Month: April 2021

So many questions come to mind when thinking about your book cover and a potential illustrator. Should I hire a professional or should I use a pre-made book cover for my novel? What is the cost involved? How long does it take? Can I bring my own idea to life?

Compelling illustrations are the most effective way to make your book stand out, therefore the author must put thought and time on the book cover of their novel and/or project.

In my opinion, hiring a professional is a MUST unless you’re familiar with the software. Your book cover should reflect the basis of the story and attract the audience for that genre.

Before hiring such individual, I would suggest researching the book designer and/or illustrator. Find out how many book covers they have done in the past. What is the turnaround timeframe for completion? What is the cost involved for a revised request and is there a limit on revisions?

You will need to know the specifications of your book (binding type & trim size). Most book designers and/or illustrators should also be able to provide the illustration for your spine and the back cover. Make sure that the individual you hire is able to provide all of these services otherwise you will have to hire someone else to add text to the spine and back cover.

For my most recent project, I already had a sketch in my head of how I saw my book cover. I provided this information to the potential illustrator and also asked if he could provide the text for the spine and the back cover. The illustrator immediately confirmed that he would be able to bring my idea to life and even had some concepts of his own. This illustrator was seasoned and did not charge me for the project until I was fully satisfied with the final product (which took about 30-45 days to complete). I had at least 5 revision request and he was amendable to all of the modifications.

At the end of the day, it is up to you if you want to put in the time and work for your book cover. Just be sure to choose the option that works best for your schedule and timing of your project.

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So, what is a book trailer? A book trailer is a promotional video that highlights the narrative of your book (similar to a synopsis). It brings your book to life and also plays a major role in your online platform presence. The video does not have to be lavish nor expensive to be successful, it just needs to entice the reader/viewer enough for them to go buy your book (or at the very least to view it online).

Do I need a book trailer for my published works and is it effective? This answer will all depend on your project, budget, and marketing techniques. Everyone and just about everything is online now; we as humans are addicted to technology, pictures and more importantly videos. With social media platforms like Tiktok (689 million users), Youtube (2.3 billion users) and Facebook (1.85 billion users) attracting viable viewers, video sharing is the most popular forum for self-expression.

What must a book trailer contain? There are 6 essential elements that a book trailer must have in order to be fruitful of which I have outlined below:

• Length – Keep it simple, direct, short and under 3 minutes as you do not want to bore the viewer.
• Audio – Most authors add background music or a voiceover. Whatever you decide to use, be sure that there are no copyright infringements and obtain all applicable permissions.
• Imagery – Use high quality photos or graphics whether you plan on creating your own trailer or hiring a professional and be mindful of copyright infringement.
• Audience – You must cater to your audience and craft the trailer so that it speaks directly to them.
• Entice – The video must leave the viewer/reader wanting more, so like your synopsis you must have a hook.
• Direction – Once the viewer is finished watching your trailer, they will need to know where they may purchase your book. Be sure to include a closing slide (similar to an end credit) that briefly states where the viewer may purchase your book.

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