A poorly designed book cover is a common reason for low to no book sales.

In a survey of 2,000 adults by StudyFinds.org, 80% (eight in 10) ‘admitted to avoiding a book because of its outward appearance’. This shows you just how much a book cover’s design matters for sales

Investing in high-quality professional book cover design is a necessity.

Publishing a book, especially a coffee table one, can be costly, particularly if you are self-publishing. When managing your production budget, it can be tempting to design your book cover yourself or go with the cheapest designer. This is not advisable unless you are a book designer yourself. Even then, you may not be a specialist in designing high-quality lifestyle books. Coffee table book cover design is an art, and professional designers understand the elements that go into creating a standout cover.

A good book cover immediately tells the viewer what the book is about. As you think about how you want your artbook cover to look, remember that a badly designed cover can result in low sales, while a professionally designed and relevant cover can boost sales. If you’ve already published your coffee table book and are experiencing sluggish sales, your cover could be the reason. A cover redesign could be what’s needed to turn things around.

For more on designing your book cover, turn to page 91 in your copy of: How to Publish a Coffee Table Book. Don’t have a copy yet? Follow the link to find out where you can purchase it.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

Source: https://studyfinds.org/judge-a-book-by-its-cover

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As someone who has published this type of book, I may be biased, but my answer would be a resounding yes- publishing a coffee table book is still worth it. Artbooks, to give them their fancier title, have unique characteristics that set them apart from other book types, i.e. novels.

Publishing a beautifully designed, image-led book is relevant because they are:

Works of art

A coffee table book can become a work of art in itself. This makes it difficult to replicate this type of book online. The style and format are designed to enhance the reader experience, making it difficult to replicate in digital format

Desirable

Artbooks double as decorative objects placed on, as their name suggests, coffee tables and shelves in homes and workspaces. These illustrative books are seen as luxury items that speak to the taste and sophistication of the owner.

Cultural Reference Markers

Coffee table books present insights into the zeitgeist of the times by documenting moments in culture and history to create a visual record of what was

Educational resources

An artbook’s focus can provide insight into a particular subject, immersing the reader into a world they want to know more about.

Inspirational

Coffee table books are aspirational and inspirational. They can inspire ideas and add to the reader’s knowledge about the subject.

If you have an idea for a coffee table book but are still unsure if publishing one is right for you, for more on the value of artbooks, read: What is the point of a coffee table book?

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Kaboompics.com via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere, please credit accordingly.]

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As the name suggests, coffee table books are books to, well, display on a coffee table. Loved by interior decorators and stylists, these image-led books have gained a reputation for being decorative objects used to speak to the perceived taste and refinement of their owner.

However, on closer inspection, coffee table books serve a deeper purpose beyond being mere decorative objects filled with page after page of high-quality photography.

Well-produced coffee table books serve to visually document significant moments in [cultural] history. They do this by reflecting the cultural mood and influences of specific periods in time. They also serve to celebrate renowned cultural personalities and brands. And in the case of cookbooks and how-to guides, their main aim is to inspire readers to try out new things and visit places and spaces they may never get to in person.

At first glance, coffee table books can come across as superficial. Books peddling style over substance, but the underlying purpose of this type of book is so much more. Coffee table books can take us on a visual journey into the creative, social, and cultural narratives of different cultures from around the world. They give us a glimpse into the moods that define places different from our own. I will say, though, it does depend on who is telling the story. And, whether the storyteller has the right to tell the story and if they can objectively tell the story.

As a side note, cultural diversity is lacking in coffee table book publishing, which impacts the types of stories we get to see and hear. Depending on who is curating the story, a coffee table book can counteract and challenge negative stereotypes about people, places, and cultures. The point of a coffee table book is that these books can invite us to view things from a different perspective. In doing so, they start important conversations to bridge the gaps in understanding.

The coffee table book’s origins have a fascinating history, which I uncover in my post What is a coffee table book, and why is it called that?

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Cup of Couple, sourced via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere, please credit accordingly.]

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Here is a list of several factors that contribute to a successful coffee table book:

1. A unique selling point and a well-researched topic

Your book needs to appeal to your target reader, and people buy coffee table books for their look and the subject matter. Whether introducing a topic that has not been covered before or bringing a new perspective to an existing topic, you must ensure that your book is well-researched and meets the expectations of your intended audience.

2. There is a market for the book

A common publishing mistake is assuming there is an audience for a book. Research into your topic must extend to identifying and understanding the audience your published book will cater to. No audience means no sales, and knowing whether or not there is an audience for your coffee table book will help you decide if investing in the publishing process makes personal and financial sense.

3. A strong visual narrative and high-quality images

The main selling point of a coffee table book is its visual appeal. The images you use in your book must be high-quality and high-resolution to ensure they retain clarity and detail when printed. A coffee table book typically tells its stories through images. A successful book is carefully curated, meaning the images and accompanying written texts are thoughtfully chosen to reflect the theme of the book.

4. Professional editing

An error-free book enhances the reader’s experience and denotes quality and professionalism. Achieve this by getting your book edited. Editing is a must, not an option. Taking the time to edit your book helps correct mistakes, check for things like colour reproduction and image quality before it is printed. This step ensures that the content, visuals and written word look their best on the pages.

5. An appealing cover design and a compelling title

The coffee table book market is a crowded space. Your book needs to stand out from others in the market to catch the customer’s eye, and the cover is usually the first thing that grabs the viewer’s attention. The cover design should entice the viewer to pick up your book. After the cover has captured the viewer’s attention, their focus moves onto the title. The title gives the reader an idea of what the book is about. The title needs to pique interest, making the reader curious to learn more about the book.

6. Strong book description

The front cover and title draw the reader in, but a description convinces the reader to buy the book. A book description is a short paragraph of text on the back of the book cover that tells the reader what the book is about. This promotional copy is known as a ‘blurb‘. A blurb needs to include the key points that summarise the content. The blurb encourages the reader to open the book and flip through the pages.

7. A well-thought-out interior layout

The design and layout of the book’s interior pages must also match what the cover and blurb have promised, so as not to disappoint the reader. The interior layout needs to be well-designed to enhance the reading experience by making the most of the images and text. The interior layout helps the story you are telling through visuals and text flow cohesively from page to page, creating a pleasant reading experience.

8. High-quality print and finishing

The desirability of coffee table books is in the quality of their look and feel. High-quality paper and finishes help turn a book into a work of art. The more tactile the book, the greater the chance of the viewer creating an emotional connection to it.

8. Competitive Pricing

A coffee table book published to sell is a commodity, and needs to be priced according to what the market expects. Market expectations are the prices that books in the same category and covering a similar topic as your book are selling for. Your market research and publishing costs will inform the price of your published book.

9. Marketing your coffee table book

Marketing is a key part of the publishing process, and is done to help make books successful sales-wise. While your coffee table book is still in production, you must start promoting it to build awareness and interest. Marketing creates the buzz that primes your targeted audience to purchase your book once it’s published.

If you want to publish a coffee table book and increase your chances of successfully doing so, get your copy of How to Publish a Coffee Table Book, my definitive guide that shows you exactly what you need to do to make it happen.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The images shown are copyright Karolina Kaboompics via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere, please credit accordingly.]

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Oversized formats are popular coffee table book sizes because they:

• Are eye-catching
• Provide ample page space to display stunning visual content at its best
• Give these books a luxurious and satisfying weighty quality

As previously mentioned, a coffee table book can be any size. However, there are universal industry standard book sizes favoured because they maximise the efficiency and cost of paper, print and production. Trends can also influence book formats and sizes, e.g. large square books were popular in the 2010s.

If you are deciding what size to make your book, here are some of the popular coffee table book sizes and formats*:

Portrait coffee table book

The portrait format is typical and the most popular size. Portrait books are vertically rectangular- long length and a shorter width.

8.5” w x 11” h (21.6 cm x 27.94 cm) is noted as being the most common coffee table book size. It is not too large and can be held comfortably in the hands.

Other notable portrait sizes are:

• 8″ w x 10″ h (20.32 cm x 25.4 cm)
• 9″ w x 12″ h (22.86 cm x 30.48 cm)
• 9.5″ x 11″ (24.13 cm x 27.94 cm)

Landscape coffee table book

The opposite of portrait, landscape books are horizontally rectangular- shorter in length and longer in width. As the name suggests, landscape book formats suit landscape images, panoramic photography, and image series that are best displayed horizontally across a single or double-page spread.

11” w x 8.5” h (27.94 cm x 21.6 cm) is the most common landscape coffee table book size. Like the portrait size, it is not too large and can be held comfortably in the hands.

Other notable landscape sizes are:

• 10″ w x 8″ h (25.40 cm x 20.32 cm)
• 12″ x 9″ h (30.48 cm x 22.86 cm)
• 13″ w x 11″ h (33.02 cm x 27.94 cm)

Square coffee table book

Square books cycle in and out of fashion. A square format can help a coffee table book stand out against the more common portrait format

Popular square coffee table book sizes are:

• 8” x 8” (20.32 x 20.32 cm)
• 11″ x 11″ (27.94 x 27.94 cm)
• 12″ x 12″ (30 cm x 30 cm)

Extra-large book formats

Extra-large art books tend to serve a specific purpose, e.g. displayed in a grand house, a museum or gallery, or are created for artistic purposes as part of an exhibition. These books are seen as decadent and cost a lot to print. The extra-large sizes typically go beyond 14″ (35.56 cm). An example of an extra-large coffee table book is The Impossible Collection of Design, published by Assouline, which comes in at a whopping 39″ x 47″ (100 cm x 120 cm).

If you are considering publishing an extra-large book, do consider the end user. Would they have the space to display it? Would they be able to hold it and flip the pages comfortably? Budget will also play a part, because the larger the book size, the more it will cost to print.

Extra-large book sizes include:

• 11” w x 14” h (27.94 cm x 35.56 cm)
• 12” w x 16” h (30.48 cm x 40.64 cm)

Irregular book formats

A coffee table book doesn’t have to conform to four straight sides. While standard book formats are cost-effective, a published book can technically be any shape depending on the topic, budget and the available production processes, e.g., a round book. Irregular-shaped coffee table books lend themselves to being limited edition collector’s items, produced for occasions such as those where the book may not be available commercially but given away as a gift or to mark a special event. Irregular shapes tend to work well for children’s books.

As you plan out your coffee table book, the format and size you choose will come down to:

• What suits the presentation of your subject
• The size, quality and amount of visuals and content
• The number of pages
• Who the book is for, how it will be used
• The message you want to convey
• Your production and print budget

*Remember: Before settling on a size, if you are self-publishing, always check with your printer because book sizes come down to the millimetre measurement based on the printing set-up. If publishing with a publisher, they should ask for your opinion on the book size and format, if they don’t make your preferences known.

If you need more information about publishing a coffee table book, head this way.

– Tapiwa

[Image credits: The images shown belong to mottss designco on Unsplash. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]

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Your book proposal therefore has to appeal to what the publisher is looking for. This means understanding the main reasons publishers reject coffee table book proposals. To help you we share 5 of the main reasons that make a publisher say no.

1. An unprofessional proposal

A poorly planned and presented proposal is likely to be rejected. Publishers look for clarity. They want the information laid out clearly in a format that is easy to follow and enables them to quickly pick out the main points of what your proposed book is about.

What makes them say yes: Follow their submission guidelines and take care when putting your proposal together. Consider using a professional template or investing in professional design help.

2. They’re already publishing a similar book

With the amount of submissions they receive a publisher may have already purchased a book similar to your topic. So purchasing an almost identical book may not make commercial sense for them.

What makes them say yes: Do your homework to see what books are due to be published and look for ways to highlight what makes your book different. How to Publish a Coffee Table Book shows you how to do this.

3. The topic of interest has peaked

Coffee table books typically reflect what is happening in culture at any given moment in time. This could be things that are happening in the present or things from the past that have become fashionable again. As the popularity of a particular subject or trend gathers steam the market becomes saturated and eventually readers lose interest and publishers have already moved on having identified what’s next.

What makes them say yes: Your book proposal needs to highlight what makes your book timely and relevant. You need to show the publisher why they should care about the topic, and why your target reader would too. Publishers are keen to take advantage of emerging cultural trends, so be aware of what is happening around your chosen book topic and explore the ways that you can link your book to them.

4. The intended audience is unclear

One of the main reasons for creating a coffee table book is to give or sell it to an interested audience, whether that’s family, friends or the general public. No matter how brilliant it is, without an audience, your book will become irrelevant languishing in storage boxes.

What makes them say yes: A publisher is a business, so they do consider commercial appeal in the book proposals they review. Ensure your proposal clearly shows who the target audience for your book is, demonstrating why they would be interested in your book and how your book benefits them.

5. They don’t publish books related to your topic

This point is self-explanatory. Sending your coffee table book proposal to a publisher that doesn’t specialise in your topic area or type of book is an immediate cause for rejection. The commissioning editor is not going to spend their time reading something irrelevant to them.

What makes them say yes: Submit your book proposal to the relevant publisher, so spend some time identifying who they are. How to Publish a Coffee Table Book takes how through the process of finding relevant publishers.

If you are looking to get a publishing deal How to Publish a Coffee Table Book dives deeper into composing and sending publishing proposals to publishers. If you feel you need guided support to create your proposal we also offer a Create Your Book Proposal service, get in touch to find out more here.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Cup of Couple via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]

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A book has a limited number of pages dictated by your printing specs and budget. That means there is only so much content- visuals and text -that you can include within the pages of your art book. In a bid to make our books perfect and show how much we know, we can find ourselves trying to cram all our ideas into the book. This leads to a confused or over-long book. Therefore, you will need to decide what to include and leave out. This is the process of self-editing your book.

Self-editing is tough. It requires letting go of content that you think is absolutely brilliant and are trying to do everything in your power to keep in, but if you’re honest with yourself is superfluous to the narrative you’re creating.

Self-editing is what separates a good book from a great book. Self-editing requires practice and a measure of confidence in your abilities to create a book. Many successful novelists have spoken about cutting paragraphs and even whole chapters from the final versions of books that have gone on to become award-winning, bestsellers.

You have to be able to separate emotion from the editing task when making the difficult content inclusion decisions. If you find yourself hanging onto content that deep down you know is not right for your book, consider the following tips to help aid the letting go process:

1. Define the parameters of your topic

Being clear on your topic and what the readers need to know will help you narrow down your content and keep you focused. Make sure you’ve researched your topic well. Researching your book idea, the intended readers, the market and suitability for publication will give you the information you need to make informed editing decisions.

2. Get an outsider’s opinion

That’s what editors and beta readers are for. These readers are not attached to your manuscript so they can objectively question the necessity of including content that doesn’t work. Their opinions help you to see your book from the reader’s perspective.

3. Keep a file of your edited-out content

Just because the content you’ve cut doesn’t work for your current publication, doesn’t mean you can’t use it for something else i.e. in a future book, or as a blog post or social caption. Instead of deleting content you’ve edited out save it in a document, and include notes about why you felt it didn’t work for your book and where else you could use it.

Self-editing is a necessary part of the book publishing process. It is a learned skill fuelled by knowledge of your subject and the area your coffee table book is focusing on. You will self-edit your book before or alongside working with a professional editor. For more about editing your coffee table book get your copy of How to Publish a Coffee Table Book.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

[Image credits: The image shown is copyright Polina Kovaleva via Pexels. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]8

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Coffee table books are typically hardcover, image-heavy, and expensive. They rely on lavish print and production processes that turn them into works of art in their own right. The pages largely consist of evocative, aspirational photographs, illustrations and graphics accompanied by minimal blocks of text to provide context rather than an in-depth analysis of a subject. Coffee table books are therefore positioned as light reads, meant to be read or flipped through at leisure. They also act as conversation starters and sources of inspiration. Together these factors contribute to the desirability and trend for purchasing coffee table books as decorative items to display on coffee tables or shelves, hence the name.

Coffee table books are also known as illustrative books, art books, cocktail books or lifestyle books. The term ‘coffee table book’ is noted to have first appeared in Arts Magazine in 1961. Over the years the name ‘coffee table book’ has been used disparagingly by critics in reference to something frivolous, not to be taken seriously.

The coffee table book’s origins can be traced back to 1581 when French philosopher Michel de Montaigne lamented in an essay how the society ladies of the time were placing his writings ‘…in the parlour window’, in other words displaying them, rather than actually reading them.

Centuries later the precursor to the modern version of the coffee table book is said to have emerged in the 1940s with the introduction of large format art books featuring colour illustrations.

The creation of the coffee table book as we know it today has been credited to David Brower an environmentalist who in the 1960s began publishing a series of books that highlighted nature photography in oversized pages with accompanying text. The first book American Earth featured photographs by prominent American landscape photographer Ansel Adams. The book series set the tone for coffee table books as a sought-after genre.

If you want to publish a coffee table book, there are 9 things you need to do to go from idea to publication, discover what they are here.

– Tapiwa Matsinde

References via Wikipedia
– “Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne”. Project Gutenberg.
– “Natural Visions – Nature on the Coffee Table”. Chicago.edu.
– Arts Magazine, Volume 36. Art Digest Incorporated. 1961. Google books.

[Image credits: The image shown belongs to Jasmin Ne on Unsplash. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]

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There are are number of do’s and don’ts when it comes to what publishers look for in a book proposal. Starting with the don’ts, the 5 quickest ways to get your proposal rejected are:

1. A poorly planned proposal – typos
2. A vague concept
3. Lack of commercial potential
4. An undefined target audience
5. Being unprofessional

Instead, here are the 7 essential things you must do to meet the requirements of what publishers look for when deciding to publish a coffee table book.

1. A clear, well-planned book proposal

A proposal is a document presenting your coffee table book idea that you submit to a publisher. It is there to convince the publisher to publish your book. A publisher needs to be able to visualise what the published book would be like. Book proposals include an outline of your topic, why it is relevant, the intended audience, it’s market potential, your bio and sample content to name a few. Your proposal needs to look professional and be clear and easy to read.

2. A strong concept or theme

A concept or theme is your topic, In other words, what your coffee table book is about. Publishers are looking for well-defined concepts. Your proposal should focus on the key ideas that you want your coffee table book to convey. A summary of the contents and a chapter breakdown are ways to explain your concept. For example, “Paris in Color” by Nicole Robertson is a beautiful, colourful coffee table book that explores the colours of Paris through stunning photography. As the title hints at the book is organised by colour with each chapter showcasing a different hue, and the images are evocative, capturing the vibrancy and beauty of the city.

3. The book’s commercial potential

This is the market interest in your coffee table book. Publishing houses are businesses that invest time and money into editing, designing, publishing and marketing the books they publish. A publisher needs to know that there is interest and demand for the type of coffee table book you are proposing. Your proposal must show that you understand the intended audience and the relevancy of your topic. For example, “Hashtag Authentic: Finding creativity and building a community on Instagram and beyond” by Sara Tasker is a coffee table book that “shares tips, advice, and guidance on how to turn your personal Instagram account into a profitable creative outlet”. The book is both practical and good to look at making it useful for the target audience of people looking for insight on how to use Instagram to create a stylish feed and build an audience.

NOTE: The cultural value of a book

Whilst publishers are for-profit businesses their decision to publish a coffee table book is not always about its market potential or the author’s popularity. There are publishers who do consider the cultural value of publishing a book and the importance of doing so. Some stories need to be recorded even if the chances of the book being a commercial success are slim. So if your book is of cultural significance highlight this fact in your proposal.

4. Your credentials

When a publisher agrees to publish your coffee table book they are investing in you and your idea. So, before they decide to do so they need to know, why are you the person to write the book?. A publisher considers how knowledgeable you are about your topic and if you are an expert or authority in your field. They also want to know if you have a strong personal brand or author platform, this could be via a website, blog, podcast, social media page, or speaking engagements. A platform doesn’t necessarily mean having tens of thousands of followers, a publisher is more interested in how engaged your followers are. An example of an authority in their field is illustrator, designer and blogger, Justina Blakeney, founder of The Jungalow and author of several coffee table books including, “Jungalow: Decorate Wild: The Life and Style Guide“.

5. High-quality content and stunning visuals

High-quality content and stunning visuals are the selling point of a coffee table book. Your proposal needs to demonstrate that you have the material or have the ability to create or source the material needed to create an attractive coffee table book. Your proposal should include sample content such as a chapter introduction and a selection of sample images. The most important factor in a publisher’s decision to publish a coffee table book is the quality of the visuals. Publishers are looking for images that are visually stunning, unique, and impactful. They want coffee table books that will stand out from the crowd and appeal to a wide range of target readers. Images that are well-composed, well-lit, and original will always be a top priority for publishers when deciding to publish a coffee table book. For example, for my book “Contemporary Design Africa” I did not take my own images, but sourced the photography from the designer-maker-artists whose work I showcased. This required vetting the images to ensure they met the standard required and getting the relevant permissions to publish them.

6. Commitment to high-production values

Your ability to produce a coffee table book that is well-crafted, visually appealing, and will make a lasting impression is another thing publishers look for when deciding to publish a coffee table book. so use your proposal to demonstrate ideas you have for the layout or cover, the quality of paper you have in mind or special finishes you feel would enhance your book. Do, however, be reasonable with your suggestions keeping in mind the costs involved in producing a book. For example, “Remix: Decorating with Culture, Objects, and Soul” is a coffee table book by AphroChic bloggers and designers Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason and Lonny co-founder and photographer Patrick Cline that showcases beautiful, tastefully decorated homes. The book features a textured, patterned hard case cover that turns it into a must-touch tactile object.

7. Professionalism

Publishing your coffee table book is a collaboration between you and the publisher. Publishers take into consideration authors they can work with. You would be expected to do your part in creating a high-quality book. This includes a commitment to meeting deadlines and working with the publisher to ensure that your coffee table book is produced to the highest standards. Your proposal is probably the first time a publisher hears about you, so use it to demonstrate your professionalism, that you know what is expected of you. And, make it clear that you are willing to discuss your idea, and are open to receiving feedback and willing make the necessary changes that will improve your book. Finally, it goes without saying be courteous and polite.

Creating and submitting a book proposal is the first step to getting a publishing deal. The 7 must-dos highlighted in this post have revealed to you what publishers look for when deciding to publish a coffee table book. If you’d like to learn the exact steps you need to ensure you fulfil each one properly get a copy of How to Publish a Coffee Table Book the essential handbook that shows you exactly how.

– Tapiwa

[Image credits: The images shown in order of appearance belong to Karolina Grabowska via Pexels, Chronicle Books, White Lion Publishing, Thames & Hudson, Abrams, Potter Style. If downloaded and used elsewhere please credit accordingly.]

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When you look at the polished, beautifully styled publications artfully arranged on a table or shelf, the thought of publishing your own coffee table can seem intimidating, especially if you want to self-publish. I mean, what exactly does one have to do to create something people want to own, read, and display? A well-produced coffee table book is more than a book. It is both covetable & collectible. Due to their specialist nature, publishing a coffee table book has been seen as the preserve of traditional publishing houses and those thought of as tastemakers, i.e. celebrated creatives, celebrities and so forth. However, with the advent of self-publishing and the rise of the content creator, these days publishing a high-quality coffee table book is easier than you may think, although the process itself can be a challenging one, that is no reason not to go for it.

If you want to publish a coffee table book, here are 9 things you need to do to make it happen:

1. Ask yourself why you want to publish a coffee table book.

People publish coffee table books for many different reasons. This could be to raise their profile and become an authority in their industry, celebrate an important milestone in their career, diversify their income, or even set themselves a challenge. Whatever your reason, knowing why you want to publish a coffee table book will help you commit to seeing the project through. So, before starting the process, take some time to ask yourself why you want to publish a book.

2. Get clear on your idea.

A coffee table book is only as good as its concept, and ensuring that that concept is well-executed. Coffee table books are highly focused, typically specialising in a specific area of a wider subject, e.g. polymer clay jewellery projects, or travel destinations with pets. Taking your idea, explore the possible topics it generates and see where you can zoom in.

Also, a book is a restrictive format and therefore can only accommodate so much content. This means that you have to be selective about the content you choose to share. Before you dive into creating your book, you must plan out what you want your book to look like, how many pages it will have, whether your images will be full colour or black and white and so forth.

3. Know your audience and market.

Unless you’re doing it for yourself, no one wants to spend their time creating something that nobody wants or appreciates. A good book is a useful book, one that in some way educates, entertains, or inspires the reader. The coffee table book market is saturated and fiercely competitive, so understanding what your audience needs or is looking for is an important factor when planning your book. This doesn’t mean discounting what you want your book to be about in favour of your audience’s desires; it simply means finding what works best for all concerned.

Also, you don’t want to publish a coffee table book that is similar in focus to one that has been published before; you want to put something fresh and exciting in your readers’ hands. To do that, you need to know what is already out there, both online and in-store. So, do take some time to scout the market to see what exists, make a note of where your book idea will fit in, and more importantly, identify any gaps that your book can fill.

Doing your market research can also help you decide when it is the right time to publish your book. Wanting to publish your book this very second doesn’t always mean it is the right time to do so. This is down to several reasons such as needing to gain a bit more experience in your craft if your book is a retrospective of your work, or perhaps your book talks about an emerging technology that is yet to gain wider appeal so you may choose to wait a bit while still keeping an eye on the market.

4. Understand the different publishing options available to you.

In this day and age, you have the choice of traditionally publishing or self-publishing your coffee table book. One is not better than the other, as each route comes with its own set of pros and cons. The publishing path that is right for you all comes down to your goals and reasons for wanting to publish a book.

Traditional publishing is when a publisher offers you a publishing deal. This option sees the publisher take on most of the financial and production responsibilities, and in turn, you receive royalties on your book sales. If a publishing deal is what you are after, look for publishers who specialise in your subject matter, and keep in mind you may need to go through an agent to get a publishing deal.

The freedom to publish your book the way you want to and potentially earn more per copy is what causes people to consider the self-publishing route. With self-publishing, you don’t have to wait around for a traditional publisher to notice you and offer you a deal that may never materialise. You get to decide when and how to publish your book. Although self-publishing gives you greater control over producing your book, you bear all the responsibilities, including financial ones. So, do take the time to weigh up your options and decide what publishing route works best for you and your book.

5. Commit the time to publish a coffee table book.

Don’t underestimate the time it takes to create and publish a book. A lot goes into publishing a coffee table book, so be realistic with the time you will need to get it all done. Take into account the demands in your day-to-day life, e.g. if you are raising a young family, the time you can commit may be at a premium, and so too if you’re working a full-time job that sometimes involves having to be on call on weekends.

Despite being a working-from-home freelancer (this was many years before Covid btw), in the last couple of months before I needed to submit my complete manuscript for my first book, I was working around the clock to get everything done.

Only you know how you work and how much you can produce at any given time, so work with what you can comfortably achieve within the time you have and not against it. Being clear on this is especially important if you plan on working with a publisher. This is because your book will be one of many books they are publishing, so they need to coordinate and schedule all the launch dates.

6. Be willing to invest in creating the best book that you can.

Publishing a coffee table book costs money, even if you have a publishing deal. As I’ve highlighted in point 4, if you are self-publishing, you bear the responsibility for funding the publication of your book. If, however, you are working with a publisher, you may still need to spend money on things such as commissioning photography, travelling for research and so forth. So, do get a handle on the costs of publishing your book. Get to know and budget for all the expected costs, and those unexpected or hidden costs.

If you are self-publishing and you are not an editor or a book designer, don’t try to do it yourself. This is not the time to cut corners. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you find the best editor you can afford. The same applies to a book and cover designer. Look for professionals who have a track record of working on coffee table books, or who specialise in your industry. Engaging the services of a good editor and book designer is money well spent because they are there to help you create and achieve the high-quality associated with statement coffee table books.

7. Decide how you will produce your content.

Your content will make or break your book. Coffee table books are traditionally image-led and supported by written text, and you need to know how you will be creating or sourcing that content. Your concept will dictate the type of content you will require and will highlight what you already have and need to get. Some things to think about include: Will you take your own images or hire a photographer? Will you write your text or will you work with someone to do it for you? These are important questions to ask yourself before you start creating your book, because they will impact your budget and time, in turn influencing your publication date.

8. Start promoting your book before it’s published.

Depending on your publishing timeline, promoting your book can typically start around six months before you’re ready to launch. This is because there is a lot to consider including, introducing your forth-coming title to journalists so that they can prepare their features, letting your audience know about your book in order to generate preorders, and ensuring retailers have the information they need if you want to get physical copies of your coffee table book stocked in time for your launch date.

As you can imagine, doing all the tasks needed to publish a coffee table book involves having to do things such as putting together press releases, creating marketing material, producing promotional content, planning book launch events, and finalising cover artwork long before the book itself is ready.

9. Enjoy the process.

Yes, publishing a coffee table book can be nail-bitingly stressful, but do remember to find joy in what you are creating. As I often get reminded, not many people get to say they are writing or have written a book. The fact that you are choosing to do so is a big deal, so embrace the process and remind yourself why you are doing it. It will keep you going through the inevitable frustrations and challenges. And, holding a published copy in your hands or seeing it in a bookstore will make all the effort worth it.

Next steps

If this post has got you fired up and ready to pursue your book publishing dream, I invite you to get started by downloading my complimentary 5 Publishing must do’s guide. In it you will Learn the common coffee table book mistakes and how to avoid making them, to get your publishing journey off to the best start.

GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY COPY HERE ⟶

[Image credits: The images shown are sourced from/belong to kaboompics. If downloaded and used elsewhere, please credit accordingly.]

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