Designing Your Book

Judging a book by its cover is real.

Book design has become a key part of marketing and then selling books. And, for better or worse, it starts with the cover. Whether a customer is at Amazon.com or Porter Square Books, a compelling cover that quickly communicates a book’s contents is invaluable. The initial “judgment” of a book is obtained at first glance and a decision is typically made within 5 seconds as to whether a reader will dive deeper. There are many excellent blogs that focus on book cover design.

Does the interior of a book matter? Yes, it does. We all know that cookbooks and books on interior design, celebrities and disaster survival are nothing without strong photography and great layout. But any book that has been well-crafted and thoughtfully written deserves a typographic treatment that will allow the reader to fold themselves into the writing, the story, or the characters.

The landscape of book design is changing quickly with the advent of e-publishing. But the fundamentals of engaged design will always apply. In choosing a designer or studio to craft the visual structure of your book cover and interior, keep in mind the following rules:

• Create a cover that reads from a distance—but without shouting.
• If you have a great book title, flaunt it.
• Don’t put a photo of yourself on the cover. And do consider using a real photograph or illustration on the front—not a stock image.
• Ensure that the interior typography is legible and crisp—and not tiny. We are not getting younger.
• Welcome oddity, beauty, incongruity, and the unconventional—but not all together and at once.

Designing your book does not have to be complicated but it should be a highly considered part of the book-making process.

-Andrew Boardman, designer and owner, Manoverboard.