I've noticed a lot of writers have complimenting hobbies like photography, sword fighting, or, graphic design. I've been dabbling in some design programs, but am far from having the expertise necessary for my writing needs. So what graphic design do we need as writers?
Business Cards
The best idea I've come across for writers' business cards is to produce bookmarks. I go this tip from:
But I've been wondering, what if your book is only available as an ebook? What could writers produce as a business card? I've got nothing... any ideas?
Website
Most people are able to redesign their blogs themselves, it's so easy with all the templates available, but what about having an author website? I said I was designing mine with Dreamweaver, and gave you some things to consider when planning your website in 7 Key Elements for a Writer's Website. I got started on my website, planned it out on paper first, and worked out exactly what I needed to appear. But the graphic design became too tricky for a novice like myself, so I've now got an expert working on the job. My Graphic Designer, Rhonda - you can visit her photography blog here (it's good to have friends with skills!).
Book Covers
Your needs here will be different if you require a paper book or just an e-book. If you are publishing a whole book, you'll need spine and back cover designs, possible jacket flaps, etc. Even if you're self-publishing your book, you need a professional looking book cover. I've seen so many books on Amazon that have pretty dodgy covers. I know I never buy them. Book covers sell books, despite all the warnings, that's our first judgement. If you need some inspiration for your book cover design, check out these sites:
Here's a couple of my favourite covers:
There's many more of course.
Book Trailers
Book trailers are very popular now, and many look so professional they could be movie trailers. There's even sites for watching book trailers:
So, are you arty enough to design for your marketing needs, will you let a publisher handle that or will you employ a graphic designer?
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