Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 81
June 22, 2015
Best-Selling Book Cover Design — guest post from James Rose
Developing an appropriate book cover design that aligns with the core concept of the book and simultaneously catches the reader’s attention creates a major challenge for authors.
Good art is in the eye of the beholder. This means it can be difficult to pin down a design that will meet the standards historically laid out by the publishing industry as a whole. Many writers do not think in visual terms as well. These factors can make book cover design a source of lament for some authors. Quality book cover design is a combination of elements that must come together to relay the appropriate meaning and emotions to readers.
A good book cover should be a visual representation of the subject matter and provide a sense of what the reader can expect. This is not to say that every technical aspect of the story needs to be pictorially shown on the cover but rather condensed into one powerful image that will make complete sense to the reader by the time they finish the book. Before reading the book, however, the potential reader should look at the cover and receive an instant subconscious glimpse of what is to come and a mental association with the intended genre.
The best way to start this process is to go into a bookstore and look at books in the same genre. Does your cover concept fit in with the rest of these books? If not, then go back to the drawing board. The shopper should look at the cover and without reading any words, or even looking at the title, instantly know whether the story is mystery, horror, science fiction, etc. If this seems overwhelming, one tactic to try would be to gather or create a collection of images that conceptualize the major concepts in the book. This will get the creative juices flowing and before you know it all sorts of ideas will arise as to how best visually illustrate the content of the book.
Font is another element of this puzzle that is often overlooked. Though just text, font choice can make or break a book cover. Clean, solid fonts represent technology and science. Elaborate fonts such as Old English obviously project classical connotations, perhaps appropriate to fantasy. Whimsical fonts may be best suited for a children’s book or fairytale. Fonts that appear handwritten often allude a sense of femininity. The hard part about font choice is the huge selection. The easy part is the ease with which fonts can be switched out, thereby making experimentation a breeze. While some creativity is fine here, the best advice is to not break the mold. Stick with what works.
In addition to the subjective elements of design, there are also a few objective aspects to cover. Make the title stand out. Remember that in the Internet age, the odds are that most of your sales will come online. This means your book cover will be a thumbnail on a webpage with many other books. Even at this small size the shopper should be able to judge the core concept of your book with only a glance. The image should be recognizable at this size as well.
Consider how the front cover will tie into the spine and back cover. Will they be three separate images or will the image wrap around? Once again, look at other books to get a sense of what style will best suit your needs.
Avoid clutter. Follow the Navy Seal KISS (keep-it-simple-stupid) model. Your book only has a second to grab attention, so don’t blow that chance with a cluttered cover.
Be sure to adhere to technical specifications. We won’t go into specifics here, but just be sure to check with your printer for any requirements such as file type, size, resolution, etc.
And finally, don’t be cheap! If there is one aspect of the book to not cheap out on, it’s the cover. If you are not a competent designer, then let a professional handle the job. You may pay anywhere from $300 to $1000, but if you want your book to sell, it’s well worth it.
Unlike people, a book should be judged by its cover. The cover is the first impression, and just like with people, first impressions count. Most avid readers can confirm that the cover of a book does usually correlate to the quality of the book. Spend some time on Amazon, and you’ll soon notice that most of the worthless books written by people solely interested in making fast money also have a very amateurish cover. It would be a shame to let all the hard work you put into writing the book go to waste with a lame cover that elicits a sense of laziness to the reader.
Think of a good book cover as a punch in the face. Make it simple and powerful.
James A. Rose is a writer for InstantPublisher.com, a full-service self-publishing company with 100% of all work performed in-house. The company has been helping authors publish novels, how-to books, manuals, brochures and every type of book imaginable for 14 years.
Image Credit: Dream or Destiny book cover, designed by Aundrea Hernandez of Oracle Design
June 20, 2015
World Refugee Day
Today is World Refugee Day, to bring the plight of refugees to the attention of the world. Sixty million people have been displaced by persecution and conflict, and twenty million of them are refugees. Those numbers are growing daily.
To understand what refugees are experiencing, read of the work of the missionaries of Love for the Least. The refugees who escaped from ISIS are living in hot tents–or on the streets. They have little food and medical care–and nothing to do.
Father God, cover refugees–especially those who are being persecuted for following You–with the Blood of the Lamb. Provide for their needs, protect them from danger, guide them in the wanderings of their bodies and their minds, and give them Your peace. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Image: © Depositphotos.com/zurijeta
June 14, 2015
Flag Day
Happy Flag Day! Enjoy the images and quotes about the flag in this video.
June 11, 2015
Happy 9th Blog Birthday!
Nine years ago today, I whispered, “Hello, World!” in my first blog post. Like most milestones, in some ways it seems that I’ve been blogging forever, and in other ways it seems that I just wrote those first words.
At first, I had few readers and no comments. Then for years, I had many readers and tons of comments. Then as social media became more popular than blogs, readership declined and comments faded away. A few months ago, I eliminated comments because I was getting very few legitimate comments but lots of spam. Readers can still contact me by email or contact form, and I welcome feedback.
Although I don’t post as much about writing and publishing as I used to, you can still read my series on topics such as self-publishing and character development and 1,734 posts sorted by date or the categories listed in the sidebar.
Image: © Depositphotos.com/Zerbor
June 3, 2015
EPIC’s eBook Competition
Calling all authors and artists:
EPIC’s eBook and Ariana Cover Art competitions open for submissions from June 1 through July 15, 2015. All entries are judged by industry peers, who pick the best of the best from electronic works and their excellent cover art. Will YOUR peers choose YOU? www.epicorg.com
May 31, 2015
Remembering Jack on Our 48th Anniversary
Although I remember my husband Jack every day, I’m thinking of him especially today on what would have been our forty-eighth anniversary. We were so blessed to have been married more than forty-five years before he went to be with the Lord–but it wasn’t long enough.
May 29, 2015
Global Outreach Day
Today, May 30th is Global Outreach Day.
According to the Global Outreach Day website:
“The vision of the Global Outreach Day is to build up a network of Christians worldwide, equipping and mobilizing them to share the Gospel to over 200 nations on one single day.”
Christians should be spreading God’s Word every day, but today is a good day to make a special effort along with millions of other believers.
If you aren’t a believer, this short video from Jesus Film Media explains how Jesus came into the world to save us from our sins. When we accept Him into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, He forgives us of our sins and assures us that we will spend eternity in Heaven with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. No matter what you have done, God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.
After you watch the video, contact me if you have questions. Then find a local church where you can learn more about the Lord.
May God bless you as you come to know him.
May 28, 2015
Military Appreciation Month
May is Military Appreciation Month and American Military History Month. Though I’m late posting this, I hope we will all make a special effort to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of our military members and their families.
O LORD God of Hosts, stretch forth, we pray thee, thine almighty arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ 1928 Book of Common Prayer
May 24, 2015
Memorial Day
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen. ~ 1928 Book of Common Prayer
May 23, 2015
Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost
It is also the Global Day of Prayer, a day of repentance and united prayer. You can pray the same prayer believers around the world are praying. Whether you pray the Prayer for the World from the Global Day of Prayer, another prayer of your own choosing, or an extemporaneous cry to the Lord, I encourage you to pray with one voice with fellow Christians today.
