Books need covers, and covers need graphics. A book designer will need an image editing program to design an eye-catching and professional-looking cover. Commercial software, such as Adobe Photoshop, allows designers to create images from scratch or manipulate existing images to produce a cover design. However, commercial graphics software can be prohibitively expensive, so the designer on a budget may look to GIMP, which is an open-source alternative to commercial graphics applications.
As with graphics programs, there are many commercial applications that can help a book designer produce her book. Adobe Pagemaker, for example, presents a digital image of each finished page and integrates seamlessly with other Adobe programs, such as Photoshop. Book designers do not need specialized software, however, as many word processing applications are capable of the same layout functions as professional typesetting software. For designers seeking open-source software, the application suite from OpenOffice.org allows manipulation of fonts, margins, page layout, graphics and more. It also produces print-ready files with the .pdf extension, which is an industry standard among printers.
Paperback or hardcover designs are not the only thing to consider in book design. With the popularity of digital distribution and eBook readers, it is also necessary to account for the various digital devices on which the book will be read. In many cases, free software such as Calibre E-book Management allows the designer to convert the book to many popular digital formats, including ePub and Kindle Books. Each format will display differently on its respective device, so minor changes to the dimensions and layout may be necessary for each format.
Once the book designer has converted her book to the desired formats, she will need to preview it. Many popular readers can be emulated on the same computer that was used to convert the book. The designer can preview her book as it would appear on a Kindle or Sony Reader, for example, simply by viewing it in the appropriate emulator. Once previewed, if something in the book is found to need changing, the designer can go back to the file conversion process and make the needed changes before compiling a new file.
Digital books provide options in book design that traditional print publishing could not. A designer can add audio and animations or embed hyperlinks within the book's text that link to footnotes, endnotes or reference materials. In essence, the designer can create an immersive and interactive experience for the reader, augmenting the traditional advantages of print publishing with these new approaches to book design.