An interesting read! I think a lot of indieauthors don't realize the importance of conventions and just think 'it's my book, I'll do the cover how I want to' and then they wonder why their book isn't selling well. Bucking conventions and even cover trends is fine, but to do it well you still need to be informed by them and not simply ignoring them. It's a 'know the rules to break the rules' scenario. Subversion of 'rules' is a huge part of art and design, but it requires an exceptional level of understanding of those 'rules' in order to pull it off.
On the topic of the interior design, I specifically chose Affinity Publisher for doing my last book's typesetting and design so that I could play in the weeds! I wanted to get fancier with my interior design than the programs that most indies use are able to do and so picked what was the closest comparable to the industry standard I could find. (I have issues with Adobe, so didn't want to commit to InDesign if there was a good way around it).
I do wish KDP wouldn't print that KDP barcode on the interior page though! Alas, I don't think that will ever change as I'm sure there's a reason for it. It just annoys me to see it.
I’m really curious about Affinity’s tools. I don’t think I’d ever be able to use it for a client project because Adobe is such an industry standard, but I’m tempted to play around. I’d love to hear what you think!
I absolutely love it! So far, the only major difference that I know of between Affinity and Adobe is that, at the moment, Affinity doesn't export to epub so I had to get Attitcus for formatting my ebooks. For print copies though, it does an amazing job and far out matches the other non-Adobe programs out there! It's also incredibly user friendly which is not something that can generally be said for Adobe. I read a lot of side-by-side comparison articles of InDesign vs Affinity Publisher before deciding which way to go and the consensus was that Affinity is just as good with the only real drawback simply being that it's newer and less known making it less ideal for collaborations, but fantastic for freelance or solo work. It's not a laggy or crash-happy program either. One person I talked with while still doing my research into it had used InDesign for years at his work and switched over when he couldn't stand Adobe anymore told me he found no noticeable difference between the two in terms of features, tools, and quality of work. I haven't tried Affinity Photo yet as I still have an old version of Photoshop I'm using (good ole CS6), but I'm highly tempted to get Designer as I've heard just as good things about it vs Illustrator as I have the rest of Affinity's products. They're a pretty powerful software suite and regularly updated with added or improved features. Definitely worth trying and, even better, it's a one-time fee that doesn't break the bank.
I was finally able to get to this piece. Solid crit, Nathaniel. It's definitely a good-looking cover, and I can't get enough of the scuffs, scratches, and pen marks. The quote mark thing, though...it's a big peeve of mine so it really stands out to me. But it's also a very common mistake. Very small ding on a great cover.
Fun read overall. Keep putting this stuff out there. These crits provide a lot of learnings for anyone looking to self-publish.
And thank you for the Midnight Vault cover callout. Appreciate the mention and the kind words, friend.
Thanks Shane! Yeah, I love those scribbles. I want to find an excuse to use some on a cover. I know what you mean about the quote marks—once you know to look for it, you see it everywhere and your eye twitches. But I’m sorta glad they were here because it helped me illustrate ALL of the details that go into this stuff.
You bet—I wrote this weeks earlier but had to knew I needed to make the edit one the book was out.
Interesting post. I would've noticed some of these things—like the book being laid out with Vellum—but other things I didn't spot until you pointed them out. (I probably would've seen them if I'd looked at the book long enough, though. Take the fully italicized reading line, for example; I've never had to call myself a New York Times bestseller, so it hasn't been an issue!)
I'm wondering if it's just us nitpicking designers and indie publishers that notice these issues, though. Would the average reader pick up on most of these things, even subconsciously?
This is fascinating, thank you. I was aware that a lot of care is needed to make the most of a book regarding the cover, but really had little idea regarding specific conventions and design elements which are used ( or put aside on purpose) in order to create a satisfying whole, and the advantage of being aware of these ‘rules’ in order to break a couple with impact and intent when deemed appropriate. I enjoy getting the chance to have a look behind the scenes, and adding to my appreciation of the skills and knowledge involved 😊
I enjoyed your level of precision — if only to know there are other people whose minds work similarly. I’m a former magazine editor and I noticed those quotation marks, too 😅. I love that you knew it was designed in Vellum. This week, I was pointing out to my husband all of the scientific figures at a conference that I knew were designed in a specific software, ha.
Your cover studies are always so fascinating. I’m not a designer at all, but I appreciate thoughtful design and the efforts made to connect with some semblance of a publishing standard. I also had no idea TWLOHA is still going strong. I remember seeing them around the music festivals and shows I went to back in the day and I loved the work they did. I’ll have to check out what they’re doing these days!
This is a beautiful but yeah the prime marks instead of quotation marks drill into my very normal and well adjusted brain. This is a healthy thing to fixate on, I promise.
Wow. Thanks for this. Would you be willing to quickly smash my first attempt at a book cover or at least point out the biggest mistakes at first sight? -> https://leanpub.com/fps
It’s either that or glossy. At least at the moment, with the major players in POD. To be clear, this isn’t “bad.” Just a little obvious based on default.
I wish they’d do an uncoated option, but there may be costs or challenges associated with that that I’m not aware of.
An interesting read! I think a lot of indieauthors don't realize the importance of conventions and just think 'it's my book, I'll do the cover how I want to' and then they wonder why their book isn't selling well. Bucking conventions and even cover trends is fine, but to do it well you still need to be informed by them and not simply ignoring them. It's a 'know the rules to break the rules' scenario. Subversion of 'rules' is a huge part of art and design, but it requires an exceptional level of understanding of those 'rules' in order to pull it off.
On the topic of the interior design, I specifically chose Affinity Publisher for doing my last book's typesetting and design so that I could play in the weeds! I wanted to get fancier with my interior design than the programs that most indies use are able to do and so picked what was the closest comparable to the industry standard I could find. (I have issues with Adobe, so didn't want to commit to InDesign if there was a good way around it).
I do wish KDP wouldn't print that KDP barcode on the interior page though! Alas, I don't think that will ever change as I'm sure there's a reason for it. It just annoys me to see it.
I’m really curious about Affinity’s tools. I don’t think I’d ever be able to use it for a client project because Adobe is such an industry standard, but I’m tempted to play around. I’d love to hear what you think!
I absolutely love it! So far, the only major difference that I know of between Affinity and Adobe is that, at the moment, Affinity doesn't export to epub so I had to get Attitcus for formatting my ebooks. For print copies though, it does an amazing job and far out matches the other non-Adobe programs out there! It's also incredibly user friendly which is not something that can generally be said for Adobe. I read a lot of side-by-side comparison articles of InDesign vs Affinity Publisher before deciding which way to go and the consensus was that Affinity is just as good with the only real drawback simply being that it's newer and less known making it less ideal for collaborations, but fantastic for freelance or solo work. It's not a laggy or crash-happy program either. One person I talked with while still doing my research into it had used InDesign for years at his work and switched over when he couldn't stand Adobe anymore told me he found no noticeable difference between the two in terms of features, tools, and quality of work. I haven't tried Affinity Photo yet as I still have an old version of Photoshop I'm using (good ole CS6), but I'm highly tempted to get Designer as I've heard just as good things about it vs Illustrator as I have the rest of Affinity's products. They're a pretty powerful software suite and regularly updated with added or improved features. Definitely worth trying and, even better, it's a one-time fee that doesn't break the bank.
I was finally able to get to this piece. Solid crit, Nathaniel. It's definitely a good-looking cover, and I can't get enough of the scuffs, scratches, and pen marks. The quote mark thing, though...it's a big peeve of mine so it really stands out to me. But it's also a very common mistake. Very small ding on a great cover.
Fun read overall. Keep putting this stuff out there. These crits provide a lot of learnings for anyone looking to self-publish.
And thank you for the Midnight Vault cover callout. Appreciate the mention and the kind words, friend.
Thanks Shane! Yeah, I love those scribbles. I want to find an excuse to use some on a cover. I know what you mean about the quote marks—once you know to look for it, you see it everywhere and your eye twitches. But I’m sorta glad they were here because it helped me illustrate ALL of the details that go into this stuff.
You bet—I wrote this weeks earlier but had to knew I needed to make the edit one the book was out.
This cover is gorgeous
Hash marks are always a tell tale sign for me. That’s one of my pet peeves even though I catch myself making the mistake often.
Interesting post. I would've noticed some of these things—like the book being laid out with Vellum—but other things I didn't spot until you pointed them out. (I probably would've seen them if I'd looked at the book long enough, though. Take the fully italicized reading line, for example; I've never had to call myself a New York Times bestseller, so it hasn't been an issue!)
I'm wondering if it's just us nitpicking designers and indie publishers that notice these issues, though. Would the average reader pick up on most of these things, even subconsciously?
You know, they might not pick up on it! But I’m still telling myself it matters :)
This is fascinating, thank you. I was aware that a lot of care is needed to make the most of a book regarding the cover, but really had little idea regarding specific conventions and design elements which are used ( or put aside on purpose) in order to create a satisfying whole, and the advantage of being aware of these ‘rules’ in order to break a couple with impact and intent when deemed appropriate. I enjoy getting the chance to have a look behind the scenes, and adding to my appreciation of the skills and knowledge involved 😊
I enjoyed your level of precision — if only to know there are other people whose minds work similarly. I’m a former magazine editor and I noticed those quotation marks, too 😅. I love that you knew it was designed in Vellum. This week, I was pointing out to my husband all of the scientific figures at a conference that I knew were designed in a specific software, ha.
Thanks Phoebe! It’s nice to hear someone relates. Isn’t it funny what we can pick up on with a little bit of familiarity?
Your cover studies are always so fascinating. I’m not a designer at all, but I appreciate thoughtful design and the efforts made to connect with some semblance of a publishing standard. I also had no idea TWLOHA is still going strong. I remember seeing them around the music festivals and shows I went to back in the day and I loved the work they did. I’ll have to check out what they’re doing these days!
Thanks so much Alexis. I love thinking about this stuff so I am glad you appreciate it too :)
TWLOHA has come a long way—the organization turns 19 this year!
Thanks for including me in your post!
Yessir!
Great essay. I’m taking notes.🗒️
Thanks friend! Hope it was helpful.
Great post, Nathaniel! Appreciate the insights.
Thanks Victor!
This is a beautiful but yeah the prime marks instead of quotation marks drill into my very normal and well adjusted brain. This is a healthy thing to fixate on, I promise.
Wow. Thanks for this. Would you be willing to quickly smash my first attempt at a book cover or at least point out the biggest mistakes at first sight? -> https://leanpub.com/fps
If you're going POD, is there a way around the waxy, matte cover feel or is that just the way of the beast?
It’s either that or glossy. At least at the moment, with the major players in POD. To be clear, this isn’t “bad.” Just a little obvious based on default.
I wish they’d do an uncoated option, but there may be costs or challenges associated with that that I’m not aware of.