Need some tips for the back cover copy of a print layout? Here’s what we’ve learned over the years… Now for the in-depth version: First, here are a few technical tips to keep in mind: Length: Write the back text as if you only have a few seconds to catch a potential reader’s attention. Focus…
Approximate the final page count for your manuscript using the current word count below.
It’s easy to see that the fonts chosen for your cover can play a huge role in it’s effectiveness, and the over-all tone of the design. The comparison covers below demonstrate this more effectively with a quick glance than a 1000 word article could. Each of the four conveys a slightly different story — and…
Let’s start with the most basic question: What is genre? You probably have some ideas about genre and why it matters. However, it maybe a vague ‘sense’ in the back of your mind rather than a solid idea. I like to think of Genre as a way to determine and define reader’s expectations when approaching…
Of course, you’ll want to start by choosing a name that you like. If someone comes up on the street and addresses you by this name, would you flinch? Definitely discuss it with your favorite person (significant other, mom, best friend, cat, whoever). You’ll probably want to make a list of 2-3 options (or more…
Series covers can be visually linked in a variety of ways. The most common are fonts and text placement, though over-all image tone, style and color schemes can also play a huge role. I’ve compiled a visual comparison of several series from Paper & Sage below. Please click on the images below to see a…
When an author starts searching for a premade cover, its instinctive to click on the first one that appeals to your personal style. But you don’t want to simply choose an attractive cover, you want to purchase one that fits your book. Which means it will attract the right audience and sell your story to…
All covers at Paper & Sage are released under our Exclusive, Standard Royalty-Free License. The following is a quick summary of those terms. This summary is not the applicable, legally binding document (see TOS for that). Cover designs can be used by the client for promotional and/or marketing materials. Cover designs can be resized for promotional and/or…
Liked working with Paper & Sage enough to add our button to your site? First, thank you so much for the compliment! Our most valuable advertising is always by word of mouth. Then, please just grab the code from one of the boxes below and insert it into an HTML text field: Code for Grey…
Don’t have a PayPal account? No problem. You can always process a PayPal payment with your debit or credit card! However, navigating to the “Pay with Credit or Debit Card” option can feel a bit hidden if PayPal’s site is unfamiliar. So, here is a quick image-based tutorial on how to pay an invoice from PayPal with your…
Printing the cover of a book comes with very specific needs for the design. There are a variety of factors that influence the layout of every cover, including the width of the spine and the gutters and bleed.
Trim size is a key piece of information needed to start a print layout. In fact, the trim size must be chosen before we can move forward with a print design because it directly effects the proportions of the blank canvas that's used to start the layout. A quick-reference diagram is included below to help demonstrate what that means visually.
The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the unique 13-digit number that is used internationally to identify a book. ISBNs can be assigned by LightningSource/IngramSpark and Amazon KDP/CS or purchased through a variety of other avenues, one of the most popular being Bowker. This is a simple diagram of the visual elements of your barcode. (Please note, if you are…
There are just a few steps to follow when you upload your print-ready PDF to CreateSpace. When looking at the Cover options on CreateSpace’s website, you will choose either a Matte or Glossy finish for #1. Then for #2, please choose the third option: Upload a Print-Ready PDF Cover. Next, simply Browse to the folder where you have saved the…
Feeling last-minute nerves about clicking "Approve" on your artwork? Here's a handy checklist of things you'll want to take one more look at before finalizing the art...
So, you're working with a press/publisher/third-party to handle technical details: maybe formatting and uploading, or perhaps to help produce an audio book, or anything in between. And this is fantastic, because it means you get more time to concentrate on what's important: writing!
So you’re about to schedule a custom cover with us and you have a thousand ideas in your head. How do you get them all out? Better yet, how do you focus on one and share it in exact detail, precisely how you see it so we can create it as it exists in all…
Are you planning to have custom photography done for your book cover?
