6 Secrets to Crafting a Book Cover Design to Boost Sales
“Design is not the narrow application of formal skills. It is a way of thinking.” – Chris Pullman, designer
Think about the last time a book cover design made you stop and look twice. What caught your eye? Was it the striking imagery, the bold title, or the intriguing color scheme?
New indie authors often worry about their books getting lost in the crowd. The first line of defense against that is a well-designed cover. The book cover design is the first and often only chance to make a lasting impression. Your book’s cover is a powerful marketing tool. It has the power to make or break the book’s success. It’s the first impression on readers, so getting it right is crucial.
The significance of an eye-catching book cover design cannot be overstated. Several elements go into making an effective cover. Consider the best practices for designing a compelling cover, creating captivating visuals, and choosing complementary typography.
The Power of an Eye-Catching Book Cover Design
Think of your book cover design as the first handshake with a reader—make it firm, confident, and inviting. An effective cover, a critical marketing tool, combines various design elements to attract potential readers. An effective cover has a harmonious blend of design elements that entice potential readers.
Whether you design the cover yourself or hire a designer, you need to know what’s currently working in your book’s genre. A relatively uncomplicated way to find out what’s selling is to look at Amazon’s best sellers. Look at each of the key elements given below as you consider book cover design ideas.
Imagery
Using powerful imagery is vital. It should reflect the genre and theme of the book as well as encapsulate its central idea. The imagery should create an immediate visual connection with the reader. It should resonate with the content, whether through symbolism, character depiction, or setting, supplying a snapshot of the book’s world.
Perhaps most of all, it should evoke an emotion readers will get from reading the book. Look for the current image types in your book’s genre. And stay within the reader’s expectations of those images.
Typography
The typography encompassing the title and the author’s name is equally crucial. In addition to letter style, consider their readability and alignment with the overall design theme. The font you choose should complement your book’s genre—whether bold and striking for a thriller or elegant and flowing for romance.
The placement of the title and author’s name should be strategic, ensuring they are instantly noticeable without overwhelming the artwork. Once again, see what font types and sizes are currently being used. Your book must look like it belongs to the genre.
When our client Anne designed her first book cover, she realized the right font choice was crucial. The font, along with the aesthetics, affects how readers perceive the book’s genre.
Color
Color schemes play a subtle yet powerful role in conveying the mood and tone of the book. The choice of colors evokes specific emotions, setting the tone even before a reader turns the first page. A thoughtful palette enhances a cover’s impact—warm colors might suggest passion or excitement, while cooler tones could imply mystery or calm.
You might wonder how to choose the perfect color scheme for the cover.
Some genres nearly always use specific colors. For instance, pink for the romance genre or black for horror. Other secondary colors might change depending on what’s trending. So, besides the genre’s dominant color, look at the best sellers for the current secondary color trends.
Overall Composition
Finally, the overall composition of these elements determines the cover’s aesthetic balance. A well-designed cover guides the viewer’s eye across the image, title, and author’s name in a harmonious flow. This visual journey should be seamless, ensuring each element supports the others, creating a unified and striking first impression.
Look at the overall layout of best sellers in your genre. What do they seem to have in common?
An effective cover, methodically crafted, fuses imagery, typography, color, and composition. Each element works in concert to entice and intrigue potential readers at first glance. The intention—get readers to click on the cover rather than swipe on to other books.
You have several options for creating the book’s cover. At Kick *ss Writer’s Guide, we’ve done all the following.
Canva is a favorite for book cover designs. Canva provides free, user-friendly templates for covers. It’s a great tool if you’re an author with little cover design expertise. They offer easy drag-and-drop functionality with millions of graphics, color options, and book cover design templates. You have the option to import your own graphics. If you do, use the images properly according to the guidelines at the site you found them. That way, you’ll avoid potential copyright infringement.
Book Brush, another good program, also has a free version. And it has book cover templates. You can use their images or import free images from sites like Unsplash or Pexels. Check their rules to be sure. Or create an image using an AI app, such as Dall-E or Mid-Journey. Semi-custom covers are also a choice. We’ve used the Book Cover Zone ($69-89 at the time of writing).
Hiring a Cover Designer
You can, of course, hire a cover designer on Fiverr, Freelancer, or Upwork. The prices range from under a hundred to several hundred. We used a designer on Fiverr and were happy with the work. To find a quality cover designer, consider referrals from other authors, browse professional directories, or explore freelancing platforms like Reedsy.
Reedsy offers advice on working with a cover designer and what they bring to your book, including posts on designing a cover, understanding the marketing value of a professional cover, and writing the perfect cover design brief. They also have a platform with over 300 professional designers.
While writing his first book, a writer friend, Kris, decided to design his own book cover. He had an idea and was excited to see it come to life.
However, he quickly realized the cover design was far more complex than expected. After multiple attempts, the cover still didn’t look right—the colors clashed, and the overall effect didn’t hint at the theme. At thumbnail size, we couldn’t decern the title or the image.
Feeling frustrated, Kris reached out to a professional designer on Fiverr. The designer transformed his first idea into something visually striking yet coherent with the book’s theme.
The final cover was aesthetically pleasing and accurately conveyed the book’s essence. This experience taught him the value of professional expertise in areas outside his skill set and the importance of collaboration in the creative process. He recently discovered Snappa.com for creating covers and has created several covers himself. He highly recommends it. We’re going to try it. If you do, let us know what you think.
If you lack sufficient design skills or want a professional touch, consider hiring a professional designer. They bring ability and creativity, which might help the book’s cover stand out in a crowded market. Whether you create the cover, use a template, or hire someone to design it, you’ll need ideas about the design you want.
TIP: Study the best-selling covers in your genre and note common design elements, using those for inspiration
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Use the following planning suggestions before preparing the cover.
Study Successful Covers
This can’t be stressed enough whether you hire a designer or create the cover yourself. Take time to understand design trends and what works—what’s selling. Analyze best-selling books in your genre or book’s category on Amazon. Your book must look like it belongs to others in its category, or readers will swipe past it.
If is a horror genre It shouldn’t look like it belongs to romantic comedy.
The cover lets readers know the genre. Readers have expectations about what a cover in their favorite genre looks like. If it does not look like it belongs, they’ll keep scrolling to find the ones that do belong.
A helpful tool for viewing multiple covers at a glance is the “Catalize” feature at Bklnk.com. The feature “Analyzes the categories used by the Top 30 books in that category, to help you determine keywords for the book, plus pricing analysis and book cover thumbnail images.”
While looking, note which categories your book belongs in, as you’ll need that information when it’s time to publish it (more on that later). Whether you’re using Amazon or BKLnk, answer these questions about the covers in your book’s category.
- Current popular colors (dominant and secondary).
- Font types, sizes, and colors used.
- How they’re used. Where they’re placed.
- Tone or emotion most covers convey.
Before finishing the cover, check if the title is readable as a thumbnail. It’s the way most readers will first see it. Minimize your screen until the title is thumbnail size. Can you read the title at a glance? If you, the one who created it, struggle to read the title, readers may find it impossible and will swipe past it.
A book has only a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention.
An alluring, click-worthy cover that properly represents your book is crucial for sales and discovery, even with limited funds.
The cover represents a powerful tool for engaging readers and conveying the essence of your creation. Designing a captivating cover involves carefully blending design considerations, visuals, and typography.
By following best practices, like choosing the right size, resolution, and placement for essential elements, you lay a firm foundation for an effective cover. Pair this with visuals that resonate with the book’s theme and genre, ensuring they’re visually appealing without overwhelming the design.
Typography is the glue that binds it all together. Font choices should align with the genre, and a clear hierarchy between the title and your author name is essential for readability. Use font colors and styles to make the title stand out while ensuring it remains legible.
“Thinking about design is hard, but not thinking about it can be disastrous.” – Ralph Caplan
Book Cover Design—Wrap Up
Whether you decide to take the DIY route or enlist the expertise of a professional designer, your book’s cover is the gateway to success. It’s the first impression readers will have, so invest time, effort, and creativity into making it unforgettable. The cover is an invitation to readers, so make it captivating. Don’t give them a reason to swipe past it. Make it one they want to click—and buy.
We trust you’ve found these book cover strategies both helpful and inspirational. They’re designed to equip you with the tools and insights to bolster your success as a burgeoning author.
The path of writing is one filled with ceaseless learning and enhancement. You are not expected to tread this path solo. We’re thrilled to accompany you on this journey, offering support and motivation at every turn. Our objective is to deliver foundational knowledge and pragmatic guidance, enabling you to traverse the literary landscape with amplified confidence.
Don’t wait. Start today! How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our contact form. Happy writing!
For more help, see the other parts of this series on preparing getting your manuscript ready for self-publishing. first guide in the series. For more detail on all of these sections and more, read, Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish. Lastly, for help writing a non-fiction book, read Write Your First Non-Fiction eBook: a 30-Day Workbook for Getting It Done.
The chart visualizes the scoring of different elements critical to book cover design, such as imagery, typography, color scheme, composition, and market fit. Each element is scored out of 100, reflecting its importance and effectiveness in creating an appealing book cover. These key components contribute to a successful book cover.
FAQs
To further enrich your understanding and provide additional insights related to the nuances of book cover design, here are five frequently asked questions (FAQs) that delve deeper into areas connected to the article’s content. These questions are designed to clarify common queries indie authors might have when considering their book cover design journey.
What is the most common mistake indie authors make in book cover design?
Answer: The most common mistake is neglecting the target audience’s preferences and trends in the genre. A cover that doesn’t resonate with the intended readers or stand out in its category can significantly impact a book’s success.
How important is it to consider the spine and back cover design along with the front cover?
Answer: It’s crucial. The spine and back cover play significant roles, especially in physical stores or when the book is placed face down. They should be consistent with the front cover’s design and include a compelling copy that encourages potential readers to explore further.
Can the choice of typography truly influence the book’s sales?
Answer: Absolutely. Typography is not just about readability but also about setting the tone and connecting emotionally with the reader. The right font can elevate the cover’s impact and make the book stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Is there a recommended balance between imagery and text on a book cover?
Answer: While there’s no one-size-fits-all rule, a balanced composition is key. The imagery should capture the book’s essence without overshadowing the title and author’s name. The overall layout must be visually appealing and legible at various sizes.
How often should indie authors refresh their book covers?
Answer: Refreshing a book cover can be considered every few years or when the book is not performing as expected. A new cover can rejuvenate interest in the book and attract a new audience, especially if market trends or the genre’s visual standards have evolved.
