your first impression
In the world of literature, they say not to judge a book by its cover, yet it's the first thing we all do. The cover of your book is more than just a protective casing; it's the visual handshake between your story and your audience, the first impression that can either invite readers in or leave them uninterested. Understanding the power of this first impression is crucial for any author or designer aiming to captivate the target audience from the get-go.
Let's dive into the essential steps for making your books first impression a lasting one.
your first impression
In the world of literature, they say not to judge a book by its cover, yet it's the first thing we all do. The cover of your book is more than just a protective casing; it's the visual handshake between your story and your audience, the first impression that can either invite readers in or leave them uninterested. Understanding the power of this first impression is crucial for any author or designer aiming to captivate the target audience from the get-go.
Let's dive into the essential steps for making your books first impression a lasting one.
your first impression
In the world of literature, they say not to judge a book by its cover, yet it's the first thing we all do. The cover of your book is more than just a protective casing; it's the visual handshake between your story and your audience, the first impression that can either invite readers in or leave them uninterested. Understanding the power of this first impression is crucial for any author or designer aiming to captivate the target audience from the get-go.
Let's dive into the essential steps for making your books first impression a lasting one.
research 🔍 Steal like an artist
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Get inspired by other book covers and pick out what you like or is a common element. Research book covers in your genre on Amazon, Pinterest or just Google. Pick your favorites and especially look at the bestsellers and comp titles. Use your browser's incognito mode to get the most neutral search results on the platforms. More on how to steal like an artist you'll find in the book of Austin Kleon.
Look for common elements like:
Fonts
Colors
Images
Elements
Layout & Placement
Book Format
Be aware of book covers from famous authors, who put more focus on their name in designs. Their name is their USP (Unique Selling Point), so keep that in mind. If your name is a reason for people to buy your book, put more emphasis on it, but if it's not, don't do it.
For example in contemporary romance you'll often see flat illustrations or real-life people as images (who doesn't love muscles ;). Another trend are discreet covers like "Things we left behind".
Analyze the color schemes. Just by seeing the cover for "The Auction" it is clear it's on the darker side. Why? Darker colors, the font is worn and we have a dangerously looking man with tattoos. The overall feeling is darker as compared to "Cross the line".
Your cover should convey what the reader can expect.
Lastly, sit down and make a note of the elements or objects that are important in your novel.
research 🔍 Steal like an artist
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Get inspired by other book covers and pick out what you like or is a common element. Research book covers in your genre on Amazon, Pinterest or just Google. Pick your favorites and especially look at the bestsellers and comp titles. Use your browser's incognito mode to get the most neutral search results on the platforms. More on how to steal like an artist you'll find in the book of Austin Kleon.
Look for common elements like:
Fonts
Colors
Images
Elements
Layout & Placement
Book Format
Be aware of book covers from famous authors, who put more focus on their name in designs. Their name is their USP (Unique Selling Point), so keep that in mind. If your name is a reason for people to buy your book, put more emphasis on it, but if it's not, don't do it.
For example in contemporary romance you'll often see flat illustrations or real-life people as images (who doesn't love muscles ;). Another trend are discreet covers like "Things we left behind".
Analyze the color schemes. Just by seeing the cover for "The Auction" it is clear it's on the darker side. Why? Darker colors, the font is worn and we have a dangerously looking man with tattoos. The overall feeling is darker as compared to "Cross the line".
Your cover should convey what the reader can expect.
Lastly, sit down and make a note of the elements or objects that are important in your novel.
research 🔍 Steal like an artist
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Get inspired by other book covers and pick out what you like or is a common element. Research book covers in your genre on Amazon, Pinterest or just Google. Pick your favorites and especially look at the bestsellers and comp titles. Use your browser's incognito mode to get the most neutral search results on the platforms. More on how to steal like an artist you'll find in the book of Austin Kleon.
Look for common elements like:
Fonts
Colors
Images
Elements
Layout & Placement
Book Format
Be aware of book covers from famous authors, who put more focus on their name in designs. Their name is their USP (Unique Selling Point), so keep that in mind. If your name is a reason for people to buy your book, put more emphasis on it, but if it's not, don't do it.
For example in contemporary romance you'll often see flat illustrations or real-life people as images (who doesn't love muscles ;). Another trend are discreet covers like "Things we left behind".
Analyze the color schemes. Just by seeing the cover for "The Auction" it is clear it's on the darker side. Why? Darker colors, the font is worn and we have a dangerously looking man with tattoos. The overall feeling is darker as compared to "Cross the line".
Your cover should convey what the reader can expect.
Lastly, sit down and make a note of the elements or objects that are important in your novel.
format
Before you dive into creating, you need to know what kind of format your book cover should have. Every good publishing platform offers that information on their website and provides downloadable templates.
KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) has the following:
eBook 2560 (Height) x 1600 (Width) pixels
For print, you'll need to check the Cover Calculator:
Binding type: Depends on what you want. Either a Hardcover or Paperback.
Interior type: Do you have pictures inside the book? No? Then stick to simple black & white.
You have pictures or it's a comic/ manga? Then select one of the color options.
Paper type: White is usually used for non-fiction and cream for fiction. The cream paper is slightly thicker and more comfortable for the eyes. Especially for long reading sessions. White is cleaner and improves readability if you have lots of charts, boxes and symbols.
Page-turn direction: What is meant here is the reading direction. In general you read Left-to-Right. In case of a manga you would pick Right-to-Left.
Measurement units: Really just depends what you're used to.
Interior trim size: Also depends on what you want. Not sure? Look up the books in your research.
Page Count: Type in your final Page Count. This is important, because based on that the spine will be calculated. So if you add some pages later, and don't edit the book cover, the spine can be off.
format
Before you dive into creating, you need to know what kind of format your book cover should have. Every good publishing platform offers that information on their website and provides downloadable templates.
KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) has the following:
eBook 2560 (Height) x 1600 (Width) pixels
For print, you'll need to check the Cover Calculator:
Binding type: Depends on what you want. Either a Hardcover or Paperback.
Interior type: Do you have pictures inside the book? No? Then stick to simple black & white.
You have pictures or it's a comic/ manga? Then select one of the color options.
Paper type: White is usually used for non-fiction and cream for fiction. The cream paper is slightly thicker and more comfortable for the eyes. Especially for long reading sessions. White is cleaner and improves readability if you have lots of charts, boxes and symbols.
Page-turn direction: What is meant here is the reading direction. In general you read Left-to-Right. In case of a manga you would pick Right-to-Left.
Measurement units: Really just depends what you're used to.
Interior trim size: Also depends on what you want. Not sure? Look up the books in your research.
Page Count: Type in your final Page Count. This is important, because based on that the spine will be calculated. So if you add some pages later, and don't edit the book cover, the spine can be off.
format
Before you dive into creating, you need to know what kind of format your book cover should have. Every good publishing platform offers that information on their website and provides downloadable templates.
KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) has the following:
eBook 2560 (Height) x 1600 (Width) pixels
For print, you'll need to check the Cover Calculator:
Binding type: Depends on what you want. Either a Hardcover or Paperback.
Interior type: Do you have pictures inside the book? No? Then stick to simple black & white.
You have pictures or it's a comic/ manga? Then select one of the color options.
Paper type: White is usually used for non-fiction and cream for fiction. The cream paper is slightly thicker and more comfortable for the eyes. Especially for long reading sessions. White is cleaner and improves readability if you have lots of charts, boxes and symbols.
Page-turn direction: What is meant here is the reading direction. In general you read Left-to-Right. In case of a manga you would pick Right-to-Left.
Measurement units: Really just depends what you're used to.
Interior trim size: Also depends on what you want. Not sure? Look up the books in your research.
Page Count: Type in your final Page Count. This is important, because based on that the spine will be calculated. So if you add some pages later, and don't edit the book cover, the spine can be off.
tools & Assets
There are several tools that can help you create a book cover.
Canva (free, more user-friendly)
Adobe (Photoshop, more advanced or Adobe Express, easier)
Photopea (free, like Photoshop)
Image Depositories with free options:
Assets not for free:
Adobe Stock (easier licensing, has free options)
AI Options:
Midjourney (has my heart)
ChatGPT Dall-E
Sudowrite Visualize Feature
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
tools & Assets
There are several tools that can help you create a book cover.
Canva (free, more user-friendly)
Adobe (Photoshop, more advanced or Adobe Express, easier)
Photopea (free, like Photoshop)
Image Depositories with free options:
Assets not for free:
Adobe Stock (easier licensing, has free options)
AI Options:
Midjourney (has my heart)
ChatGPT Dall-E
Sudowrite Visualize Feature
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
tools & Assets
There are several tools that can help you create a book cover.
Canva (free, more user-friendly)
Adobe (Photoshop, more advanced or Adobe Express, easier)
Photopea (free, like Photoshop)
Image Depositories with free options:
Assets not for free:
Adobe Stock (easier licensing, has free options)
AI Options:
Midjourney (has my heart)
ChatGPT Dall-E
Sudowrite Visualize Feature
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
design Process
Start:
Using the template from Amazon (Cover Calculator) you should get a .zip file. In that zip file you'll find a .png. Use this png to create your book cover.
Either use the "Overall Dimensions" for the document size or the pixel properties of the image itself. In this case it was 6700 (Width) x 4950 (Height) pixels.
If you want to do a print cover, set the color profile to CMYK. Now import the .png and add guide lines according to the png to be able to align your elements.
Now that you created and set up the document in your preferred design tool, we'll dive into the creative part.
Design is about communication, storytelling, and marketing all rolled into one. Again always check back with your research. My process mostly consists of placing the text first. I also think about elements that I want to have on the cover. For example, a pearl necklace because it plays an important role in the book.
Then I play around with placement. Once I've decided what my key elements are on the cover and the rough layout is set, I play around with colors, fonts and so on.
Keep in mind while playing around:
Hierarchy: The most important one in my opinion, because if everything is important, nothing is important!
Establish a clear visual hierarchy on your cover. The title should typically be the most prominent element, followed by the author's name and any other text, such as a subtitle or tagline. This guides the viewer's eye through the cover in a logical order, making sure the most important information is seen first. Hierarchies can be created with font size, font weight, colors and placement.
In-depth guide about Design Principles coming soon. But here are the key points:
Hierarchy
(see above)Simplicity
(Don't overload your book cover.)Balance and Alignment
(Don't put everything into one corner, use the space available.)Contrast & Color Psychology
(Your colors should complement each other and not fight. For inspirations on color combination you can use color hunt.)Typography
(Check back with your research and what fits to the other elements on the cover.)Imagery
(Check back with your research. Look for images that have a lot of "flesh"/ space around the main subject. It gives you more options to play around with.)Adaptability
(The book cover should look good as a thumbnail and close-up for print.)
Don't be discouraged if you don't come up with a design you like in the first few tries. Do variations, scrap everything and start with a blank page. Don't force it and if you end up with 3 drafts — good, get to testing.
Exporting your book cover:
When creating your book cover, it's important to choose the right color mode for your final product. If you're planning to print your book cover, use the CMYK color mode when you export your design as a PDF or image. It's also called PDF Print.
CMYK is specifically designed for printing and offers a color palette that matches what printers can produce. On the other hand, RGB is meant for digital displays, like computer screens, and supports a broader range of colors.
Because printers can't replicate all the colors that you can see on a screen, designing and exporting in CMYK ensures that the colors of your printed book cover will look as intended and more accurate to your original design.
In short:
Print —> CMYK
Digital / eBook —> RGB & CMYK
design Process
Start:
Using the template from Amazon (Cover Calculator) you should get a .zip file. In that zip file you'll find a .png. Use this png to create your book cover.
Either use the "Overall Dimensions" for the document size or the pixel properties of the image itself. In this case it was 6700 (Width) x 4950 (Height) pixels.
If you want to do a print cover, set the color profile to CMYK. Now import the .png and add guide lines according to the png to be able to align your elements.
Now that you created and set up the document in your preferred design tool, we'll dive into the creative part.
Design is about communication, storytelling, and marketing all rolled into one. Again always check back with your research. My process mostly consists of placing the text first. I also think about elements that I want to have on the cover. For example, a pearl necklace because it plays an important role in the book.
Then I play around with placement. Once I've decided what my key elements are on the cover and the rough layout is set, I play around with colors, fonts and so on.
Keep in mind while playing around:
Hierarchy: The most important one in my opinion, because if everything is important, nothing is important!
Establish a clear visual hierarchy on your cover. The title should typically be the most prominent element, followed by the author's name and any other text, such as a subtitle or tagline. This guides the viewer's eye through the cover in a logical order, making sure the most important information is seen first. Hierarchies can be created with font size, font weight, colors and placement.
In-depth guide about Design Principles coming soon. But here are the key points:
Hierarchy
(see above)Simplicity
(Don't overload your book cover.)Balance and Alignment
(Don't put everything into one corner, use the space available.)Contrast & Color Psychology
(Your colors should complement each other and not fight. For inspirations on color combination you can use color hunt.)Typography
(Check back with your research and what fits to the other elements on the cover.)Imagery
(Check back with your research. Look for images that have a lot of "flesh"/ space around the main subject. It gives you more options to play around with.)Adaptability
(The book cover should look good as a thumbnail and close-up for print.)
Don't be discouraged if you don't come up with a design you like in the first few tries. Do variations, scrap everything and start with a blank page. Don't force it and if you end up with 3 drafts — good, get to testing.
Exporting your book cover:
When creating your book cover, it's important to choose the right color mode for your final product. If you're planning to print your book cover, use the CMYK color mode when you export your design as a PDF or image. It's also called PDF Print.
CMYK is specifically designed for printing and offers a color palette that matches what printers can produce. On the other hand, RGB is meant for digital displays, like computer screens, and supports a broader range of colors.
Because printers can't replicate all the colors that you can see on a screen, designing and exporting in CMYK ensures that the colors of your printed book cover will look as intended and more accurate to your original design.
In short:
Print —> CMYK
Digital / eBook —> RGB & CMYK
design Process
Start:
Using the template from Amazon (Cover Calculator) you should get a .zip file. In that zip file you'll find a .png. Use this png to create your book cover.
Either use the "Overall Dimensions" for the document size or the pixel properties of the image itself. In this case it was 6700 (Width) x 4950 (Height) pixels.
If you want to do a print cover, set the color profile to CMYK. Now import the .png and add guide lines according to the png to be able to align your elements.
Now that you created and set up the document in your preferred design tool, we'll dive into the creative part.
Design is about communication, storytelling, and marketing all rolled into one. Again always check back with your research. My process mostly consists of placing the text first. I also think about elements that I want to have on the cover. For example, a pearl necklace because it plays an important role in the book.
Then I play around with placement. Once I've decided what my key elements are on the cover and the rough layout is set, I play around with colors, fonts and so on.
Keep in mind while playing around:
Hierarchy: The most important one in my opinion, because if everything is important, nothing is important!
Establish a clear visual hierarchy on your cover. The title should typically be the most prominent element, followed by the author's name and any other text, such as a subtitle or tagline. This guides the viewer's eye through the cover in a logical order, making sure the most important information is seen first. Hierarchies can be created with font size, font weight, colors and placement.
In-depth guide about Design Principles coming soon. But here are the key points:
Hierarchy
(see above)Simplicity
(Don't overload your book cover.)Balance and Alignment
(Don't put everything into one corner, use the space available.)Contrast & Color Psychology
(Your colors should complement each other and not fight. For inspirations on color combination you can use color hunt.)Typography
(Check back with your research and what fits to the other elements on the cover.)Imagery
(Check back with your research. Look for images that have a lot of "flesh"/ space around the main subject. It gives you more options to play around with.)Adaptability
(The book cover should look good as a thumbnail and close-up for print.)
Don't be discouraged if you don't come up with a design you like in the first few tries. Do variations, scrap everything and start with a blank page. Don't force it and if you end up with 3 drafts — good, get to testing.
Exporting your book cover:
When creating your book cover, it's important to choose the right color mode for your final product. If you're planning to print your book cover, use the CMYK color mode when you export your design as a PDF or image. It's also called PDF Print.
CMYK is specifically designed for printing and offers a color palette that matches what printers can produce. On the other hand, RGB is meant for digital displays, like computer screens, and supports a broader range of colors.
Because printers can't replicate all the colors that you can see on a screen, designing and exporting in CMYK ensures that the colors of your printed book cover will look as intended and more accurate to your original design.
In short:
Print —> CMYK
Digital / eBook —> RGB & CMYK
testing
Testing book covers before finalising them is an essential step in the design process, allowing you to gauge audience reaction and ensure your cover resonates with your target audience.
One effective method is to create several variations of your cover, each emphasizing different elements such as color schemes, typography, or imagery.
Post in facebook or discord groups and ask people for their opinion. Consider using platforms where your target audience is likely to be found, and ask specific questions about what they like or don't like about each option. This feedback loop can offer insights not only into preferences but also into how well your cover communicates the book's genre, tone, and content, enabling you to refine your design to better attract readers and convey your message.
After you got enough feedback, go back into your preferred tool for designing and adjust the book cover. You're still not sure? Do another round of testing until you're happy.
testing
Testing book covers before finalising them is an essential step in the design process, allowing you to gauge audience reaction and ensure your cover resonates with your target audience.
One effective method is to create several variations of your cover, each emphasizing different elements such as color schemes, typography, or imagery.
Post in facebook or discord groups and ask people for their opinion. Consider using platforms where your target audience is likely to be found, and ask specific questions about what they like or don't like about each option. This feedback loop can offer insights not only into preferences but also into how well your cover communicates the book's genre, tone, and content, enabling you to refine your design to better attract readers and convey your message.
After you got enough feedback, go back into your preferred tool for designing and adjust the book cover. You're still not sure? Do another round of testing until you're happy.
testing
Testing book covers before finalising them is an essential step in the design process, allowing you to gauge audience reaction and ensure your cover resonates with your target audience.
One effective method is to create several variations of your cover, each emphasizing different elements such as color schemes, typography, or imagery.
Post in facebook or discord groups and ask people for their opinion. Consider using platforms where your target audience is likely to be found, and ask specific questions about what they like or don't like about each option. This feedback loop can offer insights not only into preferences but also into how well your cover communicates the book's genre, tone, and content, enabling you to refine your design to better attract readers and convey your message.
After you got enough feedback, go back into your preferred tool for designing and adjust the book cover. You're still not sure? Do another round of testing until you're happy.
mockup
Hey! You made it 🚀
Now to post and market you book, you could use "mock-ups", which places the image you made onto books. Like this:
Websites you can get mock-ups for free:
unblast (my go-to)
Use programs like photoshop or photopea to put your picture into the mock-up.
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
mockup
Hey! You made it 🚀
Now to post and market you book, you could use "mock-ups", which places the image you made onto books. Like this:
Websites you can get mock-ups for free:
unblast (my go-to)
Use programs like photoshop or photopea to put your picture into the mock-up.
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
mockup
Hey! You made it 🚀
Now to post and market you book, you could use "mock-ups", which places the image you made onto books. Like this:
Websites you can get mock-ups for free:
unblast (my go-to)
Use programs like photoshop or photopea to put your picture into the mock-up.
⚠️ Licensing is subject to change, so always check.
