My husband just completed his third self-help book, which he has titled Thrive in Overdrive. Like his last two books, we’re opting for self-publishing. Since we’re doing all the marketing anyway, why not make all the money, right? Anyway, we’re now working on designing the cover and I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned with you.

In a survey cited by The Wall Street Journal a person surfing the bookstore shelves actually spends a lot of time looking at front covers before taking a glimpse at the inside or the back cover. Should designing your book cover be given careful thought and take advantage of the best design techniques available? In the words of Sarah Palin, “You betcha!”

Here are some noteworthy book cover creation tips that I suggest you follow.

Significant Points to Take Note of for the Front Cover

The front cover of the book bears the title, its subtitle, and your name as the author. Think of the front cover design as something like that of a billboard ad that will be displayed on one of the busiest streets in your city. Its design must express a solid message without being too flashy and fussy. The graphics should be bold, unique, and distinct. With regards to the graphics, they must all be related to the content of the book and should never mislead the readers. As to the letters, make use of the contrasting bold ones. With the colors, be sure to imagine how they would look when printed in black and white. The font size must be readable even from a distance.

Probably the best book cover creation tip I can offer is to hire the services of a professional designer who has book design experience and is reputed for his or her, photography, software, and creative skills.

Considerations for the Book Spine

The spine must contain your name as the author, the book’s title, and the publishing company’s logo (even if that’s you). It is essential that all of the pieces of information are legible, uncluttered, and visibly clean. The bold and contrasting colors for the letters are recommended.

The Teasers for the Back Cover

The whole idea behind the back cover is to tease and entice the reader to buy it. This is a good place to use direct marketing techniques. Instead of telling readers what’s in the book, tell them the benefits they’ll get from reading it. Use a headline and direct your copy toward your target market.  Include a short bio and photo, the bar code and the 13-digit ISBN number.

Use these book cover creation tips and be ready to hit the market with the potential of great sales, and be sure to keep your eye out for the release of Thrive in Overdrive later this month!

Since I mentioned my husband’s books, I added a link to his most popular, Awaken the Genius, Mind Technology for the 21st Century. It is an award-winning bestseller. Highly recommended!

Happy writing!

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