Quote For The Week

 

 

"If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor."

 ~ Edgar Rice Burroughs

Marketing Your Book: The Text

 

Your Text Appearance Matters 

   

  Sometimes we get so stuck on formatting the cover of our book, we forget that the internal layout of the book is also crucial. The fonts you use, design, and even artwork that goes into your book has to be carefully thought through.

 

    Generally, the font you use for the title of a chapter or subheading is tied to the font you used on the front cover - or at least, one of the fonts you used on your front cover design. With all the fonts out there, it's easy to get sidetracked and pick several pretty designs, but you need to be consistent and give yourself only a handful of fonts to work with. 

 

    The font you use for your text doesn't have to be the standard (Times New Roman), as a matter of fact, if you browse through the genres, you will find that different text fonts are used depending on the genre. The style of your text is one of the elements of your book that should immerse the reader into the world or story that you have created. For example, if you are writing a thriller novel, use body text that is unique, and maybe a little bold or chilling. This could create a sense of anticipation in your reader, which is required for a thrilling piece of literature. 

    It's totally safe to experiment with different fonts until you find one you like, and it's totally fine if you end up choosing a font in the final stages of your editing - it's one of the things that can wait till the end. Meanwhile, while you're writing, get a general feel for you novel, and that will give you ideas for the style you want your text to be in. 

    If you want to take it a step further, you might want to add some pieces of artwork or a standard design. Whether it be a pattern in the top left corner of your page or a little motif under the chapter header, you need to be careful with how you present your added elements. Don't add too many effects, or else the reader will become so sidetracked by the pretty filigree and swirls that they might find it hard to focus on the actual text of the book. 

 

    What you are essentially looking for when it comes to layout is something that reflects the book in a simple and enticing way for the reader. Limit yourself to a design or a few fonts that encourage the reader to continue reading your work and that allows them to enter into the world you have created. 

 

   ~Lydia R. Sherren