Designing the Cover for your Book

Designing the cover for your book

Written by Ray Fox

So you have finally finished writing your book and now you are ready to self publish it. Congratulations! The next step is the look of the book's cover. Most publishers will put a lot of work into this part of the book since what's on the front will either attract or scare away potential purchasers. Following are things to consider for the overall design of your Book Cover.

Decide how your name will be written (full name, initials with a last name, etc.). Also remember that you should include a photograph of yourself. The photograph would typically be on the back for a new writer and don’t forget to include a brief biography. If possible, get a known published author to provide a testimonial, quotation, or review ‘blurb’.

Next, consider about what kinds of fonts you like for both the cover and inside the book. Studies have found that rectilinear fonts are more appealing to men, while the more round and curvy fonts with prominent tails are favorites with women. A serif style such as Times New Roman shows a compromise between old and new and invokes the image that the information is trustworthy and respectable. Perhaps that is why Times is the favorite of lawyers. Courier is seen as the choice to demonstrate a rational and levelheaded line of reasoning. Verdana provides a professional yet appealing look while Curvy fonts like Georgia or Shelly suggest a "rocker" personality.

Also, think about what image(s) and how many you want on the front and back. While your taste in artwork and colors is important to you do not forget about the target audience of the book. A good idea is to visit a Stock Photography website such as www.fotosearch.ca where you can type in search terms and be presented with images that can be purchased at a low cost to be included on the cover. After that, go to the library and examine the covers of books and ponder what you like and dislike about them (You could just go onto Amazon and look at covers but you won’t see the back).

An ISBN number will also be needed. An ISBN number allows publishers to track books and bookstores to order books. Online retailers such as Amazon.com require your book to have an ISBN number. For more information on this, read the article ‘ISBN # for your book’.

Lastly, bear in mind that while the Title of the book is of great significance any wording found on the cover (eg. description of what’s inside) also needs as much consideration.

In the end it is best to have a professional involved but by being armed with the above information you will find the process will be smoother.

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