I know, I know, you’ve definitely read the phrase “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” but actually it’s a crucial form of marketing within the publishing world. In fact, some people choose their books predominantly for the book cover!

Therefore, having just said “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” we kind of need to reverse that when we are thinking about publishing a book (or we could potentially be losing out on sales!)

So, the joys of self-publishing (and we all know that I’m a huge advocate of self-publising!) means that we can have complete control over our front covers. If we go the traditional publishing route, then this control is likely to be taken away from you… some may not mind this, but after grafting SO damn hard over your book, sometimes it is nice to have a say in how the book is designed.

1: Remember your audience

Think here about your reader, what would they love to see? Get deep into their minds and think visually what would appeal to them. There is absolutely zero point in having a bright pink cover when your book is about meditation and your ideal reader hates the colour pink!

2: Don’t over-do the graphics

Seriously, you can create a gorgeous front cover without slamming everything that you’ve got onto the front cover. Keep it nice and simple so that it leaves your readers wanting more. It’s about enticing them into your book, not about distracting them or giving too much away.

3: Only use a couple of fonts

Keep the fonts nice and clean, not too fussy (hard to read) and keep them minimal. Don’t overdo the fonts here so two font choices max realistically.

4: If you feel like you’re not going to do your book justice… don’t do it

As with everything that we do within our business and even our lives, if we feel like we cannot do it justice then it is the time to outsource it. Your book cover is the same. If you aren’t very good at design, or you only have access to Word or other programmes like Word, then I suggest that you put some money aside for the book design. A word of advice though… don’t go to Fiverr where they don’t know you or get to know you either. Ensure that you enlist a designer that cares for you and your book.

5: Your book is your brand

Think about it, your book will truly represent you and your business. If it doesn’t represent your brand that you’re either working towards or you are, then don’t do it. Ensure that your book is designed to meet the needs of your brands audience (if that is whom you’re selling to!) If however, you’re starting a fresh, then your books are essentially going to become your brand – always keep this is mind, especially if you’re thinking about releasing trilogies and so forth.

I do hope that you find these tips useful and I’d love to see how you get on with designing your book cover.

Love,

Sophie

P.S Have you joined my FREE Facebook group yet where I give advice, tips and weekly lives on how to self-publish your book or planner? You can join it here