You have put in the work, spending early mornings and long nights to finish your book. The only thing left to do before publishing it is to finalize the typography and layout.
While easier said than done, you will have no problems if you understand core design principles. What do you need to know to master the art of readability?
Why Readability Is So Important
Readability is just as important as the words on the page. You worked hard to finish your book — you do not want to jeopardize its success with illegible fonts and a subpar layout.
The font you choose and the design you create make your content comprehensible and enjoyable. They also capture the spirit of your work.
If you do your research and take your time, your work could become incredibly popular. Experts forecast the number of e-book users will reach a record high of 1.1 billion by 2027 — up 92.9 million from 2024 — so a massive audience awaits you.
You must plan your typography and layout to accommodate each reader. Some may be color blind, dyslexic or visually impaired, but certain colors, contrasts and formats can help them. The easier you make your e-book to read, the more people will pick it up.
Even if you have faith in your writing, you must remember that people will literally judge a book by its cover. Most customers will take just four seconds to consider your product, so you should do your best to ensure they like what they see.
Since digital publishers like Amazon show them a sample, you only have a few pages to convince them.
Picking the Best Fonts for Screens
Deciding between serif and sans-serif fonts is usually challenging, but fortunately, the decision has been made for you. The latter lacks decorative elements, making it more compatible with digital displays.
You must still pick something that reflects your content and cover design. Since typefaces can convey specific emotions, this choice is significant.
Do you want readers to see your work as objective, friendly, respectable or chic? Generally, you should stick to one font, but if you find a good pairing, you can use two — one for the headings and another for the body text.
Technically, digital publishing platforms may allow you to use more than two. If you want to get creative, you could use different fonts as you switch between characters’ points of view in each chapter.
However, you must be careful not to make things look too busy or unharmonious. Also, consider font size and contrast. These aspects may seem insignificant, but they can impact legibility.
According to the World Wide Web Consortium — the main standards organization for the internet — you should use a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for all body text to improve readability. This is especially important if the e-reader only displays black and white.
Structuring Content for Readability
If you write for people who read left to right, ensure the body text is justified or left-aligned. Although you do not have to worry about trim sizes since you will publish digitally, your margins should be thick to enhance legibility and visual appeal.
Add the page number and the chapter title — running feet and heads — to each page to improve navigation.
You should have one column of body text per page, not two, like in news or journal articles. You decrease tracking complexity this way, helping people navigate seamlessly. Break your lines up with double spacing.
Limit your paragraphs to three to five sentences to avoid creating walls of text that are hard to read. Avoid widows and orphans — a word separated from the rest of the paragraph by a line or page break. It looks unbalanced and can confuse readers.
Create a visual hierarchy with headings, subheadings and captions that stand out from the body text. You can also insert visuals, but prioritize quality over quantity.
Dedicate a page to a map or artwork instead of inserting it within the body text to make it more visually appealing. For graphs and tables, ensure the visual aid and caption are not jutting into the margins.
Following E-Book Design Principles
Whatever your typography and layout, you should leverage responsive design so people can read your e-book whether they are on a phone, tablet or computer.
Remember to balance creativity with comprehension, choosing practicality and accessibility over creative freedom if you must. You can elevate your book with thoughtful design.
