#13 Writing Tip: Create a book readers want to read, through design—Step 1

You walk through a book store. Shelf upon shelf of books surround you. Something on a cover makes you stop and pick up a volume.
Or…
You search online for a book to read. You click through to a genre you like and scroll down the listings. Something catches your eye, and you click to learn more.

What made you stop and look? The book cover design, of course. So, would your book meet the reader-catching test? The next few blogs entries will deal with this topic, starting today with cover design.

I created my own back cover for Rhythms & Muse using Photoshop and a photo editing software.

For Rhythms & Muse, I did my research and asked contest-site designers for a specific look with certain elements. I chose this one from among 25+ front-cover designs.

Book cover art involves both art and science. Not all designers—let alone authors—know the secrets to what draws a buyer’s attention. If you want an enticing design, you must do your research, considering:

• Image elements
• Mood
• Color
• Impact of photos vs. illustration
• Font choice
• Composition
• Much more

Are you clear on these areas, and how your choices can influence your book design’s success? If not, you need to hire a designer. Now, I’m not saying you have to pay the big bucks for a graphic designer who specializes in book design, although that may just be the ideal solution. Today’s accessible information and technology provide a number of options:

• Hire a professional book designer ($$$)
• Pay for support services from print-on-demand publisher, like CreateSpace ($$)
• Research book design online, learn the ins-and-outs, and ask for on-spec designs from a contest site like ($)
• Research online, learn the ins-and-outs, and do it yourself using design software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or even Word, although the latter has limitations (minimal cost)

Your first step for eye-catching book design involves choosing one of the above options.

If you would like additional resources, tried and true, per my own experience, please contact me.

P.S. Can you recommend an additional resource for other writers? Do you have a book design secret to share? Feel free to comment below.

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Write on!
Ann Narcisian Videan
Write • Edit • Self-publish • Word-of-mouth
avidean@videanunlimited.com