![\"1106](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/12373424_10208394888013465_5435656658243065173_n.jpg\")
<\/a>1. Take it to a librarian or bookstore clerk.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\u201cAsk bookstore employees. They know what sells,\u201d says designer Michele DeFilippo of 1106 Design<\/a>.<\/p>\nAmy Collins of New Shelves Books<\/a>, a company that places books in libraries and stores, agrees.<\/p>\n\u201cWhat\u2019s more important than the opinion of friends and family is what your local bookseller or librarian thinks,\u201d she says. \u201cLibrarians see thousands of new books every month \u2013 along with their checkout rates.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. Get opinions from your target audience.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\u201cThat\u2019s who you will be marketing to,\u201d says designer Peggy Nehmen of Nehmen-Kodner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cI see a lot of people posting cover options on their Facebook profiles or to book marketing Facebook groups, but the people who see it might not be in your target audience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll get a lot of feedback, for sure, but it might not be the right feedback.<\/p>\n![\"Nehman-Kodner\"](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/4686_1140805410039_3431935_n-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a>Peggy Nehman, Nehman-Kodner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n3. Ask the people on your email list.<\/strong><\/h2>\nYour email subscribers are most likely in your book\u2019s target audience, making them the right people to provide feedback on cover options. After all, when they added themselves to your list, they were saying, “I like what you write about.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re a new author without a list, seek out writing groups and editors who have experience,\u201d Nehmen says.<\/p>\n
4. Take the opinions of friends and family with a grain of salt.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\u201cWhen you ask friends and family to weigh in, you\u2019re asking people to set aside human nature and a lifetime of conditioning to \u2018be nice\u2019 to share an honest opinion, and that\u2019s asking a lot,\u201d says Collins.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, DeFilippo adds, opinions from people outside your target audience and the publishing industry can backfire.<\/p>\n
\u201cOften, their well-meaning suggestions can completely unravel a good design,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Amy-Collins-Photo-150x150.jpg\")
<\/a>Amy Collins, New Shelves Books<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n5. Ask someone else to gather opinions for you.<\/strong><\/h2>\nMany people are reluctant to provide negative feedback directly to the author, so Collins recommends taking yourself out of the voting process.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk someone you’re not close to to gather opinions,\u201d she advises. \u201cPeople will be more honest when they don\u2019t have an emotional connection to the person asking for an opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the best ways to do this is to trade covers with another author. When you do this, be certain to provide specific direction on whose opinions to solicit \u2013 don\u2019t expect your representative to know this.<\/p>\n
6. Leave your opinion out of the book cover decision.<\/strong><\/h2>\nUnless you\u2019re an avid reader of the genre you write, don\u2019t focus on what you<\/em> like. Focus on what your readers<\/em> like.<\/p>\nThe author of a self-help book for women asked me to weigh in on several possible cover designs. All were decidedly masculine; none would appeal to me as someone in his target audience. I explained why I couldn\u2019t select any of the choices.<\/p>\n
When I saw that he used one from the batch I had rejected, I suspected that he picked his favorite after all. I\u2019ve been guilty of doing that, too, but it\u2019s the wrong approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cover isn\u2019t about the author. It\u2019s about attracting buyers,\u201d says DeFilippo.<\/p>\n
7. Have a little faith in your designer.<\/strong><\/h2>\nAn experienced and successful cover designer researches genre styles and current trends to create a cover that looks like a best seller.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve hired someone who knows what they\u2019re doing, let them do it. They’re one of your best resources when making a book cover decision.<\/p>\n
How do you decide which cover to use when they all look good? Please tell us in a comment.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
\nTip of the Month<\/h2>\n
![\"Siri](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/iPhone_X_blk_lockup_20171107-300x274.jpg\")
<\/a>I\u00a0like to share\u00a0a \u201cTip of the Month,\u201d a free resource or tool for authors, on the last\u00a0Wednesday of the month.<\/p>\nThis month’s tip — or tips, really — should save you a little time when using your smartphone. Heather Lutze at Findability University<\/a> introduced me to these voice command cheat sheets for both Apple’s Siri and Google Voice:<\/p>\n\n- Siri for iPhone<\/a><\/li>\n
- Google Voice<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use these to become a phone boss!<\/p>\n
No\u00a0 more looking for your contacts icon, then typing a name into the search box. No more pulling up your calendar, looking for the date, and manually adding an appointment.<\/p>\n
Review your list to become familiar with the possibilities, then tell your phone what you need. You’ll make things happen more quickly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Amy Collins of New Shelves Books<\/a>, a company that places books in libraries and stores, agrees.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s more important than the opinion of friends and family is what your local bookseller or librarian thinks,\u201d she says. \u201cLibrarians see thousands of new books every month \u2013 along with their checkout rates.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s who you will be marketing to,\u201d says designer Peggy Nehmen of Nehmen-Kodner<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI see a lot of people posting cover options on their Facebook profiles or to book marketing Facebook groups, but the people who see it might not be in your target audience,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll get a lot of feedback, for sure, but it might not be the right feedback.<\/p>\n Your email subscribers are most likely in your book\u2019s target audience, making them the right people to provide feedback on cover options. After all, when they added themselves to your list, they were saying, “I like what you write about.”<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re a new author without a list, seek out writing groups and editors who have experience,\u201d Nehmen says.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you ask friends and family to weigh in, you\u2019re asking people to set aside human nature and a lifetime of conditioning to \u2018be nice\u2019 to share an honest opinion, and that\u2019s asking a lot,\u201d says Collins.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, DeFilippo adds, opinions from people outside your target audience and the publishing industry can backfire.<\/p>\n \u201cOften, their well-meaning suggestions can completely unravel a good design,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Many people are reluctant to provide negative feedback directly to the author, so Collins recommends taking yourself out of the voting process.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk someone you’re not close to to gather opinions,\u201d she advises. \u201cPeople will be more honest when they don\u2019t have an emotional connection to the person asking for an opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the best ways to do this is to trade covers with another author. When you do this, be certain to provide specific direction on whose opinions to solicit \u2013 don\u2019t expect your representative to know this.<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re an avid reader of the genre you write, don\u2019t focus on what you<\/em> like. Focus on what your readers<\/em> like.<\/p>\n The author of a self-help book for women asked me to weigh in on several possible cover designs. All were decidedly masculine; none would appeal to me as someone in his target audience. I explained why I couldn\u2019t select any of the choices.<\/p>\n When I saw that he used one from the batch I had rejected, I suspected that he picked his favorite after all. I\u2019ve been guilty of doing that, too, but it\u2019s the wrong approach.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cover isn\u2019t about the author. It\u2019s about attracting buyers,\u201d says DeFilippo.<\/p>\n An experienced and successful cover designer researches genre styles and current trends to create a cover that looks like a best seller.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve hired someone who knows what they\u2019re doing, let them do it. They’re one of your best resources when making a book cover decision.<\/p>\n How do you decide which cover to use when they all look good? Please tell us in a comment.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n This month’s tip — or tips, really — should save you a little time when using your smartphone. Heather Lutze at Findability University<\/a> introduced me to these voice command cheat sheets for both Apple’s Siri and Google Voice:<\/p>\n Use these to become a phone boss!<\/p>\n No\u00a0 more looking for your contacts icon, then typing a name into the search box. No more pulling up your calendar, looking for the date, and manually adding an appointment.<\/p>\n Review your list to become familiar with the possibilities, then tell your phone what you need. You’ll make things happen more quickly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2. Get opinions from your target audience.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>3. Ask the people on your email list.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
4. Take the opinions of friends and family with a grain of salt.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>5. Ask someone else to gather opinions for you.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
6. Leave your opinion out of the book cover decision.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
7. Have a little faith in your designer.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nTip of the Month<\/h2>\n
<\/a>I\u00a0like to share\u00a0a \u201cTip of the Month,\u201d a free resource or tool for authors, on the last\u00a0Wednesday of the month.<\/p>\n\n