Both writers and publishers put in a lot of thought and effort into designing the book cover.
When so much effort and thinking goes into designing a book cover, do we pay enough attention to the spine of a book? Is it as important as the book cover? The simple short answer would be, yes! Book spine is the first aspect of a book you notice while walking through a bookstore. Be it paperback or hardcover, the book spine is an essential part of the cover. Designing the book spine might not be appealing like the cover, but its significance can’t be overlooked.
What is a Book Spine?
Spine of a book is the reader’s first introduction of the book when they are walking through the aisles of a bookstore or library. Even in your home, the books are arranged in an order where the book spine is visible. It makes it easier to pick up the books to read.
Spine can be defined as the outside portion that is attached at the joints of front and back cover of a book. The crucial function of a book spine is to provide the place to bind the pages of a book together. It is not just a piece of paper; it holds the whole book together. In addition to this, the book spine gives a hinge action that allows the book’s pages and cover to open and close.
What should be Included on a Book Spine?
As mentioned before, spine is the vertical edge that stands out on the bookshelves. It serves many significant purposes. The other prominent function of a book spine is to provide details about the title of the book, and the author. Since, the spine is the first aspect you notice, it is important to print these details on it.
The elements or information that goes into a book spine:
Book Title
It is the most vital information that needs to be present on the spine. If the reader is not familiar with the writer, it is the title of the book that grabs their attention. The booktitle becomes the dominant element.
Firstly, you can choose fancy fonts while creating the spine but it is crucial for the title to be clear and legible. It is also significant not to fill up or cram the title on the spine, because it becomes less appealing for the reader, and also makes it difficult to read.
Finally, if there is a subtitle for your book, try including it on the spine if it’s short. If the subtitle is too long, try avoiding it completely since it would occupy a lot of space.
Author’s name
It is another central element of a book spine. Sometimes readers pick up the books seeing their favorite author’s name on the spine. If you are a newbie writer, then it is always better to make the title more dominant since it is the factor that entices the reader.
Sometimes, only the last name of the author is used on the spine to conserve the space. Like the book title, make sure the name is legible even if you make use of decorative fonts.
Publisher Details
When you look at the bottom of a book spine, you will find the publisher identifier or details. Publisher identifier is the logo of the publisher or the name printed on the spine.
Usually, a logo alone is printed or it is combined with the publisher name.
Tips for Designing a Book Spine
Designing a book spine is crucial. It might not be really attractive for authors who are planning to publish their books, but it is important to understand its significance. So, that it helps you while designing it.
Here are a few tips for designing a book spine:
Font
You need a proper font on the spine. Use a font that is clear, legible, and also stands out. Make sure you use blocky texts that stand out, and not thin serif fonts.
You want the reader to be able to read the title and/or author’s name. Make sure you do enough research before making a choice for the font. It is advisable not to use script fonts that are not legible.
Colors
The color theme is another area where you need to pay attention. Depending on the genre of the book, think about your readers, and what you want them to feel/think looking at your book. Since different colors have different meanings, the color could influence your potential readers heavily.
Think of the color theme or combination for the spine. It will be not attractive if you use similar colors or colors that don’t fit together. Make sure you use contrasting colors since it attracts more attention.
The spine of the book should stand out, wanting the reader to walk to that shelf and pick up the book. Color theme is the best way to make your book spine stand out from the rest.
Positioning of Text
The printing information on the book spine is oriented toward the direction you intend it to be read. It is a personal choice to decide whether the information should run up the spine or down.
In the US, the popular and often used orientation is the text running down the spine. Make sure the text is centered on the spine so it looks appealing and readable.
Don’t add text on a Thin Spine
If your book is only 40-60 pages long, the spine of the book will be really narrow. Printing text on such a think spine is not advisable because the text will not be readable for anyone.
So, if your book spine is thin, it is better to avoid adding any text on it.
Make one that stands out
With hundreds of books getting published, and waiting to be published, it is important to have books that stand out. From a marketing point of view, it is vital to have covers and spine that will grab the reader’s attention.
Make sure to design a spine that will pop out on a bookshelf. Don’t be scared to experiment with colors, patterns, and pictures. None of us want a book that looks like it belongs to a century old bookshelf.
Walk around a bookstore, or a library, and figure out which spine attracts you the most. Browse through the shelves, and find out which type of book spines draws you in, and then start designing the book spine.
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