by Sherrie Wilkolaski
The saying is true: books are judged by their covers. This week, we are asking the question, are you using your book cover to your advantage? There are many things that you can do to
Endorsements. It is imperative that you start gathering book endoresements prior to your book's official release date. These can be used on your author website and most importantly, on the back cover of your book. Approaching authors that have written a story similar to yours is a great idea, as well as trusted writers you know in the field.
Book Awards. Updating your book cover to include the awards your book has won on the interior flap of your hardcover, within your bio or as a sticker on the front is a great idea and gives your book the extra credibility it deserves. Winning a book award is an exciting time, be it for the cover or contents which is all the more reason to share it!
Redesign. Is you book ready for a face lift? There may come a time when a book cover redesign is on the horizon, which is important when keeping up with "the times" in the publishing industry. Allow readers to judge your book by its cover...for the right reasons.
Autograph Copies. Fans of your book will love if you sell or conduct a contest or giveaway with autographed copies of your title. There are special stickers that you can purchase that will designate these titles from the rest of your books. This will give your title a leg up on others.
Social Media. If you know that you do not have plans to write more than one title, use your book cover as your avatar on your social media outlets. Pinterest is a great place where you can share your book cover image; use this as a platform to get your book out to new readers.
New Authors:
Plan Ahead. You will want to plan far in advance for what you wish your book cover to look like. Gather together images of other books in your genre or subject that grab your attention. Use these as a basis for your designer to create a cover that is unique and attrative to your readers.
Galley & ARCs. Galley and Advanced Reader Copies do not necessarily have to have the same cover as the book that will go to print. If you want to keep your cover design the same across the board, you can always purchase ARC stickers (similar to the Autograph Copy stickers). If you are sending out ARCs for endorsements, you can include your marketing plan on the back cover to give potential contributors an idea of where your book marketing is heading.
Infinity Publishing's team of experts will walk you through the process of book cover design. If you know what you are looking for and want to include any of the above, they will work with you to create a cover that readers will want to pick up at the bookstore and library!
What are the essentials you included on your book cover? Have you considered redesigning? Share with us in the comments below.
Image courtesy of josterix.