Tips And Tricks For Book Design

Whilst there are many elements to consider when planning a book, if someone mentions to you the topic of ‘book design’, your first thoughts will almost certainly be that they are referring to the book cover – these ‘dust jackets’, as they are known, are what first catches the eye of a prospective buyer or reader as they sit on the shelves in bookstores and libraries! Many book covers have become collector’s items in their own rights, and not just for the content of the book pages they encompass – here are some tips as to how to plan and create a book including designing an effective and memorable book cover:

Book Cover Deign

An effective book cover must, obviously, be eye-catching and stand out from its’ neighbours on the shelves – or, in these days of digital marketing and sales, as a prominent and noticeable thumbnail! The cover should clearly and legibly display the book title and the author’s name, and should, wherever possible, communicate what the book contents hold for the reader – the tone and genre of the work. It is advisable to speak with a professional cover designer or experienced staff at your chosen online print company – whilst that may seem like an unexpected overhead, it may prove a valuable investment if your book gets noticed quickly and often!

Illustrations 

A prominent element of many books will be the illustrations – if your book is, for example, a cookbook or similar, or a picture book of sorts, then it is important to have quality illustrations produced and printed.

Interior Design 

A book’s form and function – that is, how the book’s content is presented within the covers – influences the readers’ enjoyment and experience of the book! Consider the print layout – alignment, spacing, and the margins all need to be considered to make the book easy to read and interesting – clarity and readability are very important!

Fonts 

The typography chosen has a big impact – certain book genres will be printed in specific fonts and typefaces associated with these works – for example, a fan of gothic novels will be used to reading in a certain format and style, so study other successful books from the genre in which yours is included and ensure your book ‘follows suit’.

Dimensions And Sizes 

Depending on the type of book you are printing the size of your book is important – there are different options available. Both paperback and hardback books usually require different sizes depending on the genre – fiction books are usually produced in smaller sizes than novellas, which in turn would be smaller than, for example, children’s books. Bigger books again would be textbooks and non-fictional works, right up to the usually larger-sized books such as photography and art ‘coffee-table’ books!

Whilst the success and enjoyment of a book, of any ilk, will obviously be mostly dictated by the quality of the content, subject matter, and the writing itself, the book design should always be an important consideration – a well-designed book cover will attract initial attention to the book and, once inside, the design, layout and print will be massive elements of the book’s readability and enjoyment!