In It Is All In the Spine Part I, you were introduced to the importance of creating a marriage between a great story and the book cover. It is the cover that will speak for your work. The cover attracts and draws in the reader. On some bookshelves, due to space, some books are unable to be faced out on the shelf, but instead must be visible on the shelves by their spine.

What does your spine say about your book? Is it consistent with the cover or is it absent? If you are book lover like me, people are always looking for good books to read. The types of books that I read vary in genres, so what about your target audience's interests?

Let’s review the story in It Is All In the Spine Part I:

Johnny was magical when he was on stage singing and performing because he would always keep the audience captivated and mesmerized. There had been several record labels that wanted to sign him, but his life did not create the environment that he believed would support this type of career change. One day a well-known producer discovered him singing at The Sanctuary Lounge and wanted to sign him on the spot.

Johnny had what the producer had been looking for - something new and fresh. Little did Johnny know that this chance encounter with the producer would take him down a road that he least expected. Choose a category for this book:

Mystery and Suspense

Romance

Biography

Other

Now imagine how the book cover should look based on the story. Suppose you saw a book cover with some birds and grass with a backdrop of Scotland, would this book provide you with a great impression of what the book pages contain? What about if this image was on the spine of the book, what would you think about the book?

You will discover that there are times when the story, book cover, and spine do not create a cohesive marriage. When you create your story, understand that the book cover and the spine should resonate with the audience. The cover must speak, give life and draw in the audience and so should the spine.

Seek a professional to create your book cover because they would also be able to ensure that the cover and spine match the concept of the book. Don’t try to tackle the book design yourself because there are times when I have seen books on the shelf, and the spine is lacking in quality. You want to entice the reader to purchase your book and the image that it displays can help sell it.

Pay close attention to these tips:

What is the spine saying about the book?

Would the spine draw in the reader?

Put yourself in the reader’s seat when you create the book cover and spine because it is a part of the story that speaks. Make sure to bridge the gap between the cover and the story. If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget to read It Is All In the Spine Part I.