Book Covers: Help in Creating or Giving Input for the Design

by | Writing | 2 comments

 

image by uhexos

What Is the Book Cover

 

  • Images: the artwork or photos
  • Words: the fonts of titles and content
  • Content: title, taglines, back-cover description, and bio
  • Blurbs: endorsements

 

Good Book Covers

 

A good book covers will:

  • be more than a lovely cover; it will communicate.
  • capture the essence of the story.
  • be a reader’s first interaction with an author’s story and style.
  • shape the store browser’s opinion of the story.
  • market and advertise the book.
  • be displayed on bookmarks, posters, book blogs, and other media.
  • make its observer wonder.
  • be created for the same audience as the story was written for.
  • vie for browsers’ and book buyers’ attention.
  • beg those perusing to take a second glance.
  • compete for the attention of busy book reviewers.
  • image by Unsplash

    have a nice balance between the images and words and fonts.
  • remain within the norms of its genre, but be noticeable.
  • symbolize what will gradually be more obvious to the reader as he reads the story.
  • portray the tone and genre, as well as mood and theme.

 

Why a Book Cover Works

 

  • A well-designed cover tells the browser that the content has value to the customer.
  • For first-time authors, a great cover will make up for anonymity.
  • Interesting, intriguing covers shout interesting and intriguing story (and vice versa).

 

What Is Used in Creating a Book Cover

 

  • Depending on what’s available, some notes, a synopsis, the manuscript, and/or information about the author to understand his style.
  • Information about the period, season, and setting.
  • An idea of the story’s tone and mood.
  • Example book covers or photos.
  • Listed items important to the story, such as people or animals; be specific as to the type.
  • Physical descriptions of the hero and the heroine.

 

image by waldryano

How Authors Are Involved

 

Sometimes authors are:

  • not afforded input.
  • asked for limited input.
  • sent mock-ups and asked to choose one.
  • ignored as to their input and choices.
  • wise to let the professionals do their job.
  • resigned to love or hate their covers.

 

When You’re Asked for Input, Take Advantage

 

  • Spend time in a bookstore and
    • notice what covers have interested browsers,
    • study covers in your genre that target your audience, and
    • evaluate what makes books stand out.
  • image by Kevin-K-Model

    Suggest colors to be used. Red, yellow, and orange are considered high-arousal colors and make items appear closer. Blue, green, and purple are low-arousal colors and make things seem farther away.
  • If you have a series, ask that certain words, fonts, or images be replicated to identify the book as part of a series.
  • When choosing example photos, remember simplicity outranks complexity. Unnecessary items are distracting.

Help in the creation or input for your book cover’s design. Click to tweet.

What in a book cover grabs you when you’re browsing?

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2 Comments

  1. Tanya Hanson

    I enjoy your blog posts, Zoe. I have run the gamut from publishers who let me have a lot of say and let me join in the process–after all, the story is my vision–but others who send me a design I must accept without question only making sure my name is spelled correctly. Sheesh. Best wishes!

    • Zoe M. McCarthy

      Hey, Tanya. When I was researching this, a woman author said she was embarrassed with her cover. That would make it hard to promote.

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