How to make your book stand out on the shelves because of its visual identity

Have you ever gone to a bookstore and seen a book that catches your attention, and then, after opening it, you discover that it looks like a collector's edition (without being sold as such)?

The trend towards books becoming collector's items and bordering on works of art is on the rise, and it goes beyond simply having a beautiful cover.

As a self-published author, there are many ways to improve a book's quality and visual identity (understanding visual identity as the set of elements that define the book and distinguish it from others), but I think I would divide it into three blocks!:

• The book design

• The manufacturate of the book

• The book launch

The book design

It's all the work involved in defining the style of the exterior and interior. There are numerous ways to elevate the design, and a good general approach is to maintain consistency and cohesion (that is, to have continuity in the design and to have the same stylistic characteristics both inside and out).

Here are some ideas that are so valuable in books:

• The cover (illustrated or not) should maintain harmony with the interior design, either by keeping the same typography for the title and chapter headings, or by including decorative elements and ornaments of the same style and iconography as the exterior design.

• The interior pages should feature illustrations or an interesting layout that suits the genre and target audience. Also, avoid leaving narrow margins around the text box to allow the design to breathe.

  
  

• Include extra details like illustrated endpapers, additional dust jacket designs, maps, character illustrations, or even extra chapters or bonus content. You may have noticed that many books are now being released with painted edges. This is another option, although it's quite expensive and increases production time.

The manufacture of the book

If you self-publish on Amazon, this option is quite limited. You can add a hardcover version, use the premium color printing option or the matte cover if you want a more luxurious effect, but there's not much else you can do.

On the other hand, if you print with a printing company, you have much more leeway to add more special effects and produce a higher quality product, although it will depend on the printing company and the number of copies (as a side note, there are two production processes in book printing, and the one that offers the most options is the one used for larger print runs).

Some features you might consider:

• Choose the binding. Hardcover is more durable and generally considered higher quality. Paperback offers the option of perfect binding or sewn binding. Perfect binding is more economical and standard, while sewn binding, again, offers greater durability and quality. Oh! If you choose paperback, add flaps! It makes the book sturdier, less prone to damage, and distinguishes it from the Amazon version.

  
  

• Choose a good quality paper that makes reading easy.

  
  

• Print some pages in color if you have interior illustrations or decorations. Many print shops offer the option of printing some pages in black and white and others in color, which saves costs without compromising quality. You may have also seen the option of duotone printing at publishers, where pages are printed in black and white and another color, but it's not always easy to find printers that offer this service.

  
  

• For the cover, choose the laminate that best suits your story: gloss (if you want the colors to stand out), matte if you want a smooth, high-quality finish, or even soft-touch, that effect where you run your hand over it and it has a slightly velvety texture.

  
  

• Consider adding special finishes to the cover, such as foil stamping (silver, gold, sometimes even colors) or varnishes. It's very common in the publishing world to combine a matte cover with some parts coated in UV varnish. This varnish can be 2D or 3D.

All of this increases the manufacturing cost, but it will make your book stand out if you have the budget.

The book launch

Finally, beyond the book as an object, you can pay attention to how you present it to the world and what you accompany it with.

• Offer a pre-sale with exclusive, themed gifts. To encourage your readers, you can give away items that will only be available for a limited time, such as prints, bonus chapters, bookmarks, and items featured in the book.

  
  

• Don't forget to work on your social media communication, creating templates with a design that's consistent with the book. This way, you'll be developing its branding beyond the book itself. Use the same colors, backgrounds, and fonts, and maintain consistency.

  
  

• When you send the books, you can work on the packaging using papers or wrappers of the same tones or theme and accompany them with business cards and a small gift that the reader did not expect.

All these details are based on a mix of training, personal experience as a traditionally published and self-published author, and an analysis of publishing strategies and authors.

If you're in the process of developing your book's visual identity and making all these decisions, this guide on what to consider before starting on your book cover might be helpful. It's completely free and takes less than fifteen minutes to read!

There I share tips on choosing book formats, planning the publishing calendar, and details you'll need to consider when ordering a cover.

I hope you find it useful!

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