Time to talk about Design! You have already arrived at the best possible version of your book after one, two, or more rounds of edition and revision. After that, you celebrated loudly the fact that your book is ready to be read. Now, it is time to focus on the Cover Design.
Learnings and Helpful insights:
- Do proper research. Which means, see other book covers. See the colors, the font, the proportions. Make interpretations as to why the author decided to go with that specific color, font, or image.
- Consider the genre, title, and subtitle of your book. Your cover needs to be coherent, not only with the title.
- Do not underestimate the importance of the subtitle. (It could be the final push someone needs to decide to read your book.)
- Consider your target audience. Who is your reader? What is the type of cover that will appeal to YOUR reader?
- Don’t forget the back cover. Think thoroughly about your back cover’s text, just as the subtitle, don’t underestimate its importance.
- If you can, hire a professional. This will ensure that the idea you have translates appropriately.* (For this step, I recommend https://99designs.dk/ or https://www.bookbaby.com/book-design/)
- Ask the designer for the thumbnail version of the cover. This way, you get a decent idea, of how the book will look in Amazon and other digital platforms.
- Don’t ask too many people about their opinion. If you want to involve your friends or family in the selection process, choose 2-3 people to help you spar ideas.
The self-publishing series will have at least two more posts. In the next post, I will share my particular experience with Bookbaby, their self-publishing packages, and why I chose their services.
As always, if you have any questions, I will be delighted to answer them or help you in your writing journey.
Thank you for reading me,
M.
What do you like the most about my book cover? Would you make any changes? Let me know in comments.
Click the book covers to pre-order or buy Fearless today!
Em and the Shelf 