Choosing The Best Book Cover Design That is Right For You

An essential aspect of publishing one’s novel is selecting the book cover design. This is usually one of the last steps when you have already edited your novel and it is print-ready.

The cover that the author chooses plays into their marketing and promotion. What a potential reader sees before they read a book is more critical in making a lasting first impression – one that makes them pick up the book or add it to their cart.

Without consideration for how one’s book is visually presented and its aesthetics, it is easy to lose a large amount of one’s reader base. It is common in business that the product one offers must be appropriately and attractively packaged.

A cover that has the book’s title printed, identifies the author, and has eye-catching imagery will be a good start to build upon.

The middle, or the book’s spine, often has the name– planning for that space is essential. The back of the novel summarizes the plot, might have reviews, a picture of the author, a place for the price, the ISBN code, and a bar code. More details will be provided on the parts of a cover that need to be focused on, especially if you make one yourself.

Deciding how to choose, edit, or commission a book cover is a crucial aspect each novelist has to spend time and, sometimes, money on.

We will outline a few options novelists have when it comes to books, such as:  

Hire An Artist 

There are many ways to get in touch with artists who work on a commission basis.

Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Reddit, or another social media sites can be viable sources. You an also use a search engine to find an artist that works with your specific niche. Or, you can find local artists that may have experience making book covers.

A benefit of this method is seeing the artist’s portfolio and working with them on a more personal level so that the end product is according to your expectations. Communicating with a collaborator is essential, as you need to have control over your project to ensure that it fits your vision.

Moreover, most artists have experience making book covers and can guide you on what you might be missing or what could improve your cover.

A trustworthy artist can be an important investment for an author that wishes to write multiple books.

Use a Freelancing Website

This method is similar to hiring an artist, but there are specific websites where you can find freelance artists that offer packages and customizable options. Fiverr or  Upwork, for example, are some examples of such sites.

LinkedIn may also be a good source for freelancers or artists in general. The benefits of hiring freelancers are similar to hiring an artist directly – it might be cheaper, but depending on where you look, your choices may be limited.

However, the freelance market is booming right now, and a novelist can indeed find artists to make art that fits their book’s aesthetic.

A freelance artist is also highly versatile, working with various styles and formats, and this experience can help build upon your ideas and vision.

Just like you might know what works better in a book, an artist may know what is visually more appealing.

Use Pre-made Templates

Various sites online offer paid templates for book covers. Examples are Ebooklaunch or  Goonwrite. I have personally worked with both of these sites for previous books.

Each has various plans for different prices that can suit the needs of multiple consumers. The biggest benefit, is that this an extremely affordable option for a writer to publish their book. It can also be helpful for writers who are not visually creative or are not sure exactly what they want.

Make sure to read the reviews of any website you use for book covers. It is also important to make sure that you know the terms and conditions you agree to when it comes to buying art.

You have to make sure you own the rights to the work if you want to sell the book without paying royalties.

Design Your Own Cover

If you are not an artist, designing a book cover for your novel can seem daunting. However, many online tools can help streamline the process and make editing easier.

For example, if you don’t have applications like Photoshop or Luminar, good alternatives can be Canva or Visme.

Both provide various templates you can start with or a blank canvas to work with. Remember, that designing your own cover will be a lot easier with a plan in place. Thus, it may be beneficial to sketch something out beforehand.

Furthermore, make sure to work in segments – first the front cover, then the back, then the spine. You can order that around however you want but making sure you are working consistently on one part is essential to keep the editing process clean and structured.

I should note that creating an ebook on these types of sites is much, much easier than creating a physical book.

That is because printing requires more know-how in terms of layout. For instance, will your book have a bleed or no bleed? What kind of margins will it have?

We will go over some of these terms in the next section, but it is essential to know that designing your cover is limited by what you know and what tools these sites offer.

What to Include on Your Cover?

Let’s begin with the front page.

What do most books have on their front cover?

The name of the book, the author’s name, and maybe a review.

Figure out the sizes of the text, how you wish to arrange them on the page, and the font you will be using. A standard template is a small review at the top, the book's name in large text closer to the bottom, and the author's name in smaller text below the book’s title.

Think about whether you would be using a background image as well.

None of the text should be fighting for space with the image you use. Make sure to spend time on this part of the process – take time away from editing and come back with fresh eyes to see if the image and text are symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, getting an opinion from someone else can also help smooth out the creases in your work.

Working with the back of the cover, it is essential to have a summary blurb for the convenience of readers.

Sometimes, the summary is inside the dust jacket if you’re working with a hardback book. Make sure you know what kind of format you would be publishing in so that you can work accordingly.

The back of the cover is also where some authors include reviews, which you can do. A picture of the author may be at the back, but it is less popular nowadays. Provide space for the ISBN code, the bar code, and the price.

Formatting the positioning of your text, images, and other components is important for the back of the novel. Make sure the background matches the front of the cover.

The spine of the book is usually less work.

Most of the time, it contains the name of the book and sometimes the name of the author. There are books with blank spines, but those aren’t extremely common. Similar concerns as previous will apply to this stage – text size, font, spacing, the formatting, and making sure the background is consistent with the front and back of your cover.

With enough effort or money, you can have a book cover that suits your needs and enhances the value of your work.

 In a market-driven society, it is often important to think of how to sell well – especially as an author.

An eye-catching cover will undoubtedly help increase the saleability of your book!

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