Drop Cap Typography--how, what and why

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2012/02/book-design-6-variations-on-drop-cap-typography/

The tradition in book design of making the first letter in a paragraph larger than the rest of the type goes back pretty far. In fact, it predates printing entirely. This practice started with scribes.....

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Writers, publishers, both? Technophobes?

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One thing that happens when you go to a writing conference is you end up spending a lot of time with writers. Many kinds of writers. And that can be very instructive.
There were several hundred writers in attendance at the San Francisco Writers Conference, which ended yesterday. Throughout the four days there were writing workshops, keynote addresses, “ask the pro” sessions and a lot of panels and presentations about options in self-publishing.
Although most of the sessions were on writing topics, the incredible popularity and explosive growth of self-publishing, both with new and already-established writers is the obvious rationale for presenting this material. And there were some people who were clearly interested in pursuing the self-publishing option.

Slogan of the Day

In almost every presentation, somewhere along the line I heard, “It’s the best time to be a writer.”
And why not? Armed with only a laptop and an imagination, a writer today can create her own publishing story, gather fans, learn to market her books, and start to make real money though book sales if she keeps at it and has good skills.
In many of these self-publishing presentations there were stories told of authors who had followed this same path and arrived at the promised land, where agents and editors are calling you with six- and seven-figure offers.
Just before the big panel I was part of on Saturday morning, I read in Publishers Weekly about the latest, Brittany Geragotelis, who used the reader community Wattpad to accumulate over 16 million reads of her work, attracting a six-figure contract from Simon & Schuster.

The Dark Side: Still There

It was also interesting that many writers had never considered self-publishing. On the last day of the conference there was a big, two-hour panel discussion on “The Great Adventure: Joining the Self-Publishing Revolution,” moderated by Carla King (Self-Publishing Bootcamp) and including Mark Coker (Smashwords), Brian Felsen (Bookbaby), Jan Johnson, (Turning Stone) and Jesse Potash, (PubSlush). And me. Pretty good panel, wouldn’t you say?
The room was reduced to half its usual size by dividers, and it was still only about half-full.
Where were all the writers?
They were upstairs, standing in a long, long line that snaked from a room at one end of the hotel, through the lobby and in front of the front desk. Each grasped a sheaf of papers and many looked nervous.
This was the core of their visit to the conference, and maybe the reason a lot of them paid to come to San Francisco: “Speed Dating With Agents.” A chance to sit down and talk face to face to a literary agent is a powerful draw for an unpublished writer.
I thought about some of the writers I know. Many are quite technophobic. Just learning Word is a major accomplishment. I know people who can write prose that will melt your heart, but they never figured out how to attach something to an email.
These writers will never join my training course. They might read the blog because you can get it in your email. The whole thought of “formatting” makes them nervous. They just want to write, and let other people take care of the rest.
I’m not so sure it’s the best of times for these writers. It could be coming into the worst of times. As popular fiction moves to ebooks, publishers try to find an economic model that will survive digitization, and marketing becomes a necessity for the average author, what are non-technical writers to do?
Most of the new self-publishers who are in the news get there through using social media for marketing. Many are bloggers or do blog tours. This is a community in which uploading to Kindle Direct Publishing is about as easy as booking a flight online.
But even in 2012, many writers aren’t there yet, and the dream of landing that contract lives on.
Do you think there will be writers who are pushed aside by the technical requirements of the new era in publishing? Or will there always be publishers to take care of the business end of things for writers who want no part of it?

Publishing Choices

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2011/12/how-to-choose-the-best-method-for-publishing-your-book/

Amazon launches SciFi Imprint!

Amazon's new imprint

mazon Publishing Launches Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Imprint, 47North

New science fiction, fantasy and horror imprint debuts with 15 books to be published in 2011 and 2012 SEATTLE, Oct 11, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced the launch of 47North, the seventh imprint from Amazon Publishing, focused on science fiction, fantasy and horror. 47North launches with 15 books, including "The Mongoliad: Book One," the first in the ambitious, five-book, collaborative Foreworld series led by Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear. All of these books will be available to English readers in Kindle, print and audio formats at http://www.amazon.com, as well as at national and independent booksellers. 47North will publish original and previously published works, as well as out-of-print books. "Amazon customers have a huge appetite for science fiction, fantasy and horror books, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce readers to new and established voices in these genres," said Victoria Griffith, Publisher, Amazon Publishing, West Coast Group. "We are especially happy to have a diverse list at launch, and look forward to publishing across a wide range of subgenres." 47North will launch with the following books & series:

8 tips for book cover design

http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/06/top-8-cover-design-tips-for-self-publishers/

We’ve all seen them. The train wrecks. The art class projects. The cringe-inducing artwork. It’s the world of do-it-yourself book cover design.

Somewhere between the quirky “cover design generators” on author-service company websites, and the All-American view that everyone should get a ribbon because, after all, they participated, the cover design is suffering at the hands of self-publishers.

And no, I’m not saying that self-published books aren’t getting better—there are a lot of great-looking indie books out there. But I am saying that you don’t have to go far to find the ones that went wrong.

Book cover design, at its height, is an amazing commercial art. The best book designers continue to amaze and surprise us with their graphic design prowess.

But anyone who can write and publish a book ought to be able to avoid at least the worst mistakes in cover design.

So, here without further ado, are my

Top 8 Cover Design Tips for Self-Publishers

1. Establish a principal focus for the cover—Nothing is more important. Your book is about something, and the cover ought to reflect that one idea clearly.
   One element that takes control, that commands the overwhelming majority of attention, of space, of emphasis on the cover. Don’t fall into the trap of loading up your cover with too many elements, 3 or 4 photos, illustrations, maps, “floating” ticket stubs.
   You could think of your book cover like a billboard, trying to catch the attention of browsers as they speed by. Billboards usually have 6 words or less. You have to “get it” at 60 miles per hour, in 3 to 5 seconds.
   A book cover ought to do the same thing. At a glance your prospect ought to know;
   • the genre of your book,
   • the general subject matter or focus, and
   • some idea of the tone or “ambiance” of the book.
   Is it a thriller? A software manual? A memoir of your time in Fiji? Your ideas on reform of the monetary system? Each of these books needs a cover that tells at a glance what the book is about.
2. Make everything count—If you are going to introduce a graphic element, make sure it helps you communicate with the reader.
3. Use the background—Avoid white backgrounds, which will disappear on retailer’s white screens. Use a color, a texture, or a background illustration instead.
4. Make your title large—Reduce your cover design on screen to the size of a thumbnail on Amazon and see if you can read it. Can you make out what it’s about? If not, simplify.
5. Use a font that’s easy to read—See above. There’s no sense using a font that’s unreadable when it’s radically reduced. Particularly watch out for script typefaces, the kind that look lacy and elegant at full size. They often disappear when small.
6. Find images that clarify—Try not to be too literal. Look for something that expresses the mood, historical period, or overall tone of the book; provide a context.
7. Stay with a few colors—If you don’t feel comfortable picking colors, look at some of the color palettes available online to get a selection of colors that will work well together.
8. Look at lots of great book covers—You may not be able to mimic all their techniques, but the best book covers are tremendous sources of inspiration and fresh ideas.

Resources

• You can always send your book over to the Self-Published Book Designgroup at Self-Publishing Review. Get a Design Review of your book, inside and out.
• There is lots of stock photography online to explore, and ways to find images you can use for free
• Sites with color palettes can be helpful and just plain fun. Make up your own color palettes too.

Takeaway: Taking a little care with a book cover you’re designing yourself can produce big results. Look at lots of book covers for inspiration.

3 ?? to ask about your book covers

http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?articles=727113&guid=9ef104e3-c1e4-11e0-842a-003005ce8903

Book cover design is an art! The art of catching attention, enticing the viewer to pick up your book, buy it and ultimately read it! Taking the time and learning about this art can add to the impact your book will have whether you plan to go the self publishing route or are picked up by a major publisher. All of this equates out into perceived value and the know, like and trust factor your cover creates for its market banding.

Good book cover design helps sell books! This is why we go to such lengths to have them professionally designed. I've been asked many times my professional opinion on if I thought a book cover was good or bad... to which I respond, they are different. That good or bad is subjective to the viewer. However, there are elements, when used or not used, that can be considered good or bad.

Here are 3 Questions to ask yourself when considering what constitutes an artful book cover design?

1. What is its eye appeal? Selecting the appropriate color, typeface and image for your audience will increase pick-up value.

2. Who is your audience? By knowing what your audience likes, where their attention goes, you are able to write a title and sub-title that will fit their listening.

3. Does your subject have ‘come-back-power’? An added value to your readers is if they can continue to learn from you over time.

So in the process of creating an artful book cover design, a professional book cover designer uses every bit of knowledge they can so that the cover has immediate appeal to the viewer. There are so many books out there today where the value of being transparent and available over time is considered a plus. More   information on book design.

Remember, do something every day toward your book, web-presence, product, service and promotion.
Karrie Ross,  Book Designer, Branding, Web-Presence, Coaching, Consulting Services

How to Get Publication Credits? Clips?

Ideas & Resources for Writers Seeking Publication Credits

1)      Local/community newspapers –generally operating on a shoestring-; probably can’t pay, but are often open to articles from new writers. READ several issues first to understand the “language” and focus of the newspaper (more community events or news; more personal stories or general interest and events, etc). Consider asking the editor out of lunch or coffee, if possible.

2)      Online magazines and portals like Creativity-Portal; most don’t pay but are open to new writers, esp. if they have an interesting idea or approach. 

3)      Anthologies- these types of collections do not normally make money, and therefore, do not pay; some will require a submission fee, but they are often open to new writers and approaches.  (Hint: search Google for “seeking submissions” ;  “Call for Submissions”; “Anthology (and subjects that interest you, etc.  Note: don’t forget to search both websites and blogs!  Also consider doing same searches on Face book and Twitter)

4)      Literary Journals-again, many are operating on a shoestring and cannot pay, but may offer free copies.  Check out local/independent/ college bookstores for journal titles and publisher info. Also check  Writers Market (fee based online service ) or Diatrope (free and online-part of Zoetrope)

5)      Chamber of Commerce publications—may list small business that could benefit from creative or technical writing, but may not be able to offer much in compensation. Consider writing web content, or online product/service related articles.

Make Sure you keep an electronic and paper copy of the published articles, poems, etc as well as any agreements, emails, etc –as these may be needed for evidence of publication. 

Consider keeping a portfolio with copies , etc of all publications

Consider keeping a word document listing all publications, dates, word counts, article type, links, etc.  For books, add ISVN, Amazon listing link, etc). Don’t forget your own websites and blogs!  (They are publications, and add to your overall experience, but can’t be “counted” as “publication credits” or “clips”)

Anthology Blog coming soon......

How to Publish???

Wondering how to publish your book?

Tomorrow (Wednesday) you can learn how highly-successful authors publish their books.

Many people will be surprised by this insider's information -- others will be shocked!

Click here to hear it:

http://www.authorsacademy.com

My best,

Atilla Vekony
Wheatmark, Inc.