Thinking about your book's layout

Hello!

 I have chosen to share my thoughts on steps towards writing and self publishing a book, in a way I found helpful to me.  If you have experiences or thoughts to contribute please let me know, as it is all about sharing helpful information.

Thinking about your book's layout: After researching layouts of some favorite books among children (my target audience) I was able see patterns. Regarding how many pages I needed, what sizes sold well, and I decided that I wanted illustrations on every page, along with the text.  My target audience seemed very receptive to the bold colors and fun characters they were seeing during reading hour at Barnes and Noble, or at the libraries I frequented.

Cover art and layout are important to research, as well as deciding what you like relative to getting your book made.  For a children's book knowing some of the details I mentioned just above helped guide me in determining my layout, as well as knowing what I liked from a creators stand point.  "A How To" book may require pictures as well as copy because some people learn visually, and it reinforces the copy already on the page.  A novel or biography may also require pictures of the subjects to correlate with the copy.  This will help the reader truly visualize the subject as you intend during certain parts of your book.

So, just a few things to think about when planning your layout, that will also be helpful when you go to your illustrator/designer or the printing press to finalize details.  Sometimes your copy may need to be slightly adjusted based on changes to the layout for cost efficiencies, and for the success of the book's first run.

I am excited in my next blog to share my thoughts with you about how to find an illustrator, designer, or photographer for your book.

And don't forget to Write, Write, Write!

JACI