Publishing a book is a big deal, whether you go traditional or set off on your own. When a traditional publishing company puts out a book, they have people to cover things like marketing and graphic design. When you self-publish, all those elements are up to you. Here are a few tips to make your self-published book look professional and grab your audience.
Graphic Design: Hire a Pro
You may have a friend who does digital art in their spare time, and they could have some neat ideas—but you’ll want to hire someone who’s done book covers before. A sleek, professionally designed cover can make or break your book. People do judge a book by its cover, so make sure you have a pro designing yours.
Editing: Triple-Check
When you self-publish a book, the editing is either up to you or an editor you’ve hired yourself. Even though, every book needs editing the real question is: what type of editing do you need for your book? An entire book is a lengthy chunk of prose to edit but look closely at every sentence to check for errata. Typos and grammatical errors can turn a reader off quickly, and they accentuate the fact that you’ve published the book yourself.
Endorsements: Pump Yourself Up
Reach out to other authors and artists who work in the same genre that you do. Get to know them a little bit and send them outreach packages with advance copies of your book. When a cover has positive reviews and lavish praise for your novel or memoir, it adds legitimacy and entices potential readers who are familiar with your genre.
Finishing: Make It Pop
The cover of your book isn’t solely about graphic design or rave reviews. It must also have a high-quality finish that feels good in a reader’s hands. Embossing raises the title to add depth and dimension to the words, and foil accents have become a gold standard in book covers. A little shine goes a long way in adding a professional finish to your cover.
You can find success as a self-published author! You only have to handle a few extra steps on your own. Manage any pre-publishing anxiety by remembering these tips to make your self-published book look professional, and you’re sure to smile when you see it on the shelf.
