Any tips. leads for learning book cover design?

[Carrie]

I was just writing with someone who has a book publishing company,
(publishing on demand once it's set up by the writer) who mentioned sub
contracting out the cover designs. If the person submitted their own book
cover, they took off $175. I asked her about this, did they take
submissions, buy from freelancers, etc? She said they don't need anyone
right now, but I'm welcome to send my resume and sample book covers I've
designed (LOL) Well, I do a lot in PhotoShop (and digital photography) and
have designed and printed notecards, business cards and some booklets (for
myself and practice) with Publisher 2000

I guess when i asked I spaced out the fact this might be something
specific (set up in a specific way) and not just a picture, or design, with
text on it, or room for the printer to put text on it in specific places.
Maybe the cover would also involve the part on the side (over binding) and
back, too?

Can't find anything that looks like that in the templates. I can see
using two pages, unless the part that goes over the binding would be
included, too and this would be a lot narrower? though maybe the printer
would put on what goes there. And, specific sizes for book covers?

I never thought about this before, like all that goes into this.
Usually when I get a book the cover is already on it...

I figured I'd get some expert advice instead of muddling around trying
to figure it out myself (measuring my books, allowing for margins, etc
(LOL)

Thanks,
Carrie

 

[Carrie]

I could do it, but then you wouldn't be able to do it, you'd get paid for
using a template, my creativity would be wasted...

I wasn't planning on stealing your creativity, notice I asked for
tips and leads for learning about it? Using publisher, this being a
publisher NG?

I'm also not planning on making money with it, at least right now,
when I still have to learn it. It's not like I have a job lined up I'm
looking for someone else to do.

Your last paragraph is your clue to the answer: try figuring it out for
yourself

So what's the point of having a newsgroup where there are people who
know, who can answer the questions (and always do, with much patience,
sharing and help)?

Apparently you're not one of the regulars here who never seem to mind
giving answers and help. We can be thankful for that.

yeah, I'm sure I can figure it out for myself, unless maybe there's
some specific "professional" way of doing it that should be done for
submitting with resumes. Which was what I wanted to find out. Even just a
link to a tutorial about it, from someone who knows.

Next time I'll ask google

~ Carrie

 

[Carrie]

I've been here forever... learning everyday...

google is a good choice because you might read the years of postings on
this newsgroup and not ask a question that is really inane and been
answered since before you got a computer ...

I learned it from practice, start learning to use your tool and when you
have a problem with the tool... ask

Say I wanted to be a doctor... "hey newsgroup! how do I take out tonsils??
Is there a template for it??"

sosdd

this is why I love to read microsoft.public.publisher

this newsgroup and not ask a question that is really inane and been
answered since before you got a computer ...

Yeah, thanks for the info. What happened to John, and Mary and Joanne
and those who always answered questions clearly and simply, and pointed one
in the direction they wanted to know, in a polite and helpful way? Even if
they have been answered before? I always felt i could come in here and get
an answer.

You spent so much time and energy telling me off, putting me IN MY
PL:ACE, you could have just answered the question in the first place. At
least if you knew the answer... This being a Publisher group, how does one
set up a book cover using Publisher? Maybe I can ask people who use
PageMaker or Quark, instead. (actually, I asked people who use PhotoShop and
they don't mind talking about it)

Don't worry, I get your point, and won't bother people here anymore
with my dumb questions that have already been asked and answered. Had i
known it had changed (the newsgroup) I wouldn't have asked it here in the
first place.

You're right, this is a good group to learn from. And not just computer
stuff.

~ Carrie

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

We're here but, in my case, I'm not exactly sure what info you need. We
can't teach you how to design.

 

[Chuck Davis]

Carrie,

This Newsgroup has never been about content of your publication. That is
entirely your creation. This Newsgroup addresses issues with the Microsoft
Office Publisher program and its usability.

Over the years, I have received help in using the product from the many
volunteers that respond to the many posts by other users. Steve may very
well have spent years in a design school to learn design. It makes no
difference, this Newsgroup doesn't address design issues.

Tips? Open a new publication, choose Page Setup from the File drop down
menu. Your Printer probably won't accept the page size required, use a PDF
layout for a custom size. Mine was 12.4 inches H, by 20 inches wide.

Work it through...

 

[John Inzer]

Yeah, thanks for the info. What happened to John,
and Mary and Joanne and those who always answered
questions clearly and simply, and pointed one in the
direction they wanted to know, in a polite and helpful
way? Even if they have been answered before? I always
felt i could come in here and get an answer.

=========================================
We're all still here...and when we have useful
info we are happy to share it but in this case
I don't have a clue. Sounds like you have quite
a lot of experience with design already.

Anyway...you are always welcome here and if
someone is rude...just ignore them.

Here's a link that I found with Google...I'm
sure there are lots more.

Book Covers and Jackets
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/bookcovers/

 

[Carrie]

Carrie,

This Newsgroup has never been about content of your publication. That is
entirely your creation. This Newsgroup addresses issues with the Microsoft
Office Publisher program and its usability.

Over the years, I have received help in using the product from the many
volunteers that respond to the many posts by other users. Steve may very
well have spent years in a design school to learn design. It makes no
difference, this Newsgroup doesn't address design issues.

Tips? Open a new publication, choose Page Setup from the File drop down
menu. Your Printer probably won't accept the page size required, use a PDF
layout for a custom size. Mine was 12.4 inches H, by 20 inches wide.

Work it through...

I wanted info about setting up a book cover in Publisher. Or, any leads
or links to doing this (such as on the miscosoft website which I know has
info and tutorials but is a labyrinth to find something on if you don't know
what what and where)

I looked on Publisher and there's no specific template for this. Front
and back cover and spine of the book? Which would have to be a specific
size, depending on the book. It seemed like a Publisher question and
concept. What sizes, margins, putting it together with the spine as part of
the design, etc. And, apparently book cover designs, once created are
submitted in pdf format.

I have since asked other places (a PhotoShop group has been helpful) and
once I got the right words in google search, I came up with some websites
about this.

I probably learned more about it in a shorter time than if someone here
had given me directions (for setting up a book cover design)

Actually, more people recommended using PhotoShop, Quark or Pagemaker.
It was like "well you can use Publisher but..." I'm used to Publisher,
which is what I have, but I have PhotoShop, too where I work with photos and
designs I could use ON the book cover designs.

Sorry I asked a question here that wasn't related or was hard to
understand, and I could have easily found the answer to without asking
it....

I didn't realize this at the time. And, actually, it didn't seem all
the easy to find out about.

Sometimes I feel like such an old dog trying to learn new tricks. And,
I get used to asking questions and (usually) getting answers and help. At
least pointed in the right direction in a polite way (LOL)

~ Carrie

 

[Carrie]

=========================================
We're all still here...and when we have useful info we are happy to share
it but in this case
I don't have a clue. Sounds like you have quite
a lot of experience with design already.

Anyway...you are always welcome here and if someone is rude...just ignore
them.

Here's a link that I found with Google...I'm
sure there are lots more.

Book Covers and Jackets
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/bookcovers/

Yeah, it was the actually setting up the book cover that I didn't
understand. The formatting (size, etc) How to put it together in Publisher,
the right size. Up till recently, I just assumed a book cover design was
just that, a design. And someone used it and set it up when the book was
printed. It seemed like a Publisher/Desktop Publishing project.

I've since learned a lot more about it (in a very short time)

I guess if I asked questions in a more clear, direct and precise way,
I'd get better answers.

Maybe it was just one of those days. I wasn't in the mood for being
told how stupid I am (LOL)

Nice to know you are all still here... I forgot Ed! I do read on here a
lot and learn a lot, which I'm sure a lot of people do.

~ Carrie

 

[Carrie]

Book Covers and Jackets
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/bookcovers/

PS, just checked the link, John and there's a lot of good stuff on it.

I hadn't seen this one.