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Category: Book Cover Design

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Proofreading Tips for Self-Publishing Authors

Proofreading Tips for Self-Publishing Authors: How to Perfect Your Manuscript Before Publishing

I recently enjoyed some fall days on a trip to Yellowstone National Park for a workshop called Decoding the Language of Nature. Taught by expert naturalists and animal trackers Jon Young and George Bumann, it was an incredible experience—learning about, watching, and listening to wolves, coyotes, bison, pronghorn, birds, and other wild creatures all participating in a continuous flow of intricate communication. Spending time honing my eyes and ears to begin listening in reminded me of how small details shape the bigger picture—something that’s just as true for books as it is for the natural world.

After returning from this remarkable experience, I’ve been diving back into book design and working with self-publishing authors to help them bring their manuscripts to life. A recent conversation with one of my clients about the importance of proofreading sparked the idea for this blog post. I thought it might be helpful to share some essential tips for authors looking to refine their own work before publishing.

While hiring a professional proofreader is always the ideal choice for a polished final product, some authors prefer to tackle the proofreading process themselves. If that’s you, here are a few crucial tips to help catch those pesky errors and ensure your manuscript is ready for readers.

Yellowstone Bison walking through the early morning mist.

5 Proofreading Tips for Self-Publishing Authors

Practical Steps to Help You Polish Your Own Manuscript

  1. Take a Break
    Setting your manuscript aside for a day or two before you begin proofreading is one of the most effective ways to gain fresh outlook. Coming back to your work with rested eyes allows you to spot issues you might otherwise miss. This step can make all the difference when it comes to catching errors in your own writing.

  2. Print it Out
    Reading on paper offers a new perspective. Errors, inconsistencies, and awkward formatting are often easier to catch when you’re looking at a physical page instead of a screen. Printing out your manuscript also allows you to make notes and corrections directly on the paper, which can streamline your editing process.

  3. Use a Checklist
    Proofreading without a plan can make it easy to overlook small but significant details. Create a checklist that covers common issues, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation, as well as elements specific to your manuscript, like character name consistency or formatting. This ensures a thorough review and helps produce a more professional final product.

  4. Read Backwards
    One helpful trick for catching typos and other small errors is to read your manuscript backwards. By isolating each word, you force yourself to slow down and focus on individual elements, which makes it easier to spot mistakes. This technique helps you catch spelling errors and misplaced words that might be missed when reading normally.

  5. Eliminate Distractions
    Proofreading requires your full attention, so be sure to find a quiet space where you can focus. Minimizing distractions—whether it’s turning off notifications, setting aside dedicated time, or finding a quiet environment—will help you catch subtle errors and polish your manuscript effectively.

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Download all 10 Tips

These 5 tips will help you begin to refine your manuscript.
But there’s more to consider if you’re committed to a truly polished final draft!
To access all 10 of my proofreading tips to help you through the process, you can download the full resource here by signing up for my newsletter.

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What’s Next?

Once you’ve perfected your manuscript, you’ll still have other steps to consider on your self-publishing journey, from cover and interior design to help navigating print-on-demand options and beyond. If you’d like help with any aspect of your book’s design or have questions about the self-publishing process, feel free to reach out. I work with self-publishing authors to bring their vision to life and help make the journey smoother.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Creating a professional-looking book takes attention to detail, but you don’t have to do it alone. By following these proofreading tips and signing up for my newsletter, you’ll gain access to even more resources to support you on your self-publishing journey. Together, we’ll make sure your book is ready to connect with readers around the world.

Help for Independent Presses

Book Design & Production

Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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Capture Your Reader’s Attention with Stunning Cover Design

Why Invest in Professional Cover Design?

A compelling cover does more than catch the eye; it speaks to the heart of your prospective readers, inviting them into the world you've created. With a blend of artistry and strategy, a well-designed cover can make your book stand out while fitting seamlessly within your genre. It's about creating a visual narrative that resonates with your audience, encouraging them to explore further.

How I Can Assist You

With my expertise, we can navigate the intricacies of cover design together. From understanding your book’s essence and target audience to selecting imagery and typography that amplifies your story I'm here to bring your vision to life and be your guide through the process to ensure your cover is not just beautiful but effective.

Here are some ways that we will collaborate on your book cover:

It's Not Abut Us book, audiobook cover, and ebook designPersonalized Cover Design: Your book's genre, target audience, and core message guide my design strategy. I delve into the specifics, from genre norms to the subtleties that make your book unique, crafting a cover that not only captivates but also communicates.

Technical Expertise: Transitioning from manuscript to print or eBook format is seamless when you work with me. I handle the complexities of file creation and formatting, ensuring your book is ready for platforms like Amazon's KDP and IngramSpark, without the technical headaches.

collaboration between book designer and authorCollaborative Process: Your vision is paramount. Through regular updates and open communication, I ensure that the design aligns with your expectations, incorporating your feedback and providing revisions to perfect your cover and interior layout.

Showcasing Success

Every project is a story of collaboration and creativity, resulting in covers that not only captivate but also sell. For a glimpse into the transformative power of exceptional cover design, I invite you to explore my portfolio of recent projects and discover how I've worked together with authors to elevate their visions into captivating visual stories.

Ready to Transform Your Cover?

Embarking on your cover design journey is just an email away. Contact me to discuss how we can turn your vision into a visual masterpiece that attracts and delights your target readership.
I would love to be a part of your publishing adventure and look forward to creating something remarkable together!

 

Help for Independent Presses

Book Design & Production

Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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What goes on your front cover?

Tips for book cover design success.

Last month I talked about what content to include on your back cover, so, naturally, I thought I would expand on the important elements to include on your front cover. As with the back cover, it is critical to know who your audience is as you begin developing the copy and design of the front cover.
Because it is the first thing that potential readers will see, everything that is placed on the cover needs to be well thought out and intentional. The actual visual approach that you take with the design will vary depending on if your book is fiction or nonfiction, but in both cases the front cover should immediately speak to your audience when they see it.
Here are some things to include:
  • Title. The title will want to be the most prominent element on the page and set in a font that is fairly simple and easy to read. Keep in mind that if you are selling your book online the front cover will be thumbnail size when presented to online shoppers in browsers and reading devices. Therefore the legibility of the title needs to be crystal clear in both the larger printed version and the digital thumbnail size.
  • Subtitle (if applicable). This element is #2 in priority after the title. It also wants to be very legible and easy to read at small sizes. Often the subtitle is set in a smaller less "fancy" font than the title, but is still complimentary to the title. The design of the title and subtitle work together to create a typographic grouping that works with and enhances the rest of the design.
  • Series Number (if applicable). If your book is part of a series you can choose to include this information on the front cover. Usually it is quite small and worked into the typographic design of the title and subtitle or, in some cases, across the top of the page. Some authors choose to only put this on the spine or back cover, but if your book's fans will mostly be reading it as an ebook it can be helpful for them to see the series number on the front cover.
  • Endorsement. If you have an endorsement from a person with a well-known name, great for you! Endorsements can help add credibility to your book and it may work well to give a big name endorsement some prominence on the front cover, but limit it to one and keep it short. Start collecting endorsements and reviews early!
  • Author Name. Of course readers will want to know who the author is! This element is most commonly placed in the lower third of the front cover. Unless you are a super well-known and established author, the prevailing advice is to keep the author name small.
  • Design. Buyers do judge books by their covers! All of the previously mentioned elements need to work seamlessly with the overall design of the book. Hire a professional book cover designer to avoid a front cover design that is easily recognized as amateurish. The design of your book cover can be made up of images, or illustrations, it can be strictly typographic, or it can be a combination of all these things. Whichever direction you choose should reveal the tone of your book right away so that upon first glance the reader can instantly get a sense for the content inside. The design should also be reflective of other books in your genre - similar, but distinct, so that it "fits" with the other books on the shelf and also stands out. Finally - don't forget to look at a gray scale version of your cover - some e-readers don't display color, so the cover must still look good and be readable in gray scale.

Pro Tip: Don't try to do too many things on the cover design. Any image or illustration should only hint at the story inside the book. To create impact, try to limit the cover design to one striking image or symbol.

 

After the audience is defined and the research and planning is done then is it ready for the design phase. When I design the front cover of your book some of my goals include:

  • Readability of the title font
  • Seeking creative continuity from the front cover, over the spine and onto the back cover (and inside/outside flaps if it's a dust jacket).
  • Making sure the cover scales down to smaller sizes well.
  • Creating a cover that is unique but fits in the genre.
  • And finally...ensuring that you - the publisher! - absolutely love your book's cover design.

Want more tips like this? Subscribe to my monthly book design newsletter.

Help for Independent Presses

Book Design & Production

Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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Back Cover Copy – What goes here?

Learn about which elements should go on your back cover to help sell more books.

Ever wonder what to put on the back cover of your book? This area should be used as a marketing tool that helps people see the benefits of buying your book. The copy that you put here should be aimed specifically at your audience, using language that they resonate and connect with. Ultimately, the back cover content is what sells the book. After the front cover or spine has snagged their attention, the copy that appears here will hopefully seal the deal and result in your reader making the purchase. And, because attention spans are short, this content needs to be easy to quickly read.
Here are some things to include:
  • A tagline. Appearing at the very top of the page, use an enticing one or two line sentence to provoke interest or intrigue. Keep it short to grab your reader's attention and pull them further down the page into more details about the book.
  • A book summary or blurb. This one or two paragraph block should be written with your reader in mind. However, it shouldn't be written in the same style as your book. Think of it more like ad copy, and to write effective ad copy it is critical to know who your reader is and then talk directly to them using language that they'll relate to. The book summary can help your reader understand why they want to buy your book and communicate to them how this book will benefit their life.
  • Reviews, endorsements, testimonials. Include 2-3 of your best reviews on the back cover. These short statements of praise from others helps add a feeling of credibility to your book. Seeing that other people, maybe some of them well-known, have read, endorsed and recommend your book, builds a sense of trust with your potential reader. Be sure to include your reviewer's name and credentials if they have them.

Pro Tip: Obtaining reviews, testimonials and endorsements can sometimes be a lengthy process. Don't wait until your cover is ready to be designed to ask people for these. Plan ahead and start early so they are available when your cover is ready to be designed.

  • Author biography and photo. Give people a way to start getting to know you as an author. Include a short bio about yourself and why you wrote the book. Keep it brief and clear, saving the longer list of achievements and story for your "About the Author" page in your book or on your website. Use a simple, professionally taken head shot for the photo.
  • Publishing Information. This section is for your ISBN bar code and could include the bookstore category, price (if you choose to include that), and your website address.

 

After you have all of the copy for the cover, only then is it ready for the design phase. When I design the back cover of your book some of my goals include:

  • Maintaining visual continuity that may come from the front cover and/or elements of the interior style. 
  • Keeping the information on the back cover easily digestible with the most important copy presented in a way that grabs the eye. 
  • Using various design techniques to eliminate any potential for an overcrowded, or cluttered feeling.

Want more tips like this? Subscribe to my monthly book design newsletter.

Help for Independent Presses

Book Design & Production

Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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Hit the Book Cover Design Grand Slam!

For a Grand Slam Cover Design, start with a Book Cover Design Brief.

What is a Book Cover Design Brief, and why do you need one?

A book cover design brief is something that is vital to any design project. It provides, me, your book cover designer, with clear and precise information about your book so that I can effectively do my job and create a book cover that you love!

Without some direction, your designer has to make assumptions about what they think you will like. Sometimes it works out and you get a cover that is acceptable, but more often than not, without a proper set of expectations and guidelines, it misses the mark and they have to go back to the drawing board and begin again. This can be frustrating to both the author and designer as it inevitably adds more time and cost to the project.

This scenario can be avoided by taking some time before the design process begins to develop your ideas and vision. A book cover design brief will help you collect, compile, and distill these ideas, thoughts, and research into a format that you can hand to your book cover designer. Think of this as an opportunity for you to deeply explore what you want your book cover to look like and then tell your designer exactly what you want to achieve. A book cover design brief is no place for generalities. Here, you should be as specific as possible and move past the impulse to say things like “I want this design to pop” or “Just make my cover look good.”

To help you with this process, using resources and suggestions from other designers as well as pulling from my own experience, I've compiled a book cover design brief that you can review and start developing the specific vision and goal for your book cover. When you sign up for my newsletter, you can download it for free!

Want more tips like this? Subscribe to my monthly book design newsletter.

Help for Independent Presses

Book Design & Production

Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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