Self-Publishing | Formatting
Although Ebooks are more popular these days, book lovers new and old alike still appreciate the classic book format. Getting your story published in print will further improve your book promotion and salability. It doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune to produce and distribute the hard copies, you can always opt to just print out a limited number or do a print-on-demand. What you need to focus on, though, is the actual formatting of the book to make it appealing to the market. Just because you’re self-publishing your story, it doesn’t have to come out with an amateur design.
Here are some tips on creating a professional cover for your book:
- Less is more
More and more authors are going for the minimalistic look nowadays. You want a design that looks elegant and polished but isn’t distracting enough to take away the reader’s attention on the important stuff, your words. Don’t try too hard by going all colorful and abstract, the look and feel of your cover should draw the reader in the story so it has to seem welcoming. Draw inspiration from your favorite books and try to take in similar layouts. Think of how you got engrossed in the story but paid little attention to the layout.
- Work with your printer
Oftentimes, your printer will guide you on the formatting and it’s really wise to follow their advice. They can even provide you with some ready-made templates to use. It’s best to ask questions and ask for their opinions on the format because they’re more knowledgeable about the subject. However, you should also do your own research because they will print whatever is on your page regardless.
- Don’t compromise quality
Even if you’re on a budget, don’t look for alternative ways to cut down on cost. Making the font smaller or tightening the margins may help you save up space but it won’t appeal to your readers. Print your words in a readable size or else your reader will simply lose interest. Keep in mind that you’re going all in with publishing your book so don’t slack off on the quality.
- Select the appropriate font
Choosing the font depends on the type of book you have. The most commonly used fonts for contemporary books is sans serif but if you have a more specific genre then go for something that’s more suitable. Make sure it’s easy for the eyes to read since your reader will be looking at it for a long time.
- Use a good editing program
The right tool will drastically improve your output. Adobe InDesign specifically caters to your formatting needs since it has all the features for it. It’s also much easier to do your designing through InDesign than in Word because it’s much more user-friendly and more convenient to use. Ideally, though, if your budget permits, you can hire a professional designer to typeset the book itself so it will come out more professional looking.
Formatting is a tricky job if you’ve never done it before. If you’re new to self-publishing in general then you should seek the help of self-publishing company. BookVenture Publishing Inc. covers all you need from the production of the book to its distribution.