In 2018, people were surprised that e-book sales dropped and the sale of printed books began to climb. From January to September, sales from hardbacks and paperbacks combined to almost $4 billion. E-books only made $770.9 million in the same period. People are also discovering more channels to find books in, with Amazon for those who prefer to do their shopping online and thousands of independent bookstores for those who want to support small business owners.
Now seems to be the perfect time for aspiring authors to make the bold move of getting their debut novel published. But whether you’re planning on self-publishing your hard work or submitting it to an established publisher, you have to pay attention to the first part of your book that potential readers will see: the cover.
Tempting the Reader With Your Cover
Companies that offer marketing and printing solutions can handle other commercial assignments, like flyers or newsletters, but a book cover is different. Ultimately a book’s true value lies in its content, but its cover affects whether or not someone will even open it. A great cover design performs a variety of functions that could determine whether or not a particular opus becomes a bestseller.
First, it has to catch the eye of book lovers. There are hundreds of books in a single store, and your book has to grab the attention of people who are idly browsing the shelves. The cover also contains information that increases the interest of a reader. This information includes any great reviews from critics or fellow authors and a summary or an intriguing excerpt from your novel. Aside from this, its design has to be good.
How do you make sure that your book cover will boost your sales? There are a few things that you need to take note of.
Beguiling Book Lovers Through Your Design
Potential buyers must be able to see what’s on your cover for it to be effective. Avoid any design that’s too dark or too illegible. On the other hand, avoid designs that are too bright and glaring, as that could have the same repulsive effect on buyers.
The cover has to tell readers what to expect from your book, such as the genre. Choose images and design that clearly communicate what kind of story you’re telling. Try imagery that is central to the plot of your novel.
You should be careful, however, if you rely on genre clichés for your final design. You want your book to stand out, not blend anonymously with the works of other authors. Pick just enough classic design features of your book’s genre so buyers can immediately recognize it.
Finally, remember that in the end, it’s your book and that you should like the final product. If you don’t think that a particular cover design conveys the message of your book or represents what it means properly, don’t be afraid to have it changed. Agatha Christie disagreed with a cover design once, and she had it changed posthaste.
Publishing your own book has to be done the right way for it to succeed. That includes designing the cover. Other people may not want to judge your book by its cover, but you certainly should. And you should take steps to improve it. After all, you already know what’s between the covers.
