designed book cover can be the difference between , “ Eh ...” and “ Damn , that ’ s hot !” Which response would you rather get ?
You , as an author , want to stand out , and you should want the same for your books . So here are some tips on how to achieve that .
Your book title should be visible from six feet away . When your book is standing or sitting next to others , it should call to the reader in a way that says , “ Pick me !” Well , you can ’ t achieve that if they can ’ t read the title , or if the image is blurry .
This next tip is for the authors who love script fonts ( aka cursive fonts ): don ’ t use them . They are very hard to read from far away . If a reader has to squint to see your title , then you are not necessarily achieving your desired goal . You book has to “ speak ” for you when you ’ re not standing next to it making a sales pitch . So treat your book as if it ’ s your child when they leave the house . You want them to be a great representation of you when you ’ re not around .
Though a great deal of readers are going digital , there are still some hardcore trade paperback holdouts . Wouldn ’ t it be a wonderful thing to see someone reading your book on the bus ? On the train ? One of my editors , Katie Walsh , says that if she sees an interesting cover , she ’ ll make a mental note of the title and look it up later . Don ’ t you want your book to be that eye-catching ?
Next tip : Have a mainstream book cover . What do I mean by mainstream ? Your book should catch the eye of any reader — of any ethnic background . It should look like something that comes from a major publishing house , not something you put together in your living room . What appeals to people can vary , but take a look at the covers of books that hit the New York Times bestsellers list . Do you see how most appeal to a wide audience ? As an author , you should want everyone to read your book . To achieve that , you ’ ll need some form of mainstream cover appeal . Now if you ’ re going for a target market , then by all means , the cover should reflect that . But if you ’ re writing a story that you know everyone can relate to , then consider having a cover that reflects it . You don ’ t want the reader to feel that it ’ s not for them just based on the visuals . Try to view your book as something that everyone can read , and it will definitely improve your sales . all covers designed by J . L . Woodson
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