Marketing Materials - Designing Covers

14 September 2011, Marketing Materials - Designing Covers

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little.  I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.  The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel.  Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing.  In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes.  You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published.  I'll keep you informed along the way.  At this moment, I'm showing you the marketing material I put together for a novel.

Today's Blog:  Designing a cover is an undertaking.  The easiest way to do it is to use software, but you can also draw one.  I use Microsoft Publisher--just because I have the program, and it is easy to use.  Word will do it for you too. 

Step one:  measure a book.  That's the size you want to make your cover.  Set the size of your software word processor or drawing program to the cover size.

Step two:  chose a color scheme.  You want to choose a background and the font color that are contrasting and easy to read.

Step three:  chose a font style that matches the theme or plot of your book.

Step four:  chose one or more pictures that match your theme or plot.  This is what a professional cover designer will do anyway.  Unless you are a best selling author, no company will pay to have artwork made for your cover.  Unless you are a professional artist or have contracted a professional artist, do not use your own art.  Even if you think you are a great artist--unless you've sold your art (and not to your parents) you aren't a professional and you aren't that great.

Step five:  put the pictures, fonts, colors, background, etc. together so it looks like the cover you want.  It doesn't have to be that great.  It just has to convey your idea of your cover for that book.

Take a look at my proposed book covers.  You can see the proposed cover for Aksinya at www.AksinyaNovel.com. 

I'll tell you more about covers tomorrow.