Interior Book Design: What Authors Need to Know

Today on the show Jodi breaks down some book design basics for author-entrepreneurs.

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  • Book design is a specific skill set. Graphic design and web design are not the same. Your job as an author-entrepreneur is to hire someone who knows the ins and outs of professional book design. It’s tempting to use the designer you use in your business, but that’s typically a mistake.

  • As Jodi’s friend and colleague Lisa Von de Linde says, as a reader, if a book is designed well, you don’t even notice or think about the design.

  • Design is subjective, so while there are some “rules,” the design process is guided more by author preference and genre trends.

  • Books are judged by their cover, but the interior should offer continuity with a book’s cover design.

  • Author-entrepreneurs should be sure to ask about budget, time line, and process before hiring a book designer.

  • To find a book designer, ask the other book publishing professionals on your team (editor, publicist, etc.), if you’ve hired anyone yet. If not, organizations like the Association of Independent Publishing Professionals and the Editorial Freelancers Association are good places to start.

Listen here or on your favorite podcast player, and let me know what you think!