Preparing the File for Print
Once your interior pages and cover are perfected, it’s time to prepare the files for print. Download both the interior pages and the cover as PDF files in Canva for a seamless printing process.
Check for any formatting inconsistencies and make necessary adjustments to ensure a flawless final product ready for publishing on Amazon KDP.
By following these steps, you’re on the path to create a journal to sell on Amazon that will captivate your target customers and stand out on Amazon. With careful planning and attention to detail, you’ll be well-prepared to launch your journal and start generating sales.
Tips for Selling Journals Successfully on Amazon KDP
When you create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP, your success depends on using smart strategies that meet your audience’s needs. Using the right tactics can really boost your sales. Here’s some simple tips to help you stand out in the competitive market and find your place:
Conducting Strategic Keyword Research
Use Amazon’s search bar to find popular keywords related to journals. Include these keywords in your product listings to make them more visible and attract more visitors.
You can also use free tools like DS Amazon Quick View and AMZ Suggestion Expander to get more ideas about what people are searching for in your niche.
Create Compelling Cover Designs
Attract potential buyers with eye-catching cover designs that connect with your audience. Make sure your cover matches your journal’s theme and clearly shows what it’s about. Try out different colors, fonts, and pictures to make a bold impression.
Writing Engaging Product Descriptions
Write detailed and convincing product descriptions that showcase the special qualities and advantages of your journals. Clearly explain what makes your journals valuable to potential buyers, addressing their problems and providing solutions.
Use words that stir emotions and encourage people to buy. Don’t forget to include relevant keywords to improve visibility in search results.
Pricing Journals Competitively
Research the market to see what prices are common in your niche. Set your journal prices to be competitive, making sure they’re both profitable for you and affordable for customers.
You might also want to think about giving discounts or running special promotions to encourage people to buy from you instead of your competition.
Promoting Journals Through Marketing Channels
Promote your journals on social media and email campaigns to increase brand visibility and direct traffic to your Amazon page.
Engage with your audience by sharing captivating content and personalized messages, fostering stronger relationships and building brand loyalty.
Time for You to Create a journal to sell on Amazon
In this post, I provided you with a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a journal to sell on Amazon KDP using Canva so it is now time to share your creative ideas with the world!
If you are interested in diversifying your income, you can also sell your journal as a printable product on social media platforms by sending your audience to a landing page, your own website, Etsy, or even Teachers Pay Teachers.


