Trying to decide which program to buy for publishing books

Hello all! I'm new to this site and new to the publishing world. I'm in the process of trying to choose the right computer software to layout books, newsletters and programs.

So far research seems to say either Quark or Adobe InDesign are the best choices. Wanted to ask what other publishers use and if you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts on either, pros and cons, etc.

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to interacting with you all, have a good day!

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Permalink Reply by Pamela Joy Licatino on February 4, 2011 at 8:56pm

There is a new book cover software titled "Book Cover Pro". Is anyone familiar with that program for creating book covers? Thanks. PAM

Permalink Reply by 1106 Design on February 5, 2011 at 1:01pm

A book cover has just three seconds to grab the attention of the buyer and convert initial interest into a sale.

A book cover isn't a product. It's a strategy in physical form. While you can certainly buy software that allows you to place a picture and add some text, serious book designers approach the job from a different perspective.

Here's how we go about it: With your help, we first develop a "creative brief" to identify what your book cover must do, who your book cover must speak to, and how your book cover will compete with similar books on the market. This brief informs the design process to follow, so that the eventual "look" of your book cover supports your publishing goals. Without this all-important conversation, a book cover design is little more than wishful thinking...designing a cover and hoping, with fingers crossed, that the market agrees with you. We believe it's better to determine what the market wants and then use that information to make sure your book gives it to them.

One of the major ways that self-publishers hurt themselves is to adopt the "do-it-yourself" approach. Chances are slim that any cover produced by template-driven software will yield the same level of quality as that produced by an experienced book cover designer following the above process. When people buy bo0ks, they instinctively recognize quality. Your book cover is your "package" that convinces the buyer that the content inside is worth the money.

I invite you to read my series of three blog posts on this topic here, contrasting self-published covers with bestseller counterparts, and continue this conversation:

http://1106design.com/common-book-cover-design-mistakes-part-1/

http://1106design.com/common-cover-design-mistakes-part-2/

http://1106design.com/common-book-cover-design-mistakes-part-3/

Michele DeFilippo

1106 Design

Your Book. Designed. With Hand-holding.

Permalink Reply by JustYourType.biz Book Designer on February 5, 2011 at 9:06pm

To get good resolution and a wide variety of special effects from drop shadows to gradients to beveled type and so much more, I would recommend doing the "heart" of your book cover in Photoshop. You can then make that into a hi res PDF for the printer or import the photoshop layout into inDesign or Quark.

I have been doing Book Design and Typesetting for 25 years and my personal choice is inDesign of the to you ask about,

That said, if you are self publishing, you will want to hire a professional to design both your cover and your book's interior. A book layed out in Word or by someone without book experience will most often create a book that is lacking the professional look that your blood, sweat, and tears manuscript deserves!