Searching for an ebook template Canva can open usually ends in one of two places. Gorgeous covers with nothing useful inside, or 40 near-identical text pages that make your reader’s eyes slide off by page six.
A good ebook, especially from a coach or course creator, isn’t just something to read. It’s something to do. The guides people finish (and recommend, and buy the next thing from) mix short lessons with pages that make the reader stop and write something down.
This guide walks through planning, designing and exporting an ebook or workbook in Canva, plus what to look for in a template so you’re not fighting it the whole way.
Plan before you open Canva
Design is the fun part, which is why people start there. Don’t. Spend 30 minutes on paper first.
- One outcome. What should the reader be able to do when they finish? “Set prices for my coaching packages” is good. “Understand pricing” is too vague.
- Three to six sections. Each one moves the reader a step toward that outcome.
- One exercise per section. A worksheet, a checklist, a short quiz, a planning page.
- A next step at the end. Your offer, a call booking, a course, or just your email list.
For a free lead magnet, 10 to 20 pages is plenty. A paid workbook or course companion might run 30 to 50.
What makes a good ebook template Canva can work with
Not every pretty template will help. Check for these before you commit:
- Worksheet pages, not just lesson pages. Goal setting, action plans, reflection prompts, trackers.
- Clickable contents. A contents page that links to sections, and a way back. Long PDFs without it are frustrating on a phone.
- Real sample copy. Lorem ipsum hides whether a layout actually works with real sentences.
- A few colour options so it fits your brand without recolouring every shape.
- Both page sizes if your readers are international: A4 and US Letter.
- Clear licence terms. Can you sell the ebooks you make with it? Most allow it; check anyway.
Step by step: building your ebook in Canva
1. Import or open the template
Some templates come as Canva links. Others come as PowerPoint files you import: in Canva, choose to upload or import a file, select the .pptx, and Canva converts it into an editable design. Check fonts after import. If a font didn’t come across, pick it again from Canva’s font list (free Google Fonts are usually available).
2. Set your brand once
Swap the main colours and fonts to yours before you write anything. It’s much quicker to do on 50 blank-ish pages than to fix later. Keep to two fonts and three or four colours.
3. Delete pages you don’t need
A 55-page template doesn’t mean a 55-page ebook. Duplicate the layouts you use most and delete the rest. A focused 18-page guide beats a padded 40-page one.
4. Write directly into the layouts
Keep lessons short: a heading, two or three short paragraphs, maybe a list. If a page feels crowded, split it in two. White space is what makes a workbook feel calm.
5. Add your exercises
After every lesson, add a page where the reader acts on it. “Write down your three ideal client traits.” “Fill in this 90-day goal.” That’s what turns a PDF into a workbook.
6. Swap the images
Use your own photos where you can. People buy from people, and a photo of you on the About page does more than another stock image.
7. Export as PDF
Download as a PDF. Open it on your phone and laptop and click every link before you share it. Check page numbers and the contents page.
One limit worth knowing: Canva’s PDF export doesn’t create fillable form fields. If you want readers to type into boxes, add fields afterwards in a tool like Adobe Acrobat. Most readers happily print or use a note-taking app instead.
A template built for workbooks
The Linen Ebook & Workbook Template was made for coaches, consultants and course creators who want the lesson-plus-worksheet mix described above. It has 55 pages with sample copy written for a fictional coach, so you can see what goes where.
Alongside lesson layouts (two-column, four steps, do’s and don’ts, client story with stats, before and after) you get worksheets: where are you now, a 90-day goal, ideal client, brainstorm map, action plan, a 1 to 10 self-assessment scale and a monthly review. There’s also a 30-day roadmap, a habit tracker, a launch checklist, a quiz with an upside-down answer key, a pricing lesson with a fill-in price-floor formula, sales pages, testimonials and a certificate of completion.
It comes as PowerPoint files that work in PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Slides, and import into Canva, so you don’t need Canva Pro. You get three colourways (Linen, Sage and Blush) in A4 and US Letter, a clickable contents page with back-to-contents links, arch photo frames, and 30 original images. One-click recolouring works in PowerPoint; in Canva you change colours page by page. You may sell or give away the ebooks you create with it.
FAQ
Is there a free ebook template in Canva?
Yes, Canva has free ebook and workbook layouts. They’re a fine starting point for short guides. Paid templates tend to offer more worksheet pages, matching colourways and linked contents pages already built in.
Can I sell an ebook made from an ebook template Canva imports?
Usually yes, as long as the template’s licence allows it and you’ve replaced the sample content with your own. You generally can’t resell the editable template itself.
What size should an ebook be?
A4 or US Letter if readers might print it. If it’s mainly for screens, either still works well, and both are familiar to readers.
How do I make links clickable in a Canva PDF?
Add links to text or shapes in Canva, then download as PDF. Test each one after export, since links on grouped elements occasionally get lost.