Books, ebooks, workbooks and catalogs all require Multi-page Layouts that can vary greatly in complexity. The interior pages of a book or ebook may be strictly text based, or may involve extensive use of photos and graphics, or even custom illustrations or infographics. Even if your book is all text, it is important to choose the right font, type size, page numbering system and chapter headings to be sure your book is easy to read and has the right feel for your content.  

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Book Cover Design

I believe that your book cover design is one of the most important aspects of marketing your book. If your book cover is not designed well, you will lose sales. Generally, a well placed title and an intriguing graphic/photograph will be what first catches a buyer's attention. People need a reason to pick up your book over all others. The font should be well-chosen and sized appropriately for the style and sentiment of its content. But most importantly it should be easily readable with enough contrast to make it stand out. Careful consideration of the colors used, should also be given to ensure your book cover reflects the overall feeling that your book is meant to convey.

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The Back Cover and spine of your book will also need the same attention. You'll want your back cover to read well, with a clear synopsis of your book, along with any reader quotes and an author bio. This should all be well placed and account for your publisher's specs for margins and barcode placement.

 

Once the main design is decided, it can then be formatted according to varied specifications for paperback, hardcover, ebook cover, or other binding options you may have in mind. Each different type of cover will require slightly different formatting to fit your publisher's print specifications. This will all be accounted for in your initial estimate, so you are sure to have every version you need for your printer/publisher. Book Cover design starts at $600.

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Interior Page Design

The interior pages of your book can vary from simple to complex, but any book should have a layout that is well thought-out and easily navigated by your reader. Consistent formatting for chapter headings, callouts, imagery and page numbering sets your reader at ease with a consistent pattern, so they can easily focus on your book's content.

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The complexity of your book and the price point of design will depend on page count, how many graphics/images will be included, and if you need stock images chosen for you. You are welcome to provide images or provide an outline of what imagery is to be included and I will locate royalty-free images for your consideration. If custom illustration or custom infographics, charts etc. are needed, this will also add to the complexity of your interior pages. We can discuss the individual needs of your book before getting started, but generally interior page design ranges from $15-$30/page.

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Digital e-Books

E-books are very similar to standard print, and often my clients need a digital version, in addition to their printed book. This does not require a whole new setup. Most often, the same design file can be used for both. But there are factors that need to be considered in regards to margins that may be slightly different for an ebook vs a print book. This is usually an easy conversion that does not affect the main design. Ebooks can be provided as digital PDF files or Kindle books.

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Self Publishing with Amazon KDP

Many of my clients are using Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) to self-publish their books for sale on Amazon. I have also published my own books in this way, so I am well versed in their requirements, formatting and specifications for paperback, hardcover and kindle ebooks. First, you'll want to choose a size that works for all of your needs. For instance, Amazon only offers 5 sizes for hardcover printing vs. 16 sizes for paperback. So if you want to publish both, you'll want to pick from the 5 hardcover sizes. 6" x 9" is the most common size that is available in both formats. If you want a softcover/ebook combo, 5" x 8" works nicely because it sizes proportionately to Amazon's ebook cover requirements. If you have a shorter book, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding page count. Softcover books can start at 24 pages, while hardcover books must have a minimum of 75 pages. And if you want your book title to be printed on the spine, you'll need a minimum of 79 pages.

As always, minor tweaks can be made to the design files if you prefer different sizing than what works for all print formats. But if budget is a consideration, knowing these things upfront will save you a bit of time and money.

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To help market your book, Amazon's A+ Content is something I highly recommend. It's free, and allows you to add images, text, and comparison tables to your product detail page so readers can get a little more information as they consider buying your book. For marketing, I offer clients the option of getting a digital 3D mockup of what the book looks like, showing front cover, back cover and some interior pages. This allows potential buyers to get a better idea of what the book looks like, beyond the flat cover image that Amazon shows. With this option, you'll have professional images of your book that can be used in Amazon's A+ Content section, as well as on your website or social media to promote more sales of your book.

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Product Catalogs

Catalogs are very different than book layout because they are usually very image heavy. A good catalog is meant to show off beautiful images of your product, along with product descriptions, item numbers and pricing. But depending on the product, catalogs may also need detailed product specifications. The key is to organize the content in a way that feels quick and easy for buyers to look through, while showcasing the products in the best possible light. This often means lifestyle images showing products in use, detail images to highlight special features and listings of variations such as size and color. 

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As your Secret Design Agent, I specialize in organizing a large amount of content. Often clients provide product images and a spreadsheet of product details. So I get a good understanding of both the product and target audience, and then work to get it all organized in a way that will make sense to the buyer, without feeling overwhelming. It's important that the layout is interesting and easy to read, so the buyer can easily see your product features and variations in a way that feels good. If it feels cluttered or disorganized, they won't know what to look at first and they may go elsewhere. It's the difference between going into a messy thrift shop vs a high end department store. You want to draw them in, make them comfortable, and make it easy to see what you offer and how to buy it.