Tips to avoid confusion and make for a more rewarding process. Prepare before you meet for the most productive experience communicating with your book designer.  The time spent preparing helps prevent confusion and makes the design process more rewarding for everyone. By now, if you have been following my blog, you may have a good […]

Hiring a book designer that is right for you. When you start work with a designer, understand that it is a relationship in which you both are vulnerable. You depend on each other to make the process run smoothly. This is why it is important when hiring a book designer that you find someone you […]

Avoid surprises and make sure you and your printer are on the same page. There is nothing more disappointing than to budget the production of your book project and to discover after you are in it up to your neck that it will cost way more than you budgeted.  This is why reviewing your book […]

Your book’s junk drawer—avoid making it an afterthought. There are three main sections of a book’s content, front matter, body, and end matter, also called backmatter. Each of these sections can contain various elements, some required and some optional. Although the components’ order can vary, there are typical conventions that most books follow. In this […]

The parts of a book—the book’s body Of the three main sections of a book’s content, the book’s body is the heart of your book. And at this point in your writing endeavor, your books’ body may be all that you have considered. However, much like the front matter, the body may also contain different […]

The order, content, and numbering of the book’s early pages. There are three main sections of a book’s content, front matter, body, and end matter. Each of those sections can contain various elements, some required and some optional. Although the components’ order can vary, there are typical conventions that most books follow. This section will […]

Ten things to consider when deciding your book’s size. There are many different trim sizes for books, so how do you choose the right size? There are standard book sizes, but as a sell publisher, you also have some leeway. To decide the right size for your book, you want to consider your book’s genre, […]

Do I have to follow standards? Yes, there are standard sizes, and they vary depending on the book’s genre. But as a self-publisher, you have more flexibility in straying from standard book sizes. But considering the genre when deciding your book’s size is much more important if your book will be sold in brick and […]

Five things to avoid common production delays Usually, I design the book cover last, but that does not mean that I am not planning it early. Here are five things that will help you to be prepared and have everything you need when it is time to design the cover. Your book cover is critical […]

Learn your options, and make informed decisions. A note about COVID 19: When I first developed this tool, the bookstore activity was intended to be immersive. On your Fact-finding Mission, you would look for books in your genre as a potential buyer would. While there, you could see how the books that called to you […]