Finishing the words that your book will hold is a milestone worthy of some personal backslapping. Spending time and, often, a sizeable chunk of money ensuring all manner of language requirements have been met, seeking feedback on story and structure, and exploring possible markets are some of the many pieces in the writing puzzle.

Have you spent money on a well-turned-out artefact, or on a dud? Will your work sell? Will it be enjoyed and shared? As writers, we always hope for two yesses.

Book makeup holds one of the keys to more sales.

Makeup has been used across time for purposes such as covering blemishes, to changing beauty from one quality to another or offering a mask supporting situational confidence, but always emphasising a feature and convincing observers what they are seeing is a new reality, not camouflage. A skilled makeup artist can transform appearances by hiding, exaggerating, enhancing, or creating features, making the subject of their efforts stand out.

When your new book is released into the world, surrounded by literature of varying quality, how does it capture the attention of readers? One way to get noticed is by using skilfully designed and cleverly applied cover architecture to inform the uninformed and potentially begin your relationship with new, avid readers.

Why are we talking about makeup and writing books? How do they relate to one another? You may have just completed a masterpiece, possibly it is the best in your genre for years. Nobody knows that, yet. Marketing, advertising and luck may guide prospective readers to your novel which sits patiently on a shelf, hemmed in by dozens in the same genre.

When you are not there to persuade them in person, somehow a passer-by must be encouraged to stop and pick out your book. Makeup will make it a beacon in the jejeune.

Front cover, spine and back cover are all that is visible. Usually, it is either spine or front cover. Are they alluring? There may be hundreds of pages within, but success often lies with these three small components. Your cover makeup focus must be on images, words, layout, color — prudently applied. At this stage this mix becomes as important as your wordsmithing applied within.  

Be warned that readers are not a forgiving lot. They have spent time and money to get your book open at page one, as they settle into a reading spot, and do not want to be served up an ugly duckling made to look like a beautiful swan. Right from the start they want the swan delivered — outside and in. They will catch you in a serious deception if the cover’s promises are not met.

“There are more important things than outward appearance. No amount of makeup can cover an ugly personality.” – Audrey Hepburn

Inside must be all the appropriate ingredients. Ones with flavours, aromas, vistas to please the senses, play with emotions, stir the imagination, create desire and loss. A reader needs to join in — travelling and living with the characters. Weaknesses will soon shine through and dash any enthusiasm for continuing the journey.

Words must match the intent of the story — words that manipulate readers; pull them away and introduce them to another self. Characters, plots, timelines, places. Above and below decks, all must match up.

A final note. If all this does not work, there is no one to blame. The buck always will stop with you —

A visual contemplation

Publishers are impressed by what is written. They require the most basic of presentation. Readers too, are impressed by what is written. They need a cover that says, “Buy me, read me, share me.”

Thank you for your time.

We appreciate your feedback.Look forward to our next article about emotions. “You can’t take me along, if I don’t feel something. A pull at the heartstrings.”

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