Some authors write their book before they even think about who their audience will be. The inspiration hits so they put pen to paper. Other authors have their target audience in mind and have a marketing plan that will allow them to create a book directly for them. You will probably agree that people think more about how they can solve their own problems, learn something, improve themselves, or be entertained than they do about your book. If you can show them how reading your book helps them achieve these things, you are likely to increase your book sales. Below I will share 5 tips on how to ..read more

 YouSo you want to be an author, you’ve let the words tumble out of your head and onto paper but you have no idea what to do next? You are in the right place! Self-publishing offers a cost-effective way to share your writing with the masses. In 2007, the Kindle was born along with the self-publishing innovation of Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). Creatives that were being held back by the book world’s gatekeepers, finally saw an opportunity. By 2011, self-publishing and e-books were in full swing. Many books that corporate publishers dismissed went on to be highly successful self-publis ..read more

Taboos should never be broken. A great “rule of thumb” but does it apply in EVERY case? There are certain long-honoured forbidden elements and rules of book design. Let’s examine a few of them now to see if these taboos should remain untouched. The design of a book should be TOTALLY left to the book designer. Is this true? I would venture, “Not entirely.” I completely agree that the LAYOUT of a book is best left to a professional designer. However, this book is your “baby.” Your wants and needs are paramount in this process. And I bet you have some pretty amazing and inspired ideas about wh ..read more

There are some harsh rumours swirling out there in the big wide world about books and good book design… Let’s shine the clear light of truth on a few of them. 1. Print books are yesterday’s news – just like printed newspapers! It’s true that the digital revolution of eBooks and the internet has made it easier than ever to access books in a soft-copy electronic format, rather than a hard-copy printed book. However, a gorgeous, truly glorious printed book will never be fully superseded by text on a screen. The sheen of the ink, the subtle glow of a stunning satin paper stock, the sound of the ..read more

I heart Christmas and Christmas morning is a very special time to me. Growing up here in 1970s New Zealand (yes, I’m THAT old LOL), we’d be up at 5 am to run screaming into the lounge to see our gifts under the tree. No sneaking quietly up the hallway for us! Poor Mum and Dad – they would have loved a sleep-in, I’m sure. We’d have to wait for my elder sister to travel across town to join us. The present-unwrapping didn’t actually take place until about 10 am. It was the purest agony! We’d have our noses pressed hard up to the window waiting for her. After the gifts were duly swapped and an o ..read more

Tech Talk is my semi-regular blog post to teach you some of the technicalities or specifications that will make your book perfect in print and divine in digital form Following on from my recent blog about units of measurement worldwide, I thought I would discuss the next level of that topic – paper standards around the globe. Just like there are different units of measurement, paper standards (or sizes) vary globally as well. There are two main paper systems that I will talk about now – the A Series and Imperial paper sizes. The two different series offer different sizes for the similarly co ..read more

Numbers are SO important in book design. Units of measurement differ around the world as the standard for various countries can be very different indeed. The US is well-known to use imperial measurements – inches, feet, and yards and so on. Whereas in Britain, Europe, Australia and here in New Zealand, we use the metric system – millimetres, centimetres, and metres. FYI, an inch equals approximately 2.5 centimetres or roughly 25 millimetres. The software that a book designer uses gives the option to easily switch between all the different units. They can even choose to measure in picas ..read more

Ah, toast… we all have our own way of making it. Barely warm, lightly golden, or completely charred, our preferences are unique to us. Then there is the spread. Natural butter or dairy-free margarine? Corner to corner or a blob in the middle? And here in the Southern Hemisphere, we have the eternal Battle of the Toppings – Marmite vs. Vegemite! Whether you like your toast piping hot or cold and crunchy, good book design is even BETTER than this eternal breakfast treat. Let me explain… 1. Good book design can be “cooked” to your liking, even when working with an external designer. You are in ..read more