Getting the most out of your book cover...

A book cover is one of the most important marketing tools for an author. Especially when self-publishing your book, you want to ensure that your book cover is professional and eye-catching. What you choose as your book cover will speak volumes about the book before anyone reads it. Thus, there are a few important things to remember during the book cover process:

• Always fill out your questionaire honestly and completely. This is crucial for our designers to create the perfect book cover for you. The more detailed your answers are, the better your ideas will come across to your designer.
• Don't have a clue about what your cover should look like? Do your research. Amazon is a great resource for gathering ideas. Look at other books similar in subject matter, noting which ones catch your eye and interest first. You don't want to copy anyone else's cover directly, but you may find details that inspire you.
• When choosing your initial concept, make sure you take time to review it carefully. Ask family and friends what they think. If you want an honest opinion about which cover you should choose, ask a 5 year old.
• When making changes to your cover concept, be open to comments and suggestions from the designer and Mill City Press. We hire design professionals for a reason, they are able help you figure out what will and what won't work for your cover. In the end, the cover is ultimately yours, but we're here to guide you.
• Before you give the final sign off on your book cover, make sure you reviewed the cover carefully. Are all your requested changes made? Did you want the price on the cover? If so, is it on there? Are there any typos or mistakes in the text? Making sure that everything is exactly how you want it before signing off on it will help you avoid costly re-submission fees in the future.