7+ Book Cover Templates in Publisher
As writers and authors serving as the creative engines and driving force behind the entire book industry the world over, generation after generation of consumers are introduced to the power of knowledge and reading. The most successful of authors are rewarded greatly for their efforts, earning names for themselves which for many of them, took years and years of hard work and probably a hundred or so rejection slips. you may also see Book Cover Templates in Publisher.
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Elements of A Good Book Cover
The most important sector in the book industry is obviously the readers. Fortunately, books remain a widely popular source of knowledge and entertainment among U.S. consumers with 74 percent of adults reading at least one book in a year. Others who regard reading as an important aspect of their lives, challenge themselves to read up to a hundred books each year. It’s safe to say that book publishing is a good market for aspiring writers as self-publishing becomes increasingly popular. With that said, an aspiring author needs to nail first impressions using the following elements, for his book to attract target readers:
1. Title: Empathy is a trait that goes for everyone, authors and designers included. You need to put yourself in the reader’s shoes when trying to come up with a title for your book. Will it make sense to the reader? Will they remember it easily? When choosing your title, make sure it communicates your message. Make sure it goes with the design concept you have for the cover. It’s going to be a little challenging, but try not to beat yourself up in creating a great title. Don’t sacrifice clarity for creativity because sometimes, the former is what works more in your favor.
2. Message: Text and graphics would take up a good part of your cover design but you also have to consider what you want to tell your target readers. That one message should be conveyed in the limited space you have in a span of 5 seconds. How do you make those seconds count and fit in everything? That’s one of the biggest challenges for your book cover design.
3. Focus: The most important part of your design is showing that your book cover is about something and this concept should be reflected clearly. Think about it as the element that draws the most attention and emphasis to the cover. Do not make the mistake of trying to put too many things on the layout. Otherwise, you will confuse your target readers. At a glance your readers should be able to know the following:
- Theme or subject matter
- Voice or tone of your book
- The genre of the book.
4. Panel Copy: Write a short summary of your book that gives readers a preview or teaser for what to expect when they read it, over a background that goes with the front cover design. It should not be about why you wrote the book nor should it look like a table of contents. It should serve as an ad to really draw in your potential readers.
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Steps to Design a Book Cover
In the world of do-it-yourself book cover designs from the novice graphic artist’s desk and publishers with outdated strategies of designing self-published covers, we’ve probably seen our share of train wrecks and cringe-inducing artwork masquerading as book covers. And if you believe for once, that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you’re in for a rude awakening because humans are inherently visual. If we don’t judge books by their covers first, they don’t get judged at all, so follow these steps to end up with a cover that wins your target readers:
1. Think of your audience: You now have a manuscript, ready to be submitted and edited. While writing your story or before you even began, you probably already have a specific type of readers in mind. The creation of your book cover shouldn’t be any different. The design should be created based on what makes your target readers identify themselves with the book. For example, readers who have a penchant for crime and mystery will likely be drawn to covers with blood, knife or any element or symbol of death and darkness.
2. Observe: Whether you’re someone with a fair following or a writer trying for the first time, to self-publish, it’s very likely that you’ll be on the search for cover ideas on Google, from your friends or editors. That’s good, but also try to go out and check your local bookstore. Observe how customers respond to the books that catch their eyes. Which rows of books, which piles, illustrations, images, graphics, and colors attract potential readers? One thing that you can also do is go over the books belonging in the genre of your manuscript.
3. Apply visual balance: There’s a difference between a cover that’s good and a standout cover and it’s usually in how balanced the overall layout is. Therefore, all graphic elements need to be placed in order of importance; the colors chosen should have a balance between a catchy message and the design details.
4. Be symbolic: A great book cover evokes meaning, sends a message and shows a theme that changes inherently as the reader gets to the gist of the story. Upon looking at the cover, the symbols or meanings may not yet be evident and even at some point, may be confusing but every page turned, the relevant imagery in the design would one by one, make sense.
Free Novel Book Cover
Tips in Designing A Book Cover
When all is said and done in the pre-press process, you should end up with a cover that drives traffic on online shops’ websites and the bookstores. Read the tips below to learn more:
- Avoid clichés: While you want your design to make an impact, you don’t want it to be obvious to the point of having a cover with a piggy-bank and dollar signs on a financial management book, especially if, as an author, you want it to be personal. Make sure that your designer understands this.
- Stick to your key message: Be consistent. One way of making sure that you only get the cover you have in mind is to have a key message or the point of your story, written down. This will serve as your guide in reviewing cover submissions. Aesthetically, there will be many covers that can look great but not all of them would be good for your book because not all of them will be able to convey the right message.
- Make it professional: Your cover is the staples of your marketing, the piece that holds it together, so if you want to take it one notch higher by asking for professional reviews, it needs to look the part. Make it as polished and designed to compete with other works that garner reviews.
Book Cover Sizes
Standard book sizes can vary depending on your genre but they usually fall under the following:
- Mass-market paperbacks: 4.25” x 6.87”
- Trade paperbacks: Trade paperback sizes can range anywhere between 5.5” x 8.5” (a size that’s called digest) to 6” x 9” (also known as US trade).
- Hardcover: These book sizes tend to range from 6” x 9” to 8.5” x 11”.
Book Cover FAQs
What is a trim size and why does it matter?
Trim size is a term that often gets thrown around without people actually knowing it determines the printing cost of the book. The term comes from the fact that during the printing process the pages of the book first printed on large sheets which are folded, glued, and later “trimmed” to a specific size. Your page count depends on the trim size and print-on-demand press charge based on page count.
What’s the difference between trade paperback and mass market paperback?
A trade paperback is a larger book and is often the same size as the hardcover original. It’s the standard format and size for readers. A mass-market paperback, on the other hand, is it’s cheaper version and often made of lesser paper quality.
How many genres of books are there and what are they?
Fiction and non-fiction are two types of books which can be classified further into these multiple genres and sub-genres:
- Fiction: classics, modern, post-modern, satire, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, young adult, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, etc.
- Non-fiction: psychology, philosophy, history, memoirs, religious and inspirational, etc.
While the formats and the most popular genres and themes may change over the years, it’s difficult to imagine a time which books do not stay as an important part of people’s everyday lives. As a whole, the global industry is one that has been quick to answer to the changing technology without sacrificing styles, formats, and stories that have captivated, provoked and educated the minds and fueled the imaginations of readers across all ages for centuries.
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