​One of the most important elements of your book is the cover. Marketing can only bring the reader so far. The odd thing is that previously, the cover was usually not as important. More emphasis was given to the content inside. However, it has been noted that the book cover can definitely impact the appeal and the sales of the book.

​People are visually impacted by the products around them and a beautiful book cover will compel someone to buy it. This is the first step. Once they pick it up, they will look at the blurb on the back which is when most make up their mind to buy it. To get to this point, the cover needs to be appealing enough to tempt them and they will be willing to buy the book.

​This little phenomenon is known as selling your book before it is even read. In fact, the cover of the book is so important that you will find limited editions of books with different covers. It not only boosts sales and compels readers to buy the book again. Now, if you have written a book and are thinking about getting a book cover made, consider the following:

​Always work with a good designer who understands the content of the book. You don’t have to give them the book to read but you can also provide a brief summary of the storyline. Additionally, if you have any examples of the kind of book covers you like, share it with the designer. This makes it easier for them to design the cover. Sharing the summary also means that you and the designer are on the same page.

​The font on the front of the cover will make a huge difference on the reader. Bad font choices here can drive away people from buying it. Certain fonts are also associated with different things. The dripping, goopy font is often seen in R.L. Stine’s horror story titles. Many non-fiction books use Helvetica or a Serif font on the cover since it is associated with feelings of trustworthiness. You will hardly ever see Comic Sans unless it is on a kid’s book or a spoof or comedy book. 

When picking colors, pay attention to the impact of color psychology as well as the theme of the book. Some colors like red and blue are common choices but you can also use muted alternatives such as pink, teal or more. The right color combinations, along with the right font can elevate your book cover. Even if there are no graphics, the colors will be appealing enough to attract buyers.​

​When publishing a book, the genre it falls into can make a major difference in the process. Non-fiction books can be simpler to publish but they do present a few challenges you shouldn’t overlook. If you’re interested, the following are a few simple tips for non-fiction publishing that can help you out:

If you’re writing your first non-fiction book, a professional editor will play a major role. Pick someone who understands the genre and is also familiar with non-fiction publishing requirements. An experienced editor will also make your writing process easier.
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They can identify mistakes and help you overcome many challenges in non-fiction writing. Their knowledge can prove to be invaluable in helping you create content that is true to your story and appeals to the readers as well. 

With writing, it is impossible to not draw inspiration from real life people and scenarios. If you must include them, always ask for permission from this person. This is an important step in fiction and non-fiction publishing. This ensures that any issues relating to libel, improper representation and more are easily sorted out before the book is released.
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A big example of this can be seen in Caitlyn Jenner’s tell-all novel, “The Secrets of My Life.” The book showed the Kardashian family in a negative light. The Kardashian’s also claimed that Caitlyn published a version of the book which had not been shared with them. It ended up creating a feud that has still not been completely resolved. 

If you are including descriptions of locations, events that have happened in the past and more, you shouldn’t always rely on your memory. Sure, your emotions of that incident might make the event more poignant for you but do your research first. In non-fiction publishing, checking the facts to make sure that you are only including accurate ones is a necessity.

For example: The Great Depression started in 1929 when the stock market crashed. A similar stock market crash also happened in 2008. Confusion between the two historical events is a major error that will create confusion for readers and ruin the credibility of your book. 

Many people gravitate towards paperbacks for non-fiction publishing. However, don’t skip on eBooks or even Audiobooks. These two formats are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among older, busy readers nowadays.

EBooks and Audiobooks also have increased flexibility in terms of shareability. You can also link them to your website, your social media pages and incorporate them into your online marketing scheme with ease.

​Before you submit your book for publishing, you need to focus on its formatting. This is a major component which is responsible for improving readability.  Formatting makes a huge difference and poorly formatted books are hard to read.

​Fiction and non-fiction books have different formatting requirements so pay attention to the genre of your book. Additionally, the book’s genre can also allow you to incorporate some design elements. If you never paid attention to the difference in formatting, you should pick a book and see for yourself. From the page indentation to the font, there is a noticeable difference. 

​Indenting the content can really help to show the start of a new paragraph. It also breaks the monotony of reading a large body of text. Indents are also largely used in fiction book formatting. When you’re looking to add an indent, avoid using the tab button for it. Instead, go to the paragraph settings on MS Word and indent the paragraph with its help.  

Apart from indentation, you need to ensure that your content is readable. Pick a font and a size which is pleasing to the eye and makes your work look neat. Avoid picking fonts based on aesthetics only. Even Times New Roman is a good font to use.
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 Additionally, when working on your document, make sure the MS Page view settings is set to 100%. This gives you a look at the content from the neutral view. If the font is too small, pick a size bigger. Usually, 12 will do but some font types can be smaller and difficult to read, even with that font size. 

Always include headers and footers, particularly if you are dealing with an eBook project. Even in print books, you’ll find the title of the book or the chapter on the top right corner of the book. Including page numbers is a necessity and you’ll hardly ever see a book without this important addition.
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Moreover, pick header designs or footer designs which can add to the appeal of your book.
With the help of the tips mentioned above, you can not only improve readability but also enhance the overall appeal of the book easily.

So, you have gotten your book published. Congratulations! You might think that the hard part is over but we hate to break it to you, it isn’t.

There’s still some distance you have to cover and book advertising is one path that you inevitably will cross. It is a major factor that plays a huge role in the success of your book. The last thing you would want is to waste money, time and energy on poor marketing and book advertising.
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Whether you’re looking to market a hard copy or an eBook, the following are some excellent book advertising tips which can help you.

Hold an online quiz or offer a discount or a book package to boost interest in your book. Many people, especially avid readers, love a good promotion. Not only will they buy your book but if it is good, they will probably recommend it to others.

Organic, word-of-mouth book advertising plus a healthy promotion from your end will give a lot of results.

Many writers focus on traditional routes of advertising such as book signings, local book gathering or even the radio. However, unless you are already established and have a good following, it can be hard to make a big impact.
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 Luckily, you can save time and money by choosing to use social media platforms instead. Whether you are on Facebook or Twitter, you can create bigger and faster engagement with ease. 

Just as there are many readers who enjoy reading on Kindle, there are many who love audiobooks. Audiobooks have slowly grown in popularity to rival eBooks. Recording one can be time consuming, especially if you are choosing to do it yourself. However, the effort and time you put in it will be rewarded with the large number of sales you garner.
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A well-recorded audiobook can increase interest in your work as a writer and be an invaluable tool in book advertising.

From blog posts about your book to 5 star ratings on Amazon and Facebook, you can incorporate your positive reviews into your book advertising strategy. Positive reviews also increase interaction with other bloggers. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are great platforms to interact with them. An added plus is if your book has a beautiful cover, making it Instagram worthy for pictures.
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Book advertising can be complicated since what works for one author might not work for the other. As long as you understand your target audience and their buying behavior, you won’t have any problems in advertising your book for them.