You’re on the road to self-publishing, but that road sometimes seems more like a dirt track lost in a forest of wild ideas than a well-marked strip of asphalt. You’re carrying the one thing you can rely on to see you through–your work, and your work ethic–and you’re ready to take the next step. Which way do you turn? You’re surrounded by a plethora of advice: Get an agent! Purchase an ISBN! Launch a promotional campaign! And all of these suggestions have their merits, but you’re not quite sure your book is ready to meet the world. It’s time to take another look at your book–as a physical object, that is.
Presentation matters, and it matters a lot. Luckily, a whole slew of resources are available to help you whip up the perfect book jacket and interior page design. Here are a few thoughts to get you started:
- Design with genre in mind. There are benefits to paying attention to the visual brand of your book’s genre. Think about it–we know almost immediately, instinctively, when we run across a book of crime fiction by its bold and blocky type-faced titles, or a book of post-apocalyptic literature by its distressed pages and fractured images. There are advantages to standing out as an exception, but every choice you make must be intentional and must be weighed against losing existing readers of your book’s genre.
- Choose your typeface and images carefully. It goes without saying that you should choose images you own the rights to, or that fall under the Creative Commons license. But you should also be careful to choose each and every design element–typefaces included–based on its capacity to appeal to a large audience. Steer clear of fonts and images that feel amateurish!
- Make it yours. One of the most common questions asked within the self-publishing community is: “Should I pay someone else to design my cover?” Ultimately, the answer is up to you; however, you should never underestimate the power of attraction that a professionally-designed cover will exert over potential readers. Paying someone doesn’t have to limit your creative control over the design, either: at Outskirts Press, you will be in constant communication with your design team!
- Fresh eyes are vital. The best decision you can possibly make for your book, both in terms of appearance and content, is to have it professionally edited. No matter how many times you’ve read your own text, you’re always going to miss something, and readers notice both the most insignificant of errors and the beauty of a finely polished text. We all strive to avoid the former and ensure they notice the latter!
You don’t have to face the dirt track and the forest alone. Outskirts Press is on hand to provide you with all of the resources you need to put together a beautiful, perfectly crafted book that will stop new readers in their tracks. From cover to cover, page to page, and start to finish, our team of dedicated staff will help you take that next step!
Are you ready to self-publish?
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| AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY |
“Outskirts Press made my dream of becoming a published writer come true. They have provided me support in every single way. They know what our needs are, and address them proficiently. Their support did not end when my book was published, but continues with the support of the marketing coach, who gives me valuable advice and guidance about what I should be doing, as well as how and when. I look forward to publishing with you again. I recommend you to all writers, especially international ones. You truly are the best publishers!”
Dina Al-Hidiq Zebib works in the field of education and professional development. She has a Bachelor’s degree in education, and a Master’s degree in clinical psychology. She loves working with people, helping children, and making a difference in the world. She is married and has two children.
During her childhood and young adulthood, intelligent and curious Sara is encouraged to explore who she is, and to pursue education and a career that will make the best use of her many gifts. The gift of true love comes to her unexpectedly, when she meets Hani, a young man who is her soul mate. Together they commit to a life together full of devotion…but Sara’s destiny takes an unexpected turn, throwing her into a cycle that she could never have imagined. With the assistance of a kind therapist, she begins to reflect back on the decisions that brought her where she is today…the crossroads that led to her destination. Will she be able to retrace her steps and salvage what she already had? Crossroads is an introspective, thought-provoking book that will resonate with every woman who has struggled to find her path in life.
– Dina Al-Hidiq Zebib, author of Crossroads
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