Before you even begin your novel, you have an idea in your mind of what you want the finished product to look like. No one will ever see your characters, your research, your plot, or the way you pictured the sunlight filtering through the window just so. No, the only thing they will see is your book cover design.
Your book cover design is what draws people into the text you lovingly crafted from only a blank page and an idea. At the end of the day, your book cover design is the image that your readers will most associate with your story.
So let’s take a look at 9 ways you can start building the cover design you always wanted.
1. Decide if there’s a central image in your story you can use.
If you have a recurring symbol or image throughout your story, give your book cover design some continuity by finding a creative way to incorporate it into the cover. It might be a professional photograph of a fig tree, a detailed line drawing of a fish, or cartoon-style bowl of fruit. Whatever imagery you thought was profound enough to make it into the pages, it will be profound enough to grace the front of your book cover design.
2. Look for metaphors.
Is there a metaphor in your book that would make a great image for the front cover? Maybe your theme is about failing and trying again. Why not represent that on your cover? Let your background be a crumpled piece of paper, flattened smooth again for a fresh start. Your can make your readers think harder about the theme of your novel.
3. Focus on just one image.
Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by all the symbolism in your story, every theme you want to represent, or a caricature of each secondary character. Sometimes less is more, and that definitely applies to your book cover design. Use your space wisely, but err on the side of caution with simple imagery and keep the focus on just one image. You don’t want to overwhelm the eye.
4. Hire an artist to help.
If writing is your primary strength, then consider hiring a professional to create a one of a kind artwork to adorn your front cover. You don’t want to be stuck scrolling through stock images for an obviously overdone book cover design. Let a local artist paint a piece you can transfer to your computer digitally or hire a digital artist to begin with. Either way, you get a unique book cover with creative flair that you envisioned and commissioned.
5. Choose colors that represent your story.
Is your story a dramatic thriller? Add pops of bold red, sinister black, and deep ocean blues. Is it a read best suited for a beach day? Waves of cool blues and jade greens can wash over your cover to give a laidback feeling. There’s a science to color psychology that you should definitely capitalize on for your book cover design.
6. Contrast creates eye-catching covers.
If you’re struggling to come up with a color scheme, consider taking it all the way back to black and white. Simple, classic contrast this way can make a cover pop. It looks timeless and classic. Monochromatic color schemes can be a great way to let your fonts and words pop to the forefront of the reader’s attention, while the image becomes more a part of the background.
7. Don’t forget the importance of text.
Just as you need to choose a color that represents your story well, you also need to choose a font that suits it. Is your audience mostly women? If so, you’re probably okay to go with that scripted font with plenty of feminine flair. Men may not flock to a cursive cover, so male audiences might prefer simple, bold text that is easy to read. Your audience is the biggest factor in the success of your book sales, so you need to make sure that your book cover design incorporates elements that will appeal specifically to that audience.
8. Reviews are important.
Did you snag a great review from a well-known person in your field? Put it on your cover! Even if it means simplifying your book cover design in other aspects, it’s well worth it to have the popularity of another individual verify the quality of your content inside the book. Seeing their name on your cover, especially if you’re a first time author, lends you credibility that will make readers stop and take a second look.
9. Add a subtitle or a teaser.
Give readers a quick glimpse of what they’ll find tucked between the pages of your book with a short subtitle or a teaser about what will happen in the story. This takes less time to read than the synopsis on the back of the book and can draw readers in even before they pick it up off the shelf. Combined with effective imagery, text, and color scheme, a hook on your book cover design is an excellent addition. Make sure the text is smaller than your title, but still clear. It shouldn’t jump out at readers across the store but should be easily read from up close. Remember to keep it short to prevent your book cover design from being too wordy.
Everyone wants a book cover design that uniquely represents the book they worked so hard to create. They want a book cover design that draws people in quickly and sells enough copies to land them on the bestseller list.
You don’t have to be a professional designer to craft a perfect cover. There are no magic secrets that set cover designers apart from the rest of the population except experience. You can follow these nine tips for building the book cover design you always wanted to create a book cover that gives your work the very best first impression it can make.
Credit:
Click Here To Get An Eye-catching Book Cover Designed By JoshuaJadon
Joshua Jadon is a book cover designer for New York Times and quite a few other internationally best-selling authors. You can see his website and book cover design portfolio at http://www.joshuajadon.com. Find him on Twitter @joshuajdesign
