Writer’s Mail
Tuesdays with Story
March 18, 2016
“Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style.” – Matthew Arnold, British Poet (1822 – 1888)
How to Sell More Books with Great Book Cover Design
March 11, 2016 by Joanna Penn
Investing in professional book cover design is non-negotiable for indie authors who want to make a living with their writing. Readers DO judge a book by its cover, and they won’t read your blurb, download a sample or buy now without connecting to your cover somehow. In short, you’re unlikely to sell many books unless you have a great cover design.
In this article, JD Smith outlines her tips for book cover design. Her new book is The Importance of Book Cover Design and Formatting for Self-Published Authors. Jane is also my book cover designer and I highly recommend her.
There’s a constant debate about the relevance and importance of cover design, whether you’re a self-published author, part of a collective group of authors, an independent press, or even a large publishing house. If you are publishing your book to give away as Christmas presents, or you only expect a few members of your family to buy them, then the cover is as important as you consider it to be.
But if you are a professional writer and you intend to earn a living or be taken seriously in the literary world, then the book cover is as important as the copy editing, the proofreading, the story and the characters.
It is a part of your marketing … and it’s there to attract the right kind of readers. (more…)
