But, judging a book is another ball game altogether. In fact, a good, pertinent cover could very well be a game changer in the success of the book.
With that in mind, here is an interesting insight into book covers by Andrew Pantoja on Publishing Perspectives ... with some great developing resources for all levels of competence and budget:
How Self-Published Authors Get Their Covers Right
Design-it-yourself or hire a pro? Either way, you want to weigh your options carefully.
For self-published authors visibility is key. Generating visibility takes time and persistence and includes everything from a Twitter feed to commissioned book reviews (John's Note: I have trouble with these type reviews). But a great book cover can generate more buzz and visibility than most social marketing plans and pay-to-play endorsements.
And in today’s online world, a book’s packaging -– binding, paper stock, etc. –- is thrown out the window. Online, the only distinguishing feature is the cover. With online book sales growing, and e-books taking off, cover design has become more important.
“If an e-book cover appeals to someone and speaks well on the book’s behalf,” said Chris O’Byrne who heads up The E-book Editor, “I think it could have a huge impact on whether a reader buys it or not.”
Without the budget or marketing team of a big publishing house, self-pub authors have to weigh their design options carefully. Options vary depending on the author’s skill set, time frame and resources.
A convenient option is to work with outfits like The E-book Editor that include a cover design as an add-on to their editing and digital conversion services. The E-book Editor charges $99 for e-book covers and $199 for print book covers. But only about 50% of the authors O’Byrne works with request a cover design. What are the other authors choosing to do?
The most affordable and in some cases cost-free option is to do it yourself.
Read and learn more
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