Table of Contents
Introduction 18
Who Am I? 24
Why book cover design is so important, whether
self-published, indie, or traditionally published 26
Space 40
Avoid clutter 44
Color 47
Branding (for series or collections) 63
Text and image synergy 73
Working with an assistant 87
DIY author designs vs. makeovers from professionals 91
Researching and choosing a book cover designer 95
Some of the biggest challenges an author and
a designer face during a collaboration 101
The balance between creating a book cover the author loves, the designer loves, and a potential reader loves 106
How to prepare for a collaboration 110
Front cover copy 111
Back cover copy 116
Distributor/printer and tech specifications 122
Fancy features 129
How to ensure a smooth sailing collaboration 141
Book a designer well in advance 141
Will the designer read the entire manuscript? 142
Email correspondence 144
Phone correspondence 146
Timeframe 147
Design inspiration 147
How things roll at Jessica Bell Design 149
Cost and recommended designers 154
A few last words (and connect with me!) 155
Acknowledgements 157
Appendix A: Attribution License 159
Appendix B: Project Agreement 160
Appendix C: Client Questionnaires 164
Appendix D: How to obtain puff quotes 169
Appendix E: How to obtain ISBNs 170
Appendix F: Popular trim sizes 171
Appendix G: Useful links 172
Appendix H: Binding options 173
Index of subjects and images 175
