You’re a Better Designer than You Think

If you ever dreamed of writing a book or becoming a published author, there has never been a better time in history than now. Independent publishing has made it possible for anyone to publish a book and Amazon has made it possible for anyone to succeed. Not only are... read more

The DIY Book Cover Designer

Successful self-published authors tend to talk more about their marketing efforts than the ins and outs of how they created the actual book. If the popularity and ease of self-publishing has you thinking it’s easy, think again. The access to sales and... read more

Book Covers and Layout Part 2: Beyond the Rule of Thirds

If you’ve read Layout Part 1: Rule of Thirds & Diagonal Scan for Book Covers, you have a foundation from which to build designs for great book covers. In fact, you have everything you need to design a professional looking book cover. For those of you seeking... read more

Back Cover & Spine

When it comes to physical, printed books (not Kindle or eBooks), most of us have come to expect a professionally designed layout and carefully written information on the back cover. However, as electronic books have become predominant, and as shoppers turn to... read more

Color Blocks, Lines and Smaller Images for Book Covers

A polished design promises the reader the same kind of attention to detail and proficiency on the inside; and because the images of the book covers are often the only point of reference people have when they begin to shop, it must meet a standard of professional... read more

Graphics and Images for your Book Covers Part 1

As a self-publisher, I’ve had the opportunity to hear from many self-published writers, and to read the review copies of some fantastic self-published books. Through that process, I’ve found that a surprisingly large number are great books that are well edited and... read more

Book Covers: Copy Placement

If you’ve read the previous articles on typography and spacing, you know how to create professional copy for your book covers using the appropriate typefaces, kerning and point sizes. Now we’ll explore how to orient the text elements within the design to create... read more

Book Covers that Increase Book Sales

Your cover should engage readers in such a way that they’re inspired to buy the book. Whether your focus is print, electronic, or a combination of the two, your product must exude quality and attention to detail before it’s even opened. Promotional efforts through... read more

Front and Back Cover Copy for Book Covers

Front Cover Copy for Book Covers This section is designed to help you use copy effectively on your book covers. I can’t offer you tips for creating a clever title or a descriptive subtitle; that’s up to you. And depending on your genre, clever and... read more