One of the most important parts of self-publishing

Self-publishing a book can be a very rewarding process, but if you want to reach a large audience (and which author doesn’t want lots of readers to enjoy their book?) It can be a challenging task.

Once your book is complete and the interior edited, proofread and formatted, you will need to consider the book cover design. As the ‘face’ and advertising for your book, it is worth taking your time here and getting a professional design which represents the focal point of your work, also, one which will ensure that your book stands out upon the bookshelves (and in a good way).

Why the cover design for your book is so important.

First, you need to consider just how many books are self-published, on average (and according to recent figures from Bowker), 1.7million books are self-published in the US annually, this breaks down to an average of 4,657 books per day, so book buyers and readers will have plenty of choice, and you’ll have some competition.

As a reader, it is great to have so many new books to choose from, however, with so much choice people tend to be very quick at dismissing something they’re not sure of, when scrolling through the endless pages of online bookstores, any book which looks unprofessional, won’t get a second glance and the buyer moves to the next upon the page.

So, the book cover design has the job of grabbing the attention of your reader within a very quick timeframe and a large choice of alternatives, the cover design is not just the art for your book, but it is the advertising.

And this can be an aspect of your book which is hard to be completely objective with, because the cover means so much to an author. Let’s face it, you have spent so much time writing your book that the emotional connection to your work is bound to be strong, so as you write, you begin to form an idea as to what the cover may contain, but, and this can be hard, it may not be the best idea (commercially) for your book’s cover.

Remember, your book’s cover is a form of advertising.

Objectivity with regards to the cover design can be challenging for any author, but it is something that you should work towards, it’s also very difficult to maintain if you decide to make your own cover design too. Obviously (and as a professional book cover design studio), we’re going to tell you to use a professionally designed book cover, but if you try to create one yourself, don’t rush it, use stock imagery/art with the correct licenses (the same goes for the fonts) and do some research before you start.

However, the benefits of using professional book cover designers are not only the artistry and technical skills in preparing print-ready files, but the knowledge and objectivity in creating a book cover which is aimed at the marketplace for your genre. A good designer will be able to take your book’s focal point and create a cover which lets the reader know in an instant what the book is about, ensuring that it holds its own alongside the best sellers that you’d see on the New York Times’ list.

Beyond the book cover

The most successful authors look at multiple ways of connecting with their audience, using social media and their own website along with advertising on reader’s platforms such as Goodreads and Bookbub etc. You can connect with a larger group of readers, but the banners and ads you use should remain consistent with your book’s cover, most designers understand this and can easily create promotional elements to maintain this branding for you.

In conclusion

Self-publishing is a great way to bring your book to an audience, but with its popularity it is important that you give your book the best chance, having a professional book cover will help and when you keep your branding consistent, you have the chance to reach an even larger audience too.