In this world, readers have
to judge a book by its cover. Which means you need a kickass cover.
So what makes a kickass cover?
1.
It has to look professional.
There are a lot of authors making their own
book covers, which is super cool IF they know what they’re doing. But graphic
design takes a lot of skill and training most authors haven’t put the time and
effort into. And believe me, readers can tell. This is also true for cheap
pre-made covers. There’s nothing wrong with grabbing up a pre-made cover that matches
the book IF it’s professionally done. But I’ve seen a lot of amateur book
covers being sold for $30 and the images are stretched, the font is plain and
doesn’t stand out, and the resolution is terrible. Remember, you get what you
pay for.
If you want to be taken seriously as an
author, you have to come right out of the gate looking like a professional. You
have to compete with thousands of traditionally published authors who have
covers made by industry professionals with the help of a sales team. That means
putting the time and/or money into a cover. It’s the very first thing readers
see when they browse books.
2.
It has to stand out.
Thousands of books are being published
every single day. The market is flooded now more than ever. It’s awesome so
many people are getting their stories out there into the world, but it also
means there’s a lot of competition for yours to stand out. So how do you stand
out in the crazy world of digital publishing?
Do something unexpected. Use a bright color
for a horror novel. Or a dark color for a sweet romance. Stay away from
trends. Or if you want to go with a
trend, put your own twist on it. Or be a minimalist and make good use of dead
space. Look at what’s flooding the market and avoid it. Change the angle, desaturate
the photo, use a funky font, just do something different.
3.
It has to project the right tone.
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen
authors make with their covers is trying to do too much at once. Your book
cover doesn’t need to tell exactly what it’s about. If it’s a paranormal
romance about a single mom who falls in love with a werewolf on vacation in
Hawaii, you don’t need a wolf, a palm tree, a child, and a couple kissing on
the cover. There IS such thing as too much of a good thing.
Think about the tone you want readers to
pick up on. Prioritize. Remember, standing out is important but in a way that
makes sense for the book. What’s the mood? What’s the genre? Is it funny and
flirty? Is it dark and horrific? Is it a deep, emotional memoir? Each of these
would use a completely different set of colors, fonts, and effects to create a
tone that will give readers an idea of what they’ll experience when they open
the book.
When you hire a cover artist, make sure you
communicate clearly how you want readers to feel when they look at your book
cover. And how they will feel when reading your book. A good cover artist
should be able to match the inside to the outside and combine that with
standing out and looking professional. With this formula, you should be well on
your way to a successful career (in whatever way you define it).
Thank you for having me and I hope these points help you
design (or choose a designer) the perfect cover for your book! Remember, pay
for a professional (or take a class!), keep it simple but unique, and
communicate clearly with your designer.
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