5 Things Every Author Needs to Know about Book Cover Designs

 

Even though people are always told not to judge a book by its cover, the truth is most people still do - which is why authors must pay extra attention to their book cover before the book gets published. So, below are 5 things every author must know about book cover design before publishing:

1. It needs to have the right thumbnail size: In this case, if your book is going to be published online, like on Amazon, Iwe, Smashwords or Kobo, you need to know the exact thumbnail size of the site, and tailor your book cover size to suit it; that way, the book title and other relevant details would be visible.
2. Don’t be too literal: It is advisable to either state the title or use an interesting concept as an image; or use an image that depicts the book, but with a different title. For instance, if the title of your book is “Umbrella”, don’t use an Umbrella as the book cover’s image; it will come across to your readers as being too boring.
3. Avoid being too sentimental: Of course, once you have a book, it becomes yours and it is easy to attach feelings to it; but using the face of someone you know, like a relative or best friend, when it has absolutely nothing to do with the book, is not advisable.
4. Have a lot of design concepts to choose from: Ask your graphics designer to design three or more book covers for you and choose the one you think is best.
5. Ask for feedback: After you have decided on one, ask for feedback - from your friends, colleagues or even strangers to know their opinions of how the book looks, and if they would be eager to buy one if they see such a book cover. Also, don’t take feedback too personally; rather, use it as a means to get a winning design.

Asides from the tips listed above, always remember that your book cover should evoke an emotion that is part of the story your book tells, and have fun while choosing the book cover that best suit your needs.

How to Write a Book Cover Blurb

 

In as much as book covers lure readers to your book, a professionally written and persuasive book cover blurb will grip your reader and persuade them to buy or download your book. In this article, you will learn how to write a book cover blurb that sells fast following these easy steps:

Your book blurb should entice and not summarize

While studying several book cover blurbs, I did a comparison between bestseller book blurbs and non-bestseller book blurbs, and discovered that unlike the book blurbs from bestseller books which entice readers; those from non-bestsellers only summarize the entire book.

Perhaps, another secret to becoming a best seller probably lies in how well your back cover blurb is crafted. After all, getting the label of a ‘bestseller’ lies in how fast your book sells.

Use a third person PoV when writing a book blurb

It doesn’t matter if the book is written from a first-person point of view, or even if it is your book, the blurb should always follow the industry standard which is third-person PoV.

Avoid the use of clichés in your book blurb

Except of course you have it in mind to keep changing your blurb often, for eBooks especially, you should avoid the use of clichés in your book blurbs. No matter how good the cliché seems, as long as it has been overused, they would only elicit an eye-roll rather than a total engagement. Your book blurb is another way of telling your audience what makes your book different from other authors, so why use a cliché?

Your blurb tone should not vary from your book’s tone.

When writing a book cover blurb, it is important to maintain a particular tone, as any form of discrepancy can make your book misleading. A jolly blurb will not fit in for an action-packed manuscript.

Start your book blurb with a hook sentence

Your book blurb should always start with a hook sentence, as this is one of the forces to grip your reader into reading the entire write up. In one of my articles, where I emphasized on “why hook sentences are important”, I mentioned that the first sentence in a piece can either arouse or kill the interest of a reader. This is also applicable to book blurbs; when the first sentence in your blurb fails to capture the interest of your reader, then you just lost him.

Keep your sentences short

Studies show that readers looking to pick up a book for their next read, spend a few minutes if not seconds scanning through book cover blurbs of titles that intrigue them. As such, writing a book blurb that will promote sales should use short captivating sentences. Rather than having a large chunk of words strung together in a sentence. Another trick is introducing a length variety for the sentences. That is, a long sentence should follow a short sentence and vice versa to intrigue your readers, as well as promote harmony in the reading.

Emphasize the purpose of the book in the book blurb

If you want to write a book blurb that sells fast, then you should state the essence of the book in the blurb.  Readers when trying to purchase a book, always have a reason in mind, which is what they also set out to look for on a bookshelf. If your book blurb emphasizes on the needs of your readers, then your book will be their choice of purchase.

Make your book blurb short

While you might have a lot in mind to put on the book blurb, you should note that time is very important. Your readers will not spend so much time reading a single blurb. Rather, they will likely scan through different book blurbs before settling for a particular book. Hence, it is advised you keep your book blurb short, let’s say 150 words. Better still, follow the Amazon guidelines on the book blurb.

Get feedback before publishing

When you have finally written that book blurb, you should give it out to at least two persons and get their honest opinions on their perception of the book blurb. Note what they love about it and what they feel is a turnoff and work on it.

Have more tips on how to write a book blurb that sells fast? Drop them in the comment box.

Chima Rachael J.