It is fascinating to go to a bookshop and to watch the way that people evaluate a book before buying it. Everybody has their own agenda. They may not know the title of the book that they are looking for, but they do know the reading experience they are seeking.
It might be they are looking for a romantic novel, an adventure story, a historical novel or a biography of someone interesting (like you!). They might be looking at a non-fiction title about a subject they need to know more about. So, what is the first thing that they look at? It can only be the cover.
The book cover is the ‘shop window’ to what is inside. It is how well you dress your shop window that will determine if your book is picked up and looked at. This is the first stage to getting it bought. There are other stages which need to be gone through before actual money changes hands. As an author, you need to know what the customer is looking for, so that you can give it to him. You do need clarity about your perfect reader, before you can create the perfect book for them. Why would they buy your book?
Your cover design needs to be clearly visible from a distance with a clear and readable message. This is no time for subtlety. Every other book is in direct competition with you. There is only one chance to make a first impression and for your book to be spotted!
In addition to whatever image you have on the front cover, you need to tell a story to hook your reader. To do this you have three elements. A heading at the top of the page. A Title in the middle of the page, and a strap line under the title. These three need to tell the reader exactly what the book will do for them. The plot is irrelevant to the buying process.
As a publisher, I am presented with countless book proposals from authors. In almost every case, the author is focussed on the contents of their book. Well, why wouldn’t they? However, they rarely think about the needs of the potential buyer.
Very often, I will be offered a book with a clever and highly intelligent book title. It is usually obscure, and the meaning is not obvious. But it is clever! It is only once you have read chapter seventy-six, that it makes any sense. The trouble is that nobody will read chapter seventy-six, because they didn’t buy the book!
Unfortunately, there are no prizes for just being clever. The success of your book is measured by the number of people who saw it, and it resonated with the need they were looking to satisfy. Only then were they motivated to purchase it!
The author invariably draws from what is in the book to create the book title, cover design and description. It is what they know best. They will use the blurb on the back cover to explain the story or the plot and expect that this is what the buyer is looking for. It is not.
The buyer is looking for one thing. What is the reading experience that the book offers? What need of mine does it satisfy? The contents are secondary. Most book covers talk about plot, not reader experience.
Yes, people do judge a book by its cover, but also using a number of other criteria.
Going back to watching people in a bookshop. Watch what they do. They pick up the book and read the front cover. Then they look at the back cover.
A back cover can have one or two short reader testimonials. A well-written book blurb that “sells the sizzle” rather than selling the sausage. Finally, a thumbnail picture of the author and a few well-chosen lines about them.
If you want an example of best practice, take a look at Dee Blick’s new novel “The Boutique”. ISBN 978-1-915465-71-9
What does a reader look at next? The first few pages. What do they usually see? The very first page is often a repeat of the information on the front cover. This is followed by the publisher’s imprint page followed by the table of contents. What a wasted opportunity!
The first few pages of the book are a great opportunity to provide your potential readers with the information they are looking for in order to make the purchase. I call these the’ pre-matter pages’, as they come before the title page and the book content.
When the book is opened, the very first page is a right-hand page. This is the very first thing the reader sees. It is a powerful page which engages the reader.
If your book is non-fiction, then it could have the title “This book is for you if…” followed by half a dozen bullet points with reasons why you would enjoy the book. Now you have their attention! With a fiction book, I would use a powerful brief extract from the book. Something which is attention-grabbing and which gives the reader a flavour of what it is to come.
Pages two and three are a great place for ‘What people are saying’ . This can be testimonials from your beta-readers, or reviews or press cuttings.
The next thing that a reader is interested in is the author. So, pages four and five would be about the author along with an author photo.
Finally, you can place a dedication, and acknowledgements on following pages as well as an invitation to visit your website.
After the pre-matter pages would be the Title Page on a right hand page. Following this, on a left hand page would be the publishers imprint page.
The Table of Contents is also on a right hand page and might be continued over two of three following pages.
After this you would put a Preface or an Introduction, bringing you to the start of Chapter One. I believe that these pre-matter pages contribute to the decision to buy.
Savvy authors are now publishing two editions of their book. This is a good strategy to increase their income.
The first edition would be a normal trade paperback which would be sold through the bookshops and also on Amazon. Trade margins apply to this edition which mean that the author will receive 40% of the cover price and the retailer will receive 60%. Out of the remaining 40% comes the cost of printing. Once that is deducted, the balance of £1 or £2 is split equally between the author of the publisher.
However, with the limited edition, you can make a lot more! This edition is only sold directly by the author and not through the book trade. As a result, the 60% margin now goes to the author, not the retailer. This make a huge difference to the author’s income.
This version of the book can have cover embellishments such as foil, Spot UV Varnish, or embossing. You can also have a heavier paper. Even though these do add to the cost of the book, they are covered by the additional profit margin that the author receives.
Every aspect of a book is the author’s choice. You do not have to put up with boring book layouts, template-driven content, or poor printing. Every aspect of the publishing process is a decision made by the author.
Your book is far too precious to leave to chance. Don’t let all your hard work writing the book be let down by missed opportunities to make it the best possible!
Chris Day. Founder of Filament Publishing Ltd
+44(0)20 8688 2598 chris@filamentpublishing.com