How To Create And Publish A Coffee Table Book
The influence of visual imagery is profound in the human mind. A coffee table book is about captivating a reader’s mind through visuals, art and stories. They’re highly attractive, table-top books meant for casual reading and are so high in demand. They’re so easy to carry, and you can find them everywhere like
With attractive illustrations, photographs and little excerpts of information, it is the ultimate book for relaxing. So for all the budding photographers and art lovers out there, making a coffee table book should definitely be on your bucket list!
Speaking of lists, here are the top 5 coffee table books you must read before making your book. These books give you the proper insight and information on keeping the readers engaging, designing the layout, and much more.
- Destinations of a Lifetime – By National Geographic
- Vanlife Diaries: Finding Freedom on the Open Roads
By Kathleen Morton, Jonny Dustow and Jared Melrose
- Andy Warhol: The Impossible Collection – By Eric C Shiner
- The Book of Tapas – By Ines Ortega and Simone Ortega
- Point of View – By Tonne Goodman
- The Ultimate Sneaker Book – By Taschen
How to create a coffee table book:
Congratulations, now that you’ve decided to create your very own coffee table book! Let’s dive deeper into the nitty-gritty of it!
- Set a theme
A common theme will set a base for everything you do with the book. Be it a colour scheme, a topic or a single element. You can choose something as intense as wildlife photography, chic as interior designing or simply images with a splash of pink!
Your theme should have an intriguing element that grabs the readers’ attention. Once you have decided on a theme, ensure that you chronologically place your story in a way that rightfully complements the theme.
- Context is the hero
A book without context is like air without oxygen. Having a book with the right context will make sure your audience always keeps turning the pages. Hence, ensure you set up an enthralling context that will go well with your images and artwork. No one wants to read the same thing over and over again. Add freshness and find a unique plot point to your stories always! Take inspiration from real-life incidents and events. In fact, human interest stories are often found in coffee table books since they resonate with everybody.
For example: If your book is all about images with a splash of pink, you could go ahead and explain why you chose the theme and what is so intriguing about the colour.
- Uniform design layout
This is possibly one of the most challenging parts of making a coffee table book. The Layout! You have the artwork, illustrations, images, stories and copies ready for the book. All you have to do is place it most appealingly and beautifully.
To make this process easier, design a template in which you clearly describe the placement of the copy, images, and other book elements. Find the right balance between appearance and content and ensure that none pages become too content heavy. Since this is a light-hearted book, the focus should be more on the images.
When it comes to the designs, it’s based on the book’s personality! You cannot add a youthful spunk if you’re making a coffee book on a flood crisis. So, consider quirky and upbeat designs if you are catering to the youth and more sophisticated and polished designs for a chic look.
How to publish a coffee table book
Once you have designed, written and edited your book and are looking to publish it to the world. Here are a few things you have to keep in mind.
- Who is your target audience?
- What are your expectations after publishing the book?
- Do you expect financial returns on your book?
Keeping these questions in mind, choose what type of publisher would provide the best support for your book. Evaluate the pros and cons before selecting the publisher of your choice!
Traditional Publishers:
They’re an established company that invests in your book, its marketing and the production and, in return, pay royalties for every sale the book makes. However, the copyright of the book will be with the publishing company. Publishing through this method can often become a very time-consuming process due to the selection process of the books.
Here are the top 3 traditional publishing companies:
- Penguin Random House India
- Westlands Publication
- HarperCollins Publishers India
Self Publishing
Once your book is edited, formatted and designed, you can choose where to publish your book. The publishing and marketing process can begin according to your process. In a nutshell, you are your own boss with total creative control! The upside, you ask? All authors own 100% copyright of their book!
Here are the top 3 self-publishing websites:
- Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- The Pencil App
- Notion Press Publishing
In the end, make sure that the paper you print your book is of the highest quality since coffee books are something people will keep for a long time. Never compromise on the quality and choose a publishing method that eases your efforts and lends its hands of support timely. It’s also advisable to proofread your entire book before publishing it as there is always scope for doing better!
So, do you enjoy speaking about your interests? If you do, then it’s time to pick up that paper and pen & start working on your very own book!
