by DianeD

Created on: December 17, 2008

A customer in a bookstore will only glance over a book, on a shelf with dozens of other, for a second, if that. That is not much time to grab their attention. Unless they are shopping for a particular title, it is easy to become overwhelmed by shelves and shelves of literary choices. Take some time to browse at a bookstore and take note of the books that have eye-catching covers. Pay attention to the books that are picked up for further investigation by other customers. Don't judge a book by its cover; however, the cover can help sell a book.

The Front Cover

Two things authors, who are taking the self-publishing route, have in common is, (1) the difficulty in choosing a cover design for the book, and, (2) few authors starting out can afford to hire a graphic artist. Full-color photographs or artwork always stand out on a shelf side by side with dozens of other books. Bold diagonal lines, with one word relating to the content of the book, inserted inside the line perimeters also add a bit of interesting contrast. Layering the cover with a muted image in the background and a clearer, image as the overlay can also create a professional and high quality look.

The title of the book and the author name should be in a bold, legible font, with the subtitle (if there is one) appearing in a lighter font. Always use fonts that are plain to read and easy to see from a distance. A more elaborate font may be used for the subtitle.

Check the web for illustrators or visit an art gallery to get the names of local artists or photographs who may be willing to produce cover artwork for a nominal fee and/or the recognition of creating the cover image. Always give the artist or illustrator several copies of the book.

Never mislead the reader, the cover should relate to the content of the book. If the book is about American Politics, a penguin probably wouldn't be used as the cover image.

The Back Cover

A photo of the author, preferably taken by a professional photographer, could be placed on the back cover. However, many authors would prefer to have the author photo on the page with the author bio in the interior of the book. Any image, relating to the book content, could appear on the back cover. Always be sure photos are clear, without light distortion, and scanned at 600 dpi.

A book summary, a carefully chosen short book excerpt, and/or a brief review from a person with a respected, literary background should also be set in the center area. The reader should get a fairly good idea of the writer's approach to the subject content from the cover information.

Of course, the Publisher information and ISBN number with barcode will also appear on the back cover. A price barcode should appear next to the ISBN. The numerical price of the book such as $12.95, and the words "Printed in the USA" are also common to see near the bottom cover.

The Spine

The spine of the book will include the Author Surname, the Book Title, and the Publisher's name or logo. The font must be easy to read (no fancy, curly, or handwriting fonts here) and contrasting in color from the background.

The Paper

Rich Matte, Semi-gloss or textured stock should be used for paperback books. The majority of books have perfect binding; however, children's books, with a limited number of pages, and cookbooks are commonly spiral or comb bound.

Following a few simple tips designing a book cover can make a world of difference in the total amount of sales. Put some time and thought into the process.

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