Authors work long and hard to bring a manuscript to completion, so it’s little wonder why most have specific plans for how a book should look. While it’s important for an author to help decide the look of a book’s design (inside and out) one important person is often overlooked: the reader. In this article, we’ll explore ways to keep our focus in the right place and by doing so, create the most effective designs possible. Understanding the Book Market The [...]
Sometimes, the simplest tips are the most helpful. That’s why we’ve decided to put together the top-five most essential tips for working with a cover designer. First, an example. Imagine we have a man named Bill who needed to have his car repaired. Bill finds the most professional mechanic within (moderate) driving distance and leaves his vehicle in the hands of the skilled worker. Before leaving, however, Bill decides to stick around and watch the mechanic inspect his car. The [...]
Book cover design trends change constantly. Each month, new bestselling titles hit the shelves, each with a unique and compelling message for readers. In our own book marketing efforts, we gain much insight though the study of successes (and failures) made on a national or international level. While every writer will not become a bestseller, exploring today’s best selling book cover designs helps us learn what we can apply to our latest publishing ventures. Big and Bold For a vast [...]
Every author dreams of becoming a best seller. Seeing the words “A New York Times Best Selling Author” gracing the top of any writer’s next work is a grand achievement. While it’s acknowledged that it’s simply not possible for every author to gain “best seller” status, even new authors can carry the same quality and professionalism as the best in the business. Best Selling Books (Usually) Have the Best Designs Walking down the aisles of the local grocery store, you [...]
Book cover design is an intriguing trade. We’re taught at an early age to “never judge a book by its cover,” yet when it comes to an actual book, that’s exactly what we do. For authors and writers, this applies all the more as the importance of marketability continues to dominate successful book promotion. Since this is the reality, we decided to do a case study on a recent book cover design to document the process. You can view the final [...]
Ever wondered what would happen if typical design requests were made in a medical field? Most likely not, nevertheless, today’s comic features this precise scenario. This comic serves as an example of the importance of professional design and more importantly, to seek a designer’s knowledge on the book design/marketing industry. Enjoy!
Every book jacket must accentuate the core message to succeed in its mission of selling the book it covers. Designers aim for this by incorporating typefaces, imagery, and the perfect color palette to make a book appeal to its intended market. One bump that comes along the way, however, is changes and requests regarding this work. While feedback is important and helpful for a designer, those based on personal likes and interests may diminish the appeal the designer worked to [...]
Many new and exciting developments and improvements in book cover design have emerged which give us a glimpse into what to expect in 2012. Whether you are a writer, designer, published author, or all of the above, it’s essential to study and become aware of trends. We invite you to dive into this extensive collection of new book cover designs from WinePress Publishing. Keep up-to-date with the latest designs on the recently launched book cover design showcase, or grab the [...]
With the onset of digital printing and e-books, authors, in increasing numbers, are requesting friends and relatives familiar with Photoshop, or other forms of web design experience, to develop their book covers. Unfortunately this new trend causes many authors to miss out on a greater value than just how nice a cover looks or how inexpensive to create: that value is marketability. What separates a book cover designer from the web designer or others design trades is a knowledge and understanding [...]