Book layout services and cover design services have been there to guide book writers and publishers decide their products meticulously because good designs and satisfying layouts still make books worth picking on the shelves or adding to online carts.
So, here are the elements that the book editors consider in publishing books, and have tips on how to make your books pleasing to the eyes of future beholders—a brief explanation about the book page layout and book cover design plannings.
What is a Book Page Layout?
Book page layouts are there to hook readers on flipping the pages of the books through the balanced style of format. It is like an unspoken rule for every publisher to make. Though some believe the content layout of books is not as big a deal as the covers, it sure will be a challenging moment for readers if beloved books are in an eyesore format.
Knowing the cheat sheet for page layout might take you ages. For starting-up self-publishing writers out there, book design services are here to save you from the horrors of hours of reformatting and layout adjustments.
The book’s beauty is not just from its cover pages but also the pages. Because of this, book layout services advise writers and publishers on the factors that might affect the readability of the book contents.
Margin
This is where the layout and designing starts. Like a painting, the margin makes your eye focus on the centerpiece, which is the book’s written content. The book margin size will be from the variables such as the gutter and the headers placed in the book.
Whitespace
This is the element that makes the book decongested and readable. The line and paragraph spacing rely upon the whitespace formats. With this, we can say that the margin is the sheets of our reading, while whitespace is the notes that keep our reading synchronized.
Line Widths
Line widths, meanwhile, keep the readers on track to what current paragraph they are into. Book layout services and layout artists ideally make 65 characters per line. Though, the author’s writing styles and the book’s typeface can also change the course of the format.
Typography
Also known as the font, this composition serves us the masterpiece written upon the book pages. Consistency with the font style can also help the readers, even if there are some rules where the font size can change. For example, nonfiction and academic books tend to have breakout boxes and sidebars that give additional information about the chapter topics. These sections tend to change their font patterns to differentiate them from the book’s main ideas.
Images
Crowding the images can be dreadful for readers because some ideas are there for additional visual and imaginary satisfaction. Images can also show how well-designed a book can be; that is why the balance between text and images is part of the elements seen by book design services.
Widows and Orphans
Not a cliche story about widows and orphans, but the jargon term for the uncomfortable break of paragraph lines in the books. The widow is the call for the paragraph lines left at the last side of the page, while orphan is the line brought into the new side of the page. Preventing such formats can be done by reworking the text layouts or adjusting the spaces and margin of the book.
What is Book Cover Design?
Book covers are the backbone of literature even if your literary piece is award-worthy; if the front and back cover is not considered eye-candy in bookshelves, better to hit yourself with the reality that the topic of profit should be out with your readers and publishers.
Luckily, cover design services are there to be the genie that can fulfill your wishes of worth-purchasing covers. But in the meantime, let us first discuss the elements that weigh regarding the layout and design of your dream covers for your books.
Ebooks vs. Prints
In the digital era, the conflict of whether to publish books online or still manufacture physical copies of them can sometimes put debates between publishers and authors. Technically speaking, though, trying both mediums puts the success rate of book publishing at a higher level.
Also, most of the readers today are already known as hybrids. Meaning they both enjoy ebooks and prints. Situations can also come in handy, given that printed books are often more expensive than ebooks. Nonetheless, both book forms still need decent covers to sell with
Hardcovers vs. Paperbacks
If authors decided to put their literary outputs in physical copies, they might have another choice to make, too. Traditional publishers often release books in hardcovers months after the release of paperback covers.
But for some book design services, the decision of hardcovers and paperbacks can be a free choice for authors, especially the start-ups who are new in the field and considering their financial capabilities for self-publishing.
Most readers prefer paperbacks that are light and easy to handle. Authors like them too because it is inexpensive. But, that does not mean hardcover books are outdated and uncool.
Hardcovers are there for their prestige, somewhat like a trophy worth placing in the bookshelf. Cover design services guarantee that although hardcovers’ publishing price is higher, the reading experience is worth the bucks paid, especially with its profit for entering another literary format (ebook, paperback, hardcover).
Also, most libraries prefer hardcovers for a longer bookshelf life. Academically and historically speaking, if you want your book to be as iconic as possible to local libraries, better to say to the publishers that hardcover is essential.
Lastly, some genres and readers are more suitable for having hardcovers. Readers prefer nonfiction books like cookbooks and academic books in hardcovers. Target readers like young adults might also like their beloved books as a token through hardcovers.
Trim Size
Book layout services might also ask authors how they would like their books to be sized. If undecided, they already have a specific ideal size based on the books’ genre.
Novels and poetry books have a trim size of 6″ x 9″. Children’s and cookbooks can fall under the 8.5″ x 8.5″ small size. Graphic novels are preferred to have a 6.625″ x 10.25″, while Business and Health books will be 5.5″ x 8.25″.
Front Cover Design
The most important element of book covers, design layout, has two features that will mark the book’s beauty. Imagery and typography are the key factors that cover design services devotedly work to make book sales have their best luck.
In imagery, the photographs, illusions, colors, and geometry needed to persuade the eyes of interested readers come in hand. The aestheticism needed to achieve book covers is answered by the power of excellent imagery skill service.
Like the page layout, the book covers’ typography should also be readable and pleasing for the eyes of the reader. Under this design are the title, subtitle, and author’s name. The main bait should always be the title unless the book received an award or an award-winning author writes it.
Back Cover Design
Even though it is the back of books, the balance between the front, spine, contents, and back layout and design solidifies the greatness of book design services. The back cover should also have the same hype as what the latter gave the readers, sort of a happy ending.
That being said, the book description, book review, author’s bio. Note that ISBN and barcode should be precisely placed on the back cover. Additional excitement to hardcovers, though, some of this might be set on the dust jackets.
Spine Design
Sometimes overlooked by authors, spine design is still essential not just because it is the one that holds the pages and covers together but also it is the face shown on the bookshelves. The title, author’s name, and publishing house’s logo are placed on the spine. The spine’s length and width may vary based on the size and number of book pages.
With all the guides about page layouts and book cover designs, it is still a choice whether to design the books all by yourself or ask the help of book design services for this complicated part of book publishing. Cover design services and book layout services will make the publishing journey easier for newbie or indie writers and canon authors and publishers.
Do we judge books by their cover or should we consider picking books that appear to us as magical as the love-at-first-sight tropes everyone enjoys? It can still be up for debate, but readers can be judged through their covers and their inside layout contents. Every book part is unique, a harmony needed for success.