I’m a visual person. Many of you reading this are, too. I would go as far as to say that what I see often impacts my mood and emotions. I’m not referring to situational things like sad movies or a cute puppy on Instagram. I’m thinking more about colors, imagery, contrast, and tone, and all the other things that give you the “feels” when you look at them.
I’m the ideal customer for great product design. This includes book covers. I get excited when I see thoughtfulness behind how an item is packaged. It tells me a lot about what the brand (i.e., author) thinks about me as a potential customer. I’m sure I’ve missed out on a lot of great products because I couldn’t get past the packaging.
A book cover doesn’t have to be “perfect” for me to open it up and take a look, but there are some make-or-break rules, and that’s what we’ll be talking about in this article.
Here’s what we’ll talk about:
Why does a good book cover matter?
After almost twenty years in the book publishing space, I understand that quality book design impacts sales. If you are self-publishing, it’s critical to have a solid grasp on what makes a strong book cover if you want to position your book for success in a competitive market.
I self-published my first book in 2006 and did the cover myself. I don’t remember where I found the typeface (fonts) or the template (Canva wasn’t a thing, yet). Needless to say, it didn’t win any cover design awards, and definitely couldn’t hold its weight against the polished, traditionally published covers at the time.
Today, thankfully, great book design doesn’t require a graphic design degree or a huge budget.
A caveat: I always recommend a professional designer if it’s in your budget because they have the experience, knowledge, and skill set to attract the right readers, but if you understand book design, genre expectations, and your readers, you can create a great book cover yourself using the accessible and user-friendly tools currently available.
Book cover design matters because you’re selling a product (your book), and customers have expectations and want those expectations to be met before they buy.
Let’s consider cereal boxes as an example.
Imagine you’re standing in the cereal aisle at your local grocery store. Where are the kids’ cereals usually located? At the bottom, eye level for kids, right? And what kinds of images are on the front of the box? You were a kid once. Who’s on the front of a box of Fruit Loops or Captain Crunch? Fun characters with lots of fun colors and interesting shapes, of course.
Now, imagine that you have a new cereal for kids that tastes fantastic, has yummy ingredients that parents will love, and has off-the-chart reviews from testers. What do you think would happen if you put the cereal in a grey box, with black writing, and set it on the top shelf where many of the questionable-tasting cereals go to collect dust? It will likely go stale and be removed from the shelves before any positive word-of-mouth testimonials have a chance to circulate.
Books are no different. As the author (and publisher), you have to know your customer. Consider these two questions:
- What are their cover expectations? Consider the genre. What is the market currently offering readers that they’ve come to expect? Look at what’s selling. Do you see a trend? When designing a genre-specific book cover, trying to surprise readers with something unexpected or something “pretty” that you like because it’s your favorite color could backfire. You don’t have to play it safe, but if you go outside what’s expected, make sure you know what you’re doing.
- Where are you positioning the product? Based on the children’s cereal example, you know that kid cereal is placed on lower shelves to get their attention. If you want to get the attention of your readers, make sure your book is at their eye level. In other words, where are they looking for books like yours? Once you know, make sure your book is on that shelf.
Remember that your book’s cover is the introduction to what’s inside. If it misses the mark, a reader may never open it.
Recommended reading: Book Cover Design: Your Ultimate Guide for Memorable Covers
What makes a good book cover?
All this talk about the importance of great book design, but is there a secret formula for doing it the right way?
There’s no secret formula because, in the end, it will depend on the reader. The good news is that if your book cover includes the elements below, you’ll increase your chances of getting readers to stop scrolling and give your book a chance.
#1 – Who will design your cover?
This is the million-dollar question, and one that can impact future sales. As a self-publisher, it is critical that you know your strengths and weaknesses and objectively consider what will be best for your book. It would be great if we could do everything well, but this is not the case for most. Authors who think like publishers make the best choices, even if that means stepping to the side so someone more skilled can take the reins.
If you’ve never designed a book cover before and want to try it, get a few under your belt first, before you design your own. This way, you’ll know what you like, dislike, what works, and what doesn’t. Then, if you believe you can do a better job, take the plunge.
On the other hand, if you know that designing is not your thing, decide what you can budget for book cover design and explore your options. In my experience, book cover design and editing should take the bulk of your book budget. The first gets the reader to open the book, and the second one keeps them reading. Consider the current rates for a professional editor and the options available for book cover design, and then make the best decision based on your budget.
Thankfully, with cover design, you have options that fit every budget (even free if necessary). On the lower-budget end, you can purchase a high-quality, customizable cover template. On the higher end, you can hire a professional book designer.
If you’re hiring a professional designer, here are some good places to start:
#2 – Genre fit
The chart below shows cover art expectations based on genre. There’s wiggle room for interpretation, but these points are based on industry standards and are a good starting point when creating your design.
Genre Expectations for Book Cover Design
| Genre | Color Palette | Typography Style | Imagery | Composition & Layout | Key Elements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romance | Soft pastels; warm pinks, reds | Elegant scripts & serifs | Couples; floral motifs; hearts | Central focal image; ample white/negative space | Hero image, tagline, author name prominence |
| Thriller / Mystery | Dark tones; high-contrast (black, red) | Bold sans-serif or condensed | Silhouettes; shadows; broken objects | Tight crops; off-center titles; intrigue cues | Blood splatter, fog, mysterious symbols |
| Fantasy / Epic | Jewel tones; metallic accents | Decorative serifs; ornaments | Mythical creatures; landscapes; swords | Layered depth; horizon lines; ornate borders | World map cues, emblems, mystical glow |
| Science Fiction | Cool blues, purples; neon accents | Futuristic geometric fonts | Spaceships; planets; tech overlays | Symmetrical grids; circuit/logo motifs | Star fields, HUD elements, minimal embellish. |
| Literary Fiction | Muted neutrals; deep blues, greys | Classic serifs; minimal | Abstract art; subtle patterns; portraits | Clean lines; generous margins | Single symbol, textured backgrounds |
As you can see from this table, there’s a lot to consider when designing a genre-specific cover. These elements are what readers have come to expect over a long publishing history. If you step outside of these guidelines, you may confuse the reader, which can lead to a loss of sales.
So consider the core elements of what a book cover in your genre should represent. Use that as your baseline and build from there.
#3 – Create a Strong Composition
This is where we get into the nitty-gritty of graphic design and illustration.
Composition is one of the most fundamental skills required of anyone working with visuals, but it can take a lifetime to master. As mentioned above, if you have the budget for a professional book cover designer, that’s the way to go if you don’t have the experience. But, if you want to give it a go, here are some guidelines for composition:
- Use the rule of thirds
- Symmetry is your friend
- Use texture and patterns to add non-distracting details
- Use high and low angles
- Combine several composition tips into one for full effect (but not ALL of them)
Every composition, every piece of deliberately designed visual communication, needs a focal point. The easiest way to find your focal point is to ask yourself (or, preferably, a friend) where your eye goes first when you look at the cover.
Whether it’s the title, your author byline, a figure in the artwork, or some specific abstract shape, your focal point is what grabs your attention and catches your eye first.
In this example by Self-Publishing School’s Omer Redden, you can see that the focal point of his book Life Doc is very clearly and intentionally the eye-catching title.
You can have multiple focal points, but they should not compete with each other. There should be a hierarchy—primary, secondary, tertiary, and so on.
What you focus on depends on what you want the reader to remember.
#4 – Title, Subtitle, and Their Relatives
Design makes up a significant part of your book cover, but the foundation should be a great title, subtitle, and other elements like your blurb.
When trying to come up with a book title idea, ask yourself this: Will it grab your reader’s attention, or will they bypass it for something that sounds more interesting? It should be compelling, visible, and easy to read from a distance on a bookshelf or a thumbnail next to other books online.
Self-Publishing School coach Scott Allan’s book Undefeated is a great example of this. The page rip is an interesting effect that reveals an alternative meaning, changing the word from “defeated” to “undefeated.”
Your title, any subtitles, and taglines are going to play a pivotal role in selling your book.
#5 – Keep It Simple
And finally, keep things simple.
Simple doesn’t necessarily mean minimalistic. Covers can have detail, but it’s the way you present that detail that differentiates between a clean cover and a cluttered one.
When you only include what’s necessary, even if the design is complex, you honor the reader by allowing them to focus on what matters. So how do you know what to keep and what to leave off?
Try these tips:
- Use high-contrast text to make thumbnails of the book cover easy to read.
- Pair typeface thoughtfully: one decorative with one sans-serif or serif.
- Use imagery that matches genre expectations.
- For printed books, include a blurb, barcode, author bio, publisher info, and colophon (logo).
- Don’t use generic, stock photos.
- Don’t use decorative typeface in long blocks of text.
- Don’t center-align everything.
Your book cover matters
Before deciding on your cover design, ask yourself these questions:
- Does my cover idea represent my story or message?
- Will it pull the reader in and make them want to learn more?
- Does it stand out from other books in its category?
If you need professional help with your cover, book a call with our team. Our experts understand the current market and can design a competitive cover for you and assist with other publishing services if needed. Students of Self-Publishing School have access to in-house designers, or we can direct them to a preferred list of cover designers.
Remember, your book’s cover is often the first contact a potential reader will have with your story. Make sure it’s a memorable experience.
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The original article by Shakaib Feroz has been updated.
