We know that the sheer volume of details it takes to write, publish, and market a book can become overwhelming for even the most accomplished professional. For nearly two decades, we've been asked many questions by our clients. We offer you these frequently asked questions to help you find some quick answers you're looking for. CLICK on the question below:

Why hire a book cover design specialist?
How can we work effectively despite the geographic distance between your office and mine?
How much does book cover design cost?
How long does it take to design a book cover?
Who designs the interior of the book?
How important is the book’s back cover?
If I want to self-publish, how do I get started?
What about marketing my book?

Who created the Dunn+Associates website?



Why hire a book cover design specialist?
Studies indicate that on average, potential buyers spend 8 seconds looking at your front cover and 15 seconds looking at the back before they make a buying decision. As specialists in the book cover design industry, we know about all the details that make or break a book cover—such as the emotion of color, the power of typography, the importance of the spine, the technical requirements of a bar code, and the intricacies of book printer specifications. We do what we're good at—creating a cover that sells—so that you can focus on what you're good at—running your business and promoting your book.

We redesign far too many book covers for clients who thought they were saving some money working with a graphic designer inexperienced in book cover design. We also work with clients who were misled into a "cheap and fast" route, only to be told by their distributor that in order to be accepted they must have the cover redone by a professional. Experience saves you time. The right experience will save you money.



How can we work effectively despite the geographic distance between your office and mine?
No problem. Today's technology allows us to create a close working relationship immediately. In fact, we work long-term with clients all over the U.S. and in several other countries—few of whom we've ever met in person. Although we have daily UPS service, why wait a day? We can show you full-color design concepts the instant they're completed by emailing them to you or posting them to our convenient FTP site. Even a simple phone call keeps the ball rolling and ties close. Whatever your working style, we promise it won't take long before you feel like we're just down the street.



How much does book cover design cost?
Everything we do is customized, as are the fees. Keep in mind that your cover design is the most important investment you'll make in the creation and promotion of your book. Your book cover alone can launch not only your brand, but also your entire marketing campaign. More than just an incredible look, we give you your book's most powerful marketing tool.

We redesign far too many book covers for clients who thought they were saving some money working with a graphic designer inexperienced in book cover design, or for clients who were misled into a "cheap and fast" route, only to be told by their distributor that in order to be accepted they must have the cover redone by a professional. Experience saves you time. The right experience will save you money.

Plan to invest $1995 to $3995 in for an exceptional cover design, impeccable service and insider industry expertise. If you are a new author or self-publisher, be sure to inquire about our innovative BestSeller System™, a completely different, all-inclusive, start-to-finish package that includes mentoring and coaching. We developed the BestSeller System to make your life a lot simpler and your book so much more successful. Click here to view and print a PDF with complete details about the BestSeller System.
The PDF size is 424k, please be patient.

Free Estimate! Click here to contact us.

(If you are an established publisher who produces more than 6 books a year, click here. And be sure to ask about our discounted volume rates.)



How long does it take to design a book cover?
As long as necessary. Under normal circumstances, concepts are delivered within two weeks. The entire process, from our first meeting to delivery of your book cover, may require six to eight weeks. Most of our clients prefer a two-phase process where we first deliver a front cover for promotion and presales. Then, after the manuscript is fully edited, the interior is designed, the back cover sales copy is written, and the printer is selected, we finish up the complete book cover—including the spine and back cover— in time for printing. Scheduling is rigorously managed here at Dunn+Associates to meet your deadlines. We're on contract with major publishers to whom we deliver concepts within a few days. Other clients prefer a more relaxed pace. In a nutshell, we work to accommodate your style.



Who designs the interior of the book?
Your book should be a beautiful and functional package from cover to cover. That's why interior design is a specialty that requires experience and know-how. Your book cover and interior require a cohesive unified look. Although we have experience designing book interiors, we prefer to focus our talents on creating award-winning, bestselling covers. We do work closely with some of the best interior designers in the business and coordinate with them to provide you with a beautiful and functional package from cover to cover. Click to our Resources section to learn more about our interior design friends.



How important is the book's back cover?
The front cover draws you in, but the back cover SELLS your book. What's the first thing you do once you're hooked by a great looking book? You turn it over to find out more. While browsers spend 8 seconds looking over the front cover, they spend 15 seconds on the back. Doing what? Looking for a good reason to buy. Your back cover is where you clinch the sale or end up back on the shelf. It's where you get your message across, tell readers what's in it for them, differentiate your book from all the others, and establish yourself as the expert on your topic. Prospective buyers DO judge your book by its cover—the whole cover. We recommend the book cover writing experts at Write To Your Market. They also help you develop sizzling titles and even edit select books. Call this highly creative team at (715) 634-4120 or visit them at www.WriteTopYourMarket.com
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If I want to self-publish, how do I get started?
At Dunn+Associates we design covers for many self-publishers. Wherever you are in the development of your book—thinking, planning, writing, producing, or promoting—self-publishing expert Dan Poynter has the knowledge to make your venture faster, easier, and more successful. Visit Dan's website. It has hundreds of pages of information and free documents plus books, reports, disks and tapes. We highly recommend Dan's book, The Self-Publishing Manual, as a primer for working successfully with us. His web site has hundreds of pages of information and free documents plus books, reports, disks, and tapes. We highly recommend Dan's book, The Self-Publishing Manual, as a primer for working successfully with us. Dan says, "Spend your energy on the text and your money on your cover. Without a great cover, your potential audience will never find out how great your text is."



What about marketing my book?
Your Dunn+Associates cover design is your strongest marketing tool. If you need help planning the marketing of your book, we recommend Bob Edrmann. He consults with small and large publishers alike on all aspects of marketing, including foreign rights. Bob has four decades of experience and he was a two-term president of Publishers Marketing Association. Click here to visit Bob's website or call him at (707) 726-9200.

We are members of IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) and recommend that you become a member, too, for support in all aspects of independent publishing. Click here to learn more information about PMA and to visit their website

We also recommend John Kremer, bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. John consults in the areas of book marketing, publicity, direct marketing, pricing, and general planning for book publishers of all sizes as well as for individual authors. While most of John's consulting is done over the phone, he also provides on-site consulting services. Learn more about John Kremer's services at bookmarket.com.



Who designed the Dunn+Associates website?
Our website was created as a collaborative effort between our in-house creative team and our website designer at Wydra Creative.

Wydra Creative is a full-service web design and development company. For more information contact our friend Randy Wydra by email at
randy @ wydracreative.com or check out his website by clicking here.

Contact us if you have any other questions. We're here to help!    BACK TO TOP

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