Maybe my perspective as a book designer skews my vision but I cannot imagine a scenario in which a self-publisher—someone seeking to publish a book he or she has written—would want anything but first-rate, professional book design and production.
The way I see it, “one-size-fits-all” solutions for turning out book covers and interiors do not provide the care and attention that any book crafted for publication deserves. Unfortunately, the process of publishing a book after it’s been written incurs expenses—editing, design, (occasionally) illustration, and production—that add up. That is, when the parts of the process are performed by competent professionals.
Not every self-publisher thinks to work that way, however.
Don’t get me wrong, I realize that exorbitant fees are the last thing a small business needs. Publishing has already turned into a cutthroat business, where large booksellers (both online and brick-and-mortar) have largely succeeded in marginalizing small bookstores. So there are more than a few reasons why making and selling books, especially to turn a profit, is not a pursuit for the faint-hearted.
Let me be clear: No book is guaranteed to earn a boatload of fast bucks. The only chance I see at making serious money is by writing really well on a subject that has an audience. Do your research seriously, locating a natural audience for your book. Create a plan for how you will reach that audience. Then consider the next layer of probable readers and how to reach that group.
Next engage the professionals I keep mentioning …
A real editor. Make no mistake: a new set of eyes is the way to go when checking over your writing. (For proofreading, too.) A designer who understands your book and its audience is your new best friend. Seek out a book designer who can tell you that his or her work is about your book, not his or her reputation. You want someone who understands the cover is not just for looking good and drawing attention, but for making a promise about what readers will find inside; and a typesetter who implements that design exactly. I think it is preferable for the designer to double as typesetter.
Give your book every chance to succeed.
0 Comments