Session 2: Advanced Cover

Design

•  Rookie mistakes… and how to avoid them. •  Ways to make your cover REALLY POP. •  DEMO! •  Cover quality check-up… •  And more!

What to Expect in Session 2

Target audience… •  If you think you know them… you don’t. •  Never stop paying attention. •  Keep track of reviews… give the people what they

want! •  Look at best sellers in your category.

Rookie Mistakes

The book title… •  Too long •  Too short •  Too ambiguous •  Not descriptive (heart, not head…) •  Not tested (Ask for feedback!)

Rookie Mistakes

The book subtitle… •  Optional •  Descriptive (head, not heart…) •  Not tested (Ask for feedback!)

Rookie Mistakes

The cover design… •  Title font: –  LARGE!!! (Usually too small, especially subtitles) –  Not slanted unless it makes sense. –  Simple font (readable)

•  Title color… •  Photos/Art/Images vs. title, subtitle, name

Rookie Mistakes

The cover design… •  Use of own artwork (when it’s not great) •  Use of clip art that comes from your own computer •  Website/copyright on cover (NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!) •  Use of color blocks •  Copying someone else’s design (copyright law) •  Incongruent series design from book to book

Rookie Mistakes

The cover design… •  Too many fonts •  Too complicated fonts/size of fonts •  Non-complementary color combos •  Doesn’t fit the genre or audience •  Poorly organized •  Entire design not clear from a distance

Rookie Mistakes

The cover design… •  Unreadable spine •  Back cover elements missing •  Too much blocky text on back cover •  Unreadable back cover text •  Horrible Photoshop skills… •  Too busy

Rookie Mistakes

You have 7 SECONDS to grab someone’s attention in person…

You have 3 SECONDS (or less) to

grab their attention online.

THIS…

Advanced cover design in Adobe InDesign… •  Editing images in Photoshop and Illustrator •  Creative backgrounds •  Use of effects •  Choosing fonts and kerning fonts (if needed) •  “On the fly” (You design WITH me!)

LIVE DEMO TIME

The title… •  Does it fit the audience? •  Length? •  Is it readable? •  Simple fonts? •  Spacing between letters? (Kerning)

Cover Quality Check-Up

The art… •  Does it make sense? (Cool image does not equal sales!) •  Is it yours? Stock? Customized? •  Distract or enhance? •  Good Photoshop or bad? •  Permission to use?

Cover Quality Check-Up

The layout… •  Haphazard or organized? •  Title, Subtitle, Author Name – NOTHING ELSE –  Exception: Endorsement

•  Clear from a distance? Clear in a thumbnail? •  Back cover concise and readable?

Cover Quality Check-Up

If you saw this book in a bookstore next to 10 others just like it…

…and can judge ONLY on the cover…

WOULD YOU BUY IT?

THIS…

•  Listen to Session 2 again. Print the slides. •  Check your existing and future book cover

designs for mistakes. •  Give yourself a cover quality checkup! •  Watch Session 3. J

Session 2 Homework