Book covers, today, are a crucial part of the promotional strategy for a book. Gone are the days when people believed in “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Today, a book cover starts the process of initiation. Well-designed book cover designs spark intrigue, resulting in the book to stand out while showcasing the prime character or subject. It attracts prospective readers to pick up the book amongst all others and give it a chance.
A book cover is critical for the success of a book, especially for self-published authors. For them, investing in professionally drawn book covers and the conventional promotional channels may not be feasible. Hence, creating a pertinent need for book covers designed online using online tools. Most authors even prefer generating their book covers on their own with the help of such tools.
If you are a self-published author or even a professional designer looking to create a book cover design, here are a few tips that can ensure your design is effective and a winner.
Look For Inspiration And Trends
As you begin the process of designing a book cover, do diligent research. Visit reading platforms, websites and even bookstores and pay attention to different kinds of book cover designs. This will help shed light on the current trends and may strike inspiration for your cover.
At this stage, compare the key elements and their execution for different book covers. Each genre often has certain trends and golden rules for book covers. Studying these will help create a solid foundation for the entire designing process. Check out how the competition is doing. There is nothing better than learning from the mistakes and accomplishments of other successful books.
Create A Mood Board For Your Book Cover Design
Based on your research, create a mood board with all the ideas and inspirations. Once you have all the information and images in one place, it makes the process of ideation easier. This visual space or board can be crucial when you are brainstorming various design ideas, especially if you are designing the book cover on your own.
A mood board is equally important, even if you hire a professional designer. Once you commission a design, you can send across the compilation of your ideas. This would ensure that the designer can better understand your requirements and how you visualize your book. One of the great platforms for creating such boards is Pinterest. Filled with a vast variety of book covers, brochure designs, and digital art, Pinterest can even help you conduct more extensive research for design ideas.
Make Sure Your Design Is Simple Yet Relevant
Clutter often discourages viewers from spending time on art. Having too many elements in design can steal away the attention from the prime element. The best book covers are simple, aesthetically designed and help the user make sense of the message the author is trying to convey.
For instance, most of the book covers for a book series, often have one key element on the book cover. In such cases, even the character is not shown in the design. A minimalistic book art goes a long way, but it need not be boring or forced. Add a special playful touch to the design while staying relevant and unique.
Choose The Correct Font And Color Scheme For The Design
No book cover is devoid of text, even if it is just the title. After all, the title of your book is its identity. The font you pick for your title and other information sets the tone for your entire book. For instance, a children’s book can have a creative, hand-drawn typeface, but the same font would be erroneous for a self-help book.
Similarly, colors can play a vital role in capturing potential readers’ attention. Avoid using garish combinations while keeping the visual representation attractive.
Consider At Least Five Concepts And Mockups For Your Book Cover
Just as you prepare many drafts of the book during the entire writing process, create different mockups for each of the concepts. Many online graphics tools available today to incorporate this in their designing process. It helps the user make an informed choice amongst various design options.
It is critical to study how each and every idea looks. This is an excellent stage to check how each and every element looks together. You can make changes accordingly and make the necessary modifications. Make sure that each mockup is different so that you can understand how each aspect is affecting the design.
Check How The Design Looks In A Thumbnail
As you step closer towards a great book cover, make sure to check how each design looks as a thumbnail. A thumbnail-adaptive book cover design has an uncluttered and simple design with large text. Use of contrasting or complementary colors is also critical for the design to remain harmonious even after rescaling.
A thumbnail is how your book cover would be displayed on various digital platforms and apps. Make sure that the aesthetics of the design are maintained when it is scaled down to the size of a thumbnail. The text must remain legible in the thumbnail as it would in the real-time size. Another great option would be to check how the design looks in grayscale.
Subject Your Finalized Designs To Objective Feedback
You may come to love the book cover once it has been finalized, but it must be effective for a prospective reader as well. After all, it is their attention that the book cover must attract. You can set up a test website and gain feedback from avid readers. This can help gain an insight into the first impressions for the various book cover designs.
It will help in checking if someone who hasn’t read the book or story can relate to the book cover. Based on this feedback, you can tweak the finalized design to make it more suitable.
Make Sure Your Final Choice Passes The “Blink Eye Test”
There is a golden window to attract your audience. Your design must be able to relay the message to potential readers within seconds. Check if someone unfamiliar with the design can make out absolute essentials for the book such as its genre, setting, tone, etc. Is the book cover intriguing enough for people to get hooked? Can the book cover pique a passerby’s interest so that they pick up the book and check out some details? Go for a design that passes the blink eye test and puts your book on the map.
The widespread acceptance of digital platforms for books has provided fresh new avenues for both authors and avid readers. It is a great opportunity for self-published authors and blooming writers to showcase their work. Keep these tips in mind while designing a book cover to ensure that your book cover is spectacular. Make sure to add a creative flair to the design with a touch of intrigue and a sprinkle of minimalism to make it a winner.
