Cover created by Joy Sillesen
Joy Sillesen, our guest blogger today, is a publishing industry veteran who has designed everything from websites to event posters, but her real love is book cover design. At last count, she has designed over seventy-five covers, with no signs of stopping any time soon. She is also a multi-published author under the pseudonym Christine Pope. Visit www.indieauthorservices.com for more information and to view her portfolio.
Some Basic Cover Design Rules of Thumb
by Joy Sillesen
The indie publishing movement has empowered many people, giving them the opportunity to take the publishing process, from writing to editing to cover design, into their own hands. As exciting as this hands-on approach can be, it can also lead to covers that look downright amateurish. If you need a cover but can’t afford a cover designer…or just want an excuse to start playing with Photoshop…then there are a few basic rules you should keep in mind.
—Typography that’s easy to read
Although it can be tempting to plaster a bunch of fun fonts all over your cover, it’s not recommended. I know fonts are fun (I have tens of thousand of them in my own font library), but it’s generally recommended that you use at most two. Most of the time the title should be bigger than the author’s name, unless the author is a household name. The title should be the first element to help sell your book. If you choose a curly script font because your book is a historical romance, make sure it’s readable even at thumbnail size. A large number of people do their book buying online, and they’re confronted by rows of thumbnail-sized images of book covers. If your title is unreadable, there’s a good chance they’ll pass right over it.
—An image that’s recognizable at thumbnail size
Again, because people tend to browse online, the image on your book cover should be something that can be processed quickly. If people have to squint to figure out that that green shape is a dragon, then you have a problem. This is where learning the most effective way to crop an image becomes so important. You can be working with the most beautiful image in the world, but if it’s not placed so it creates the maximum impact, then it’s not going to do you any good.
—A professional image that’s appropriate for your genre
The images used on your cover can create a visual shorthand for a book’s genre. A woman in a big pink ball gown being embraced by a bare-chested hunk signals that you’re probably not looking at an espionage thriller. Most people these days use stock images, since the cost of custom art is so high, and there are many stock image websites out there that provide literally millions of images. However, make sure the image you select effectively conveys the essence of your book. In many cases, layering multiple images can help to customize the look of stock so it’s not immediately recognizable. Also, unless you’re a professional photographer, avoid the temptation to use your own images on a book cover. In general, snapshots can’t replace photographs taken under controlled studio conditions or by photographers with specialized equipment.
—A clean, uncluttered design
White space is your friend. A design needs those “empty” areas to give the eye a rest and also provide a cue as to where you should be focusing your attention. Avoid the temptation to put blurbs all over the cover or make the text so big that it overpowers the background image. For e-book covers especially, all those kudos from fellow authors or lengthy subheads are going to get lost at thumbnail size. Sometimes a subhead is necessary, but keep in mind that it probably won’t show up in a thumbnail. And while it’s great that someone thinks your book is Pulitzer material, save that verbiage for the book description or the “Editorial Reviews” section of your book’s product page on Amazon.
—Colors that complement one another
I’ve heard some people say that cool colors work better for e-book designs. I’m not going to be that narrow in my recommendations – after all, I wouldn’t give a book with a desert setting a cover done in greens and blues – but the colors chosen should work together. Also, certain genres tend to have predominant color palettes; black, red, and white for thrillers or mysteries, for example. Conversely, romances often have softer, warmer palettes in shades of pastels.
Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone is going to agree on what makes a great cover, since people’s taste varies so greatly. However, if you keep these simple rules in mind as you’re designing a cover, you’re much more likely to create something that works as an effective sales tool for your book. Also, don’t be afraid to look around for design inspiration – there are thousands of talented designers whose covers can help guide you as you determine what works best for your book. You only have one chance to make a first impression, so make sure your book cover creates the impression you intended.
Thanks, Joy! I love the book cover Joy designed for my upcoming release, Chakra Secrets, and definitely recommend professional design as the first step to creating a best seller.
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Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries
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