6 Important Lessons from Covers of Critically Acclaimed Books

From The Book Designer:

A book cover is one of the biggest marketing tools a book has—especially in libraries and bookstores. While many readers like to judge a book by its contents, we often consider reading a book if its cover catches our eye. 

Now, what catches the eye of a reader is purely subjective; it depends largely on the aesthetic biases of the reader—whether that is illustrations, photographs, stark covers, busy covers, montages, heavily colored lettering, monotone typography, etc.

Despite this, you, as an author or book cover designer, can still attract your readers by using good art and/or striking colors on your book cover. In this article, we analyze six covers from critically acclaimed books and pinpoint what makes them so visually appealing.

. . . .

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi 

Cover design by Jonathan Bust, Art direction by Evan Gaffney 

Flowers are some of my favorite things to look at because they come in different colors and shapes (and scents, too, if you’re handling them in real life). So it’s no wonder the book cover of The Centre, caught my eye. 

The dark background made the reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks of the bouquet pop and catch my eye (and the eyes of thousands of readers worldwide). But the longer you look at the cover, you start to notice weird and disturbing details that slowly take center stage: the skull-shaped planter, the carnivorous Venus flytraps, the spilled coffee, and the thorny vines circling the cabinet on which the bouquet stands. 

Once you see these things, you know immediately that the contents of the book won’t be all roses and sunshine; there’ll be dark secrets lurking underneath all the beauty. And suddenly, you feel the urge to find out what those secrets are. 

Lesson: Putting a bright image or object against a dark background is a great way to make your book cover visually alluring. If it aligns with your book’s contents, you can also add some semi-concealed elements that keep people’s attention and awaken their curiosity.

. . . .

Every Drop is a Man’s Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

When I first saw this book cover, I was reminded of The Birth of Venus—a 15th-century painting by Italian artist, Sandro Botticelli, depicting the Roman goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth, standing on a giant scallop shell. The painting is stunning, much like this book cover depicting a woman emerging from a corpse flower growing in what looks like a body of iridescent blue water. 

The book itself is a collection of short stories with interesting, yet varied, Hawaiian characters whose lives and emotions burst through the pages and find their way into the hearts of readers. 

Lesson: While it might not be the case with this specific book cover, taking inspiration from popular paintings and cultural artwork to make your book cover art is a great way to make people go, “Oh wow—this reminds me of something I know!” 

The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter

If you love fruits, this book cover will draw your attention like a magnet. It’ll do the same if you love interesting-looking art, too. The orange of the background blends well with the orange tones used to depict the contours of the woman’s body. The pears, however, interpose with this orange hue, allowing readers to separate the rich background from the center figure and the pomegranate that accentuates her curves.

If you think this book cover, coupled with the title, teases a tale about food, you’d be on the right track. The main characters of this book, Beatrice and Reiko, were born into a dystopian world governed by corporate greed where it’s taboo to enjoy food or have an appetite. This cover encapsulates the women’s fight against an oppressive system that glorifies undue fasting and thinness.

Lesson: While you want to make your book cover stand out from the stacks of books on the shelves, it’s okay to include familiar elements, even if those elements are food. You should, however, employ striking colors, adequate contrast, and a unique concept to make the cover art look interesting.

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

The Box Guy

I started as an artist and I had a side job moving some heavy boxes for a publishing company. They had just gotten a Mac for their art department, the department that creates the book covers. I was kind of showing the art director a thing or two about how to use a Mac. And one day everyone went out to lunch and I jumped on the computer and designed a book jacket and slipped it in the pile to go to the review board in New York. They picked my jacket and when the art director got back to Boston, he wanted to know who designed it and I said, “Me.” He was like, “The box guy?”

Biz Stone

Outsiders Book Covers: Design Tips and Inspiration

From The Book Designer:

If someone asks you to name some popular young adult fiction writers today, you’d probably mention authors like John Green, Cassandra Clare, J.K. Rowling, and maybe even Louisa May Alcott. But back in the day, S.E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders, was—and still is, in my opinion—one of the best YA fiction authors around, known for her novels set in Oklahoma, where she was born. 

Hinton attended Will Rogers High School and graduated in 1966. While still a student, she wrote her first (and most popular) book, The Outsiders, which was published in 1967. The coming-of-age novel revolves around the Greasers, a group of working-class boys, and their rivalry with the wealthier Socs (Socials). The protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, is a Greaser who struggles with societal expectations and class conflicts. 

Because this novel explores evergreen themes of friendship, loyalty, identity, and the impact of social class on individuals, especially teens, it has become a classic among readers who are reminded of the prejudicial systems that existed in their own schools and neighborhoods. In 1983, the novel was adapted into a movie starring Tom Cruise, Ralph Macchio, and Patric Swayze. 

It’s been nearly six decades since The Outsiders was first published, and there have been many reprints and book cover designs since then. In this article, we’ll cover the various The Outsiders book covers that have been released.  

The Outsider’s Paperback Covers

The paperback covers for The Outsiders are some of my favorite covers because they all depict the central theme of the novel: youth. The first three follow a similar concept: bright and dull orange hues, the landscape of a small town, and young (school)boys taking center stage. While you might not guess that the story is set in a school, you’ll know almost instantly that the plot revolves around teenagers or young adults trying to navigate life in their town. 

The colors of the first three covers themselves are striking to the eye—especially the first one that depicts a rising sun shining over the town and exposing the contours on the faces of the people illustrated atop it. In contrast, the bottom-left cover shows only the silhouettes of young people, which can trigger curiosity and a closer look from readers who happen upon the book cover for the first time. 

Unlike the first three covers, the bottom-right cover is in greyscale and only features a muted image of a young man seemingly looking at the floor. While there’s only a single person on the cover—rather than many people, as in the other three covers—you’re still able to decipher the theme of “youth” that S. E. Hinton based her work upon.

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

Best Covers/Worst Covers – Let’s See Them

After reading the many interesting comments to yesterday’s posts about covers, PG is anxious to see more.

Let’s see your ideas of great covers. And terrible covers.

You can break them down by genre or just point out good covers of whatever type that you think are really good. Ditto for terrible covers.

Please share your opinions on what makes a cover good or bad. You can choose your reasons – stops you immediately when you see it online or anywhere else . . . . is great for the book’s genre . . . . is absolutely beautiful and reflects excellent taste by the person who selected/created/commissioned the cover, is absolutely disgusting, misleading to readers, is an unfair knock-off of someone else’s work, etc., etc., etc.

If you want to include a copy of the cover in your comment, go for it. You can also provide a link to the book on the author’s website, Amazon, or wherever else will allow visitors to TPV to see it. PG may try to drop some cover images into the comment or include them in a post.

Book Cover Redesigns for Indies

PG hadn’t thought about book cover design providers for indies. He suspects a great many indie authors use a friend or acquaintance who has the requisite graphic design tools and talents.

The folks at MIBL.Art reached out to PG to ask about a guest post (he doesn’t do those). However, PG checked out the company’s website and found some interesting information.

From MIBL Art:

How Miblart Redesigns Your Book Cover

  1. Research We analyse your current book cover, your genre, target audience, and plot.
  2. Suggestions Come up with suggestions on how to improve your book cover to make it fit your genre and evoke the right emotions
  3. First draft Provide you with the first draft.
  4. Improvements Polish and improve your book cover (we offer an unlimited number of revisions)
  5. Payment You pay only when you love the final result.

. . . .

Ebook

$150

  • Licensed stock photos
  • Concept delivered within 7 b/d
  • Unlimited revisions / no upfront payment
  • Cover file in .jpg format
  • Source file in .psd format

FREE OF CHARGE

  • 3D book image
  • Title page
  • Bonus image for marketing

Link to the rest at MIBL Art

Undoubtedly, PG’s lack of attention to cover design services for indies is evidence of yet another of his many shortcomings. He’ll keep his eyes open for interesting items on this topic in the future.

He invites visitors to TPV to share their own solutions/experiences/opinions regarding cover design in the comments.

PG requests that cover design professionals or their representatives not spam the comments with sales pitches.

PG would be happy to receive information from cover design experts via the Contact PG link at the top of the blog. Feel free to send PG studies, links or information you believe might be of interest to visitors to The Passive Voice. If he sees something beyond pricing information he believes will be of interest to visitors to TPV, he’ll put it in a post.

7 Captivating Typography Trends for Book Design in 2023

From The Book Designer:

When designing your book cover, it’s important to be aware of the current typography trends, among other things. Typography is one of the key elements of a great book cover, and the cover determines whether or not your book can attract readers in the first place.

Choosing the right typeface helps your book cover catch a reader’s eye and give them an idea of what it’s about. In 2023, book cover typography trends range from bold and modern to classic and elegant. Understanding these trends is important for any author who wants their book to get noticed.

In this article, we analyzed the covers of the most popular books of the year and made a list of the most current trends for you to explore:

  • Bold Serif Fonts
  • Minimalist Typography
  • Sans-Serif Fonts with Clean Lines
  • Prominent Typography over Busy Backgrounds
  • Hand-Drawn Letters and Illustrations
  • Retro Elements and Nostalgia
  • No Text Hierarchy
  • Final Thoughts

Bold Serif Fonts

Bold serif fonts are a strong trend in book cover design for 2023. Serifs are the little strokes or “feet” at the ends of letters. Serif fonts on book covers often aim to present a serious or authoritative image. They’re perfect for genres like history, biographies, or any subject where the author wants to establish trust with the reader.

The Wager by David Grann uses a weighty serif font, matching its intense themes, while Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor’s textured serif hints at a complex, layered story. Both covers use bold serif fonts to command attention and promise engaging content. 

If you’re considering a serif font for your book cover, think about what the style of the letters says about your book. Is it formal? Traditional? Choose a font that matches the message you want to convey. The right font not only draws readers in but also tells them what kind of book they’re picking up.

Minimalist Typography

Minimalist typography is about keeping things simple and clean. This style uses basic fonts without extra details and usually has a lot of white space on the cover. It’s great for making a book look modern and easy to read. This trend works well for many kinds of books, from novels to non-fiction, because it appeals to a wide range of readers.

For instance, Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond and Yellowface by R.F. Kuang are good examples of this trend. Their covers have straightforward fonts and lots of space, which draws attention to the book titles and authors. 

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

PG admits to playing with fonts and using them in a variety ways on some of his non-TPV projects, but he can’t get as intellectual as the author of the OP does about font selection.

He liked all of the covers discussed in the OP (there are a lot more interesting examples at the OP), but he doesn’t look at the covers and think, “That’s modern and clean. It fits perfectly with the contents of the book.”

In PG’s modern and clean opinion, the job of the cover is to catch the eye of the potential purchaser, to stop them scrolling through Amazon or, less likely, walking down the aisle of a bookstore.

He admits that some visual styles might not work with certain types of books.

For example,

doesn’t suggest a Civil War History to PG.

Nor does

communicate the the contents of the book talks about the Uniform Commercial Code. (That said, in a law school bookstore – physical or online – a lawbook cover like the above would certainly stand out.)

Literary Alchemy: The Essence of Eye-Catching Book Covers

From Nessgraphica:

Picture this: a bookstore with shelves lined with books, each vying for attention. What makes one stand out from the rest? The initial magnetism that draws a reader in is undoubtedly the book cover. It’s the handshake, the introduction, the first date with a story yet untold. A book’s cover is its emissary, conveying the essence of its narrative in a single visual breath.

Imagine investing months, if not years, in crafting the perfect story, only to have it veiled in a lackluster cover. The unfortunate reality is that readers do judge a book by its cover, and that initial judgment can dictate whether they embark on the journey within or continue their search elsewhere.

Design: The Silent Narrator

A well-designed book cover serves as a silent narrator, offering a glimpse into the world of characters and landscapes that lie within the pages. It sets the tone, hints at the genre, and sparks curiosity. In essence, it’s the gateway to the story’s soul.

Consider the choice of color—a subtle dance that evokes emotions and sets the mood. Typography becomes the voice, conveying the narrative’s tempo and style. Imagery, carefully selected, whispers promises of adventure, love, mystery, or whatever the tale may hold.

. . . .

When seeking the perfect designer, the portfolio becomes a window into their artistry. A great portfolio showcases versatility, creativity, and an ability to adapt to diverse genres. It’s a visual journey through their past collaborations, revealing the depth of their understanding and their capacity to breathe life into a variety of narratives.

Authors are urged to scrutinize a designer’s portfolio with a discerning eye. Look for covers that resonate with your genre, but also examine their ability to infuse fresh perspectives into each project. An exceptional designer can capture the essence of a thriller as deftly as they can evoke the whimsy of a romance.

. . . .

The magic happens when authors and designers embark on a collaborative journey, each contributing their expertise to create a masterpiece. It’s a partnership where communication flows seamlessly, ideas dance in harmony, and the shared goal is to birth a cover that not only attracts but resonates with the intended audience.

. . . .

The beauty of literary alchemy lies in the synergy between words and visuals. A compelling book cover is not a mere accessory but a profound expression of the narrative it guards. It captures attention, stirs emotions, and becomes an ambassador for the story within.

Link to the rest at Nessgraphica

8 Easy Ways To Use Book Mockups To Market Your Books

From The Book Designer:

Contrary to the popular axiom, many in the book community do judge books by their covers. Book covers are the first, and often most lasting impression of a book. 

Beyond simply conveying the title and author, a well-designed book cover captures the essence of the story, establishes the book’s genre, and entices potential readers. This makes it a powerful tool for branding and marketing, influencing readers’ perceptions and sparking interest on bookstore shelves and/or online platforms.

However, authors and designers alike have taken book covers a step further. Instead of using a simple image of a book cover, they now use book mockups — a realistic representation of how a cover design will appear in various formats, including paperback, hardcover, and digital versions. 

. . . .

What Are Book Mockups?

A book mockup is a visual representation of your book’s cover and spine design, presented in a realistic manner. It’s used to give your target audience an idea of what the final printed or digital book will look like in a three-dimensional context. 

Book mockups give you (an author, publisher, or designer) the opportunity to assess the design’s aesthetics and make any necessary adjustments. They also allow you to showcase and promote your book cover before the actual printing or publication. They invoke excitement among potential readers, reminding them to keep an eye out for your publication date so they can buy your book.

1. Social Media Teasers

With billions of users worldwide, social media platforms are a great channel to promote your book. However, it can be hard to stand out among all the other content posted by authors who are also trying to market their books. 

Book mockups can help you grab (and keep) the attention of potential readers, building anticipation and generating interest in your book. To use them effectively, share high-quality and visually appealing mockups of your book cover and spine on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). Include captivating captions, quotes, or snippets from the book to give more context and encourage audience engagement.

2. Website and Blog Graphics

If you own a website or blog, you can incorporate your book mockups into the homepage, banners, sidebars, or dedicated sections — preferably with a short summary of what the book is about. This will draw your site visitors’ attention and entice them to explore further. 

. . . .

5. Book Launch Announcements

During your book launch, you can use your book mockup to create stunning visuals for your announcement on your website, social media profiles, and other relevant platforms. Use the book mockup as the central visual element, accompanied by details about the launch event, promotions, or other special offers. 

Sharing the news with an attractive representation of your book cover helps build excitement and encourages potential readers to attend the launch and buy your book.

6. Author Interviews and Features

When participating in interviews or features you can provide journalists, bloggers, and influencers with high-quality mockups of your book to accompany videos, posts, or articles. This ensures a cohesive and recognizable visual representation of your book across various media outlets. 

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

The 25 Most Iconic Book Covers of All Time

From Book Riot:

When it comes to lists of the most iconic book covers of all time, I am not always impressed with what titles turn up again and again. And I’m ready to take the heat for leaving some of your faves off this list. Here’s my first question for others compiling these lists. Are the covers of books like To Kill a Mockingbird or The Catcher in the Rye really that iconic? Or are they stuck in your mind because you’ve seen them a million times thanks to their status as school curriculum standards? Let’s not peak in high school, folks.

Moreover, why do we seem to celebrate only the covers for books considered literary masterpieces of the 20th century, with a focus on midcentury design? Certainly there are iconic book covers from that era, and you’ll see some below. But there’s more to lionize in the history of design than this singular period and genre. I want to take a wider view.

I’m also not afraid to assert that some of the most iconic book covers have just come out. Because if we don’t believe that at least some of the best things ever to be made are being made right now, be they book covers, movies, music, or literature, then what is the point of making anything? I’d rather take a brave stance here and be proven wrong in the future than go with the same old choices everyone makes. Believe me, there are still plenty of safe choices on this list. So without any further ado, and in no particular order, the most iconic book covers of all time.

. . . .

How recognizable is this cover design by S. Neil Fujita, with illustration by John Kashiwabara? So iconic that you can buy any number of T-shirts that spoof its design. To name a few, you can acquire a shirt to claim you are: The Rodfather (with a fisherman casting instead of marionette strings), The Dogfather (bones as marionette sticks), The Gabagool (for the fans of cured meats), or The Godmother (it’s pink).


Talk about iconic! Milton Charles designed the paperback, whose silver foil-embossed cover has a die-cut hole representing the house’s attic. When the cover is opened, a full page painting called a stepback reveals the creepy family, illustrated by Gillian Hills. It’s lurid and voyeuristic in the best possible way. The rest of the Dollanganger series received a similarly iconic treatment. If you come across an old copy that has the cutout and the stepback — later printings don’t have the hole in the cover — you’re a lucky duck.


You know a book cover is iconic when it can be ported from book to movie franchise to theme park rides with ease. This cover by renowned designer Chip Kidd is a quintessential example of this.

Link to the rest at Book Riot

The Best Fiction vs Nonfiction Book Covers: Ways They Differ

From The Book Designer:

In the vibrant world of book publishing, the first thing that comes to mind, I’m sure, when any of us think of design is the book cover! It’s the main element of any fiction or nonfiction piece that immediately turns heads and makes a statement all at once. 

It’s worth noting that there are subtle distinctions when it comes to fiction vs nonfiction book covers. While nonfiction books focus on displaying useful and persuasive information on the front (think autobiographies and history books), fiction books can be a lot more expressive with colors, fonts, imagery and so on. 

. . . .

Fiction vs Nonfiction Book Covers: The Big Difference

Fiction and nonfiction book covers have very different missions to accomplish, and recognizing these different paths is the first step to crafting the perfect introduction to your work. 

Fiction Book Covers:

Imagination, mystery, and the alluring call to a different world; these are the hallmarks of a compelling fiction book cover. 

With the main aim being to reflect the book’s tone and genre and to evoke curiosity, these covers often leave a lot to the imagination. The design elements are less restricted, urging readers to delve deeper and discover the story within. 

You’ll find that titles are concise and descriptions are almost non-existent, allowing the visual elements to play a more significant role in persuading readers to pick it off the shelf. 

Nonfiction Book Covers:

On the flip side, nonfiction book covers adopt a more straightforward approach, serving readers a clear picture of what to expect inside. 

This no-nonsense approach consists of a rich spread of information, longer titles with descriptive subtitles to offer readers a clear snapshot of the valuable insights awaiting them. While the storytelling element takes a backseat, the design leans towards minimalism with a preference for neutral tones, creating a clean and focused entry point that prioritizes information and clarity over mystery.

Understanding these foundational differences is pivotal in crafting a cover that not only resonates with your target audience but beautifully houses the heart of your literary masterpiece! 

What Readers Expect: Nonfiction Book Cover Design Elements

Understanding your audience’s expectations is a cardinal rule in book cover design. Let’s delve into what readers anticipate when they pick up a book from either genre:

Nonfiction Book Covers:

A nonfiction book cover must reflect the substantial and educative content it houses. It needs to exude a sense of authority and expertise, promising the reader a journey of learning and growth. Here are the key elements to focus on:

  • Detailed Titles and Subtitles: Go for long titles and accompanying subtitles that lucidly convey the book’s essence, offering a clear insight into what the reader can expect.
  • Minimalistic Graphic Elements: Stick to a linear and rational theme with minimal graphics to maintain a focused and serious demeanor.
  • Bold and Formal Typography: Employ typography that is both bold and formal, facilitating easy readability while also commanding respect and attention.
  • Centered Messaging: Place the central message or title in the direct eyeline to instantly grab attention and convey the core theme succinctly.
  • Volume and Version Details: If applicable, include details like volume number and version to offer readers a sense of the book’s place in a series or its updated content.
  • Neutral Color Palette: Leverage a palette grounded in neutral tones, avoiding vibrant hues that might potentially diminish the gravity of the topic at hand.

. . . .

What Readers Expect: Fiction Book Cover Design Elements

Crafting the perfect cover for a fiction book comes with a lot of freedom to play, to imagine, and to lure your readers into the world you’ve crafted within the pages. Think of it like an open canvas It’s an open canvas where you can illustrate your story through vivid imagery, bold colors, and evocative typography. Let’s explore the design elements that can help your fiction book cover become an irresistible pick:

  • Strategic Color Scheme: While the spectrum of colors is wide, it’s wise to narrow down your choice to up to three complementary colors that echos your book’s tone, genre, and essence. Use these chosen hues not just in the backdrop but also in the titles to create a harmonized visual appeal.
  • Creative Visual Imagery: Whether it’s unveiling the mysterious protagonist of your sequel to evoke a sense of familiarity or crafting bespoke illustrations, leveraging visual imagery allows you to strike a chord with your audience right from the first glance.
  • Title Readability: Amidst the expected noise of colors and visuals, ensure that your book title remains the hero. It should be easily conveyed, inviting readers to delve deeper into the story that awaits.
  • Dual Typeface Play: Play around with a dual typeface strategy where the main title and the supplementary information like the author’s name are rendered in distinct but complementary fonts, enhancing visual interest and hierarchy.
  • Background Storytelling: Your background is not just a canvas but a storyteller. Think of it as a preview of the genre, For example, darker visuals for action-packed mysteries or a serene landscape for a heartwarming tale.

Embrace the creative freedom that fiction book cover design offers and craft a visual narrative that is as captivating as the story inside!

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

The OP includes several examples of non-fiction and fiction book covers the author of the OP regards as examples of effective cover design.

The Back Cover of a Book: Just as Important as the Front Cover?

From The Book Designer:

Does the design of the back cover of a book really matter?

Since the front cover of a book is usually the first thing a reader sees, there’s often a heavy focus on making sure that the front cover stands out, “pops,” does cartwheels, and jumps through as many hoops as necessary to get noticed. 

Unfortunately, book back covers often get the short end of the stick with only a focus on the essentials:

  • the tagline
  • blurb
  • author bio
  • testimonials
  • publisher details
  • barcode information

This information is useful and essential, but there’s some flexibility in how and where these details are placed, and depending on how creative your back book cover design is.

. . . .

Why Does the Back Cover of a Book Matter?

The back cover of a book is the extension of the front cover and spine, but the three are sometimes disjointed as if the front cover is one book and the back cover is another. When a potential reader picks up your book and flips it over to read the summary, there’s only a single opportunity to pull them in: with words. But, when the book’s back cover design creates an atmosphere that pulls the reader in, the odds begin to stack in your favor that they’ll make it to page one. 

With over 4 million books published in 2022, authors are facing a new set of challenges in a flooded book market. 

Quality and creativity, not to mention a great story, are the most important differentiators from the sea of sameness that plagues virtual and brick-and-mortar bookshelves everywhere. 

What Are the Parts of a Book’s Back Cover?

The Tagline and Blurb

Similar to a company tagline, a book’s tagline is a sentence or two that piques your interest and gets you to continue reading. It’s the statement that tells you to prepare yourself for what is to come. It is designed to get you to keep reading. The tagline is usually in a larger, bold font above the blurb. 

The blurb, on the other hand, is the teaser that sets the stage for what’s on the inside of the book. It can be a plot summary, dialogue between characters, or a conversation with the reader.

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

In fiction, taglines and blurbs are centered around the characters and the book’s plot. In nonfiction, the tagline and blurb focus on what problem the book provides a solution to or what new or interesting information will be gleaned from the content.

Author Bio

Author bios are third-person accounts of an author’s background. Bios are a great way to share pertinent information that will endear readers to the author by establishing trust. 

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Whether fiction or nonfiction, an author’s bio offers details about the author that the author wants to share. This can include biographical information, honors and awards, education, work history, the names of books written, or a combination of them all. Many bios will include website details and a photo. 

Testimonials

Testimonials are book reviews from first readers that are added to the cover for social proof. Only the best reviews or reviews from prominent sources are placed on the cover.

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

In fiction, testimonials are usually about the story, the characters, and the feelings the book evoked. Nonfiction testimonials center around the quality of the information shared and in what ways it helped the reader.

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

How to Design a Book Cover that Grabs Readers’ Attention in 7 Steps

From The Book Designer:

What makes a great book cover? It depends on who you ask but most will agree that you just know a great cover when you see it. Love them or hate them, every great book cover design evokes a feeling.

Learning how to design a book cover that sells is more than a skill set or good taste. It’s also developing a listening ear to the needs of your reader. 

The standout qualities of an engaging book cover include:

  • Attention to detail
  • Cohesiveness of elements
  • The feeling it evokes
  • The ability to tell a great story visually
  • Piques curiosity

When it comes to book design, as the author, your opinion matters but it’s not the most important one. 

Book buyers have cover expectations and will bypass your book if it doesn’t fit into their framework or grab their attention in some other way.

You can have the best content in the world inside of your book. But if your book cover doesn’t attract the right audience, or your ideal customer, then it’s not going to get the sales that it deserves.

In the following 7 steps, we’ll look at how to design a book cover that gets buy-in from potential readers:

  • 1. Do the Unexpected
  • 2. Select the Right Fonts
  • 3. Select the Right Imagery
  • 4. Create a Hierarchy of Elements
  • 5. Colors Matter
  • 6. Tell a story
  • 7. Show Sensitivity to the Subject Matter

1. Do the Unexpected

Playing it safe means blending into the crowd. Before you publish your book, you have an opportunity to explore all of the possibilities of great cover design (regardless of budget) to uncover what could make your book a bit more special than the next.

In this article, we touched on how and when to break the rules of genre-based cover design to create something engaging and unexpected. It’s possible to honor the expectations of the genre and still engage your reader in a surprising way. This can be done by reinterpreting the conventions of the genre by putting a creative spin on it. 

. . .

Stay within the basic genre guidelines, whether fantasy, romance, business, or historical. Be open to breaking the rules when you have a good grasp of the whys behind them. 

2. Select the Right Fonts

In most cases, you’ll want to use a maximum of two or three fonts. The right typography can be the difference between a cover that looks sharp and professional and one that looks cheap and homemade, so choose wisely. 

. . . .

3. Select the Right Imagery

When adding imagery to your cover, you can choose between original photography, illustrations, stock photos, or AI-generated artwork. The key is to find an image that reflects the theme of your book and fits the genre.

. . . .

4. Create a Hierarchy of Elements

Move the reader’s eye to where you want it to go by increasing the size of the element you want to stand out the most (e.g., author name, book title, or imagery). Alternative elements to utilize for creating visual hierarchy include contrast and color.

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

PG notes that the OP has many more illustrations than PG has used here as well as several more steps.

He also notes that, contra the old saying, online or in a physical bookstore, everyone makes preliminary judgments about what books they’re going to examine based in large part on the cover. As a general proposition, the human gaze notes images more than text when looking at a wide range of potential choices.

Best Fantasy Book Covers Of 2023: 7 Tips To Inspire

From The Book Designer:

The best fantasy book covers of 2023 are in and they are spell-binding. Book covers are one of the first key factors that either draw readers in or turn them away. Because of this, it’s crucial to get them right.

While we’ve all likely been told not to judge a book by its cover, the truth is, most of us probably do. That’s why today we are looking at the best fantasy book covers of 2023.

I discuss the various aspects that go into a standout cover design, seven of the covers that particularly stand out from 2023, and how you can use these gorgeous designs to inspire your own.

Whether you choose to traditionally publish your book and hope to have some part in the book design process, or choose to self-publish your novel and will design it yourself, you can learn from these tips. The best fantasy book covers of 2023 cover a variety of sub-genres.

But don’t forget, no matter what genre you write, there are always takeaways from authors who design well. Fantastical elements will appear more otherworldly, as they should, but each cover below depicts a level of familiarity that draws readers in.

I shouldn’t get ahead of myself though! Let’s lay the foundation as to why fantasy covers matter, and then dive in to discussing some of the best fantasy book covers of 2023.

7 Best Fantasy Book Covers Of 2023: Design And Inspiration

Your story’s plot plays a tremendous role in the type of cover you design. If your fantasy is a space opera and centers on a love triangle, you should use different fonts and colors than if you write a dark, medieval fantasy. Notice how plot plays a role in seven of the best fantasy book covers of 2023. 

#1 – Path of the Dragon: An Arthurian Fairytale Retelling

Jason Hamilton released his novel, Path of the Dragon, in April of 2023. He sets his story in sixth century England and casts Princess Una as his 18-year-old protagonist, fighting for a feeling of safety. The sole survivor of a dragon attack, the story centers on her treacherous journey to restore her stronghold. 

His cover features a golden emblem in the shape of a dragon, with the background completely black. Flecks of glowing green add life to what feels like a daunting story. 

#2 – The Terraformers

This futuristic epic by Annalee Newitz is the story of Destry. Her focus takes a dramatic shift when she discovers an entire people group previously unknown to her—living inside a volcano. Questions arise as she pursues the truth of their existence and her own. 

The cover features a futuristic city filling the entire right half of the cover and a vertical, not horizontal, title. The left half of the cover shows a river that dumps into a lake…leading to a volcano. Without even reading the back cover copy you’re likely to have a great idea of this book’s story. 

#3 – Star Bringer

Written by Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft, this new release is a futuristic fantasy set in a dystopian world. Filled with aliens, a dying sun, and tasked with saving the universe…seven surprising heroes, better known as misfits, must step up to the challenge. 

A soft, violet-blue and pink color palette are the feature colors of this third title in the best fantasy book covers of 2023. Space often feels blue, ethereal, and enthralling, and this cover communicates each of these aspects meticulously. 

#4 – Untethered Sky

Brought to you by award-winning author Fonda Lee, this fantasy fable stars Ester. Ester is a girl who’s been orphaned by her mother’s death and haunted by her baby brother’s murder. Her life takes a new focus—killing the monsters who killed everyone in her family, except her father. 

Fables are known for telling important tales throughout history, and this cover looks like it was taken right out of the time period itself. Neutral colors and a watercolor like image of Ester, with a massive bird above her, make you want to immediately open to page one.

Link to the rest at The Book Designer

When Your Publisher Gets the Cover Wrong—Very Wrong

From Jane Friedman:

This story starts about eight years ago, with the arrival of a much anticipated email from the publishing house where the first edition of my book, Good Naked: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier, was in production. Wrote the marketing coordinator:

Dear Joni,

Attached is the final version of the cover design for Good Naked, which the designer has asked me to pass along to you. Please note that the white gridlines are watermarks that won’t be present in the finished product…

Even now, years later, I get aftershocks thinking about the first time I opened the attachment and saw that cover design. There, filling my screen, was the image of a naked woman’s body, full-frontal, lingering in the shadows against a smoky backdrop. She was cut off from the neck up and knees down. Against the dark backdrop, two pink circles (representing the Os in the book’s title) drew the eye to the woman’s breasts. Her slender fingers formed a V, framing her pubis. And just below her private parts, spread across her silken thighs, was my book’s subtitle—How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier.

In summary, the proposed cover for my book—a cheerful and practical writing guide based on my decades of experience as an author and teacher—depicted a nude, headless woman, beckoning book browsers from the shadows like a back-alley sex worker.

Here, I feel compelled to state that I have nothing against back-alley sex workers. I also will concede that, yes, my writing guide has the word “naked” in its title, but so do a lot of other books, like Naked Statistics, which has a pie chart on its cover. So, when the designer saw the title of my manuscript, what made him think of soft porn? Why did he design a cover better suited to an entirely different type of book, say Fifty Shades of Writing?

I reread the email to make sure I had not misunderstood.

Final version of the cover…Please note that the white gridlines

Could the marketing coordinator who had written this email to me be any more misguided? How could she think that a few barely perceptible gridlines on the enclosed image would be my primary concern, when there was my name—Joni B. Cole—attached to a work suggesting much more for sale than writing advice?

This story comes to mind as I think about feedback during the publishing process. In this situation, I, the author, was the one tasked with providing feedback, despite being told the cover design was “final” and despite my fear of consequences. I worried that my book was already on a tight production schedule. Could the designer refuse to make changes? If I refused his refusal, could the publisher delay my book’s release, or even pull it from their list? Would I end up blacklisted from the industry, a note on my file listing me as unpleasant, uncooperative, and unwilling to do nudity?

All sorts of worries, real and irrational, cluttered my thinking. But, given the situation, I felt like I had no choice but to reject this cover wholesale. I imagined my new release displayed in the creative-writing section of my daughter’s college bookstore. (And she thought I had embarrassed her in the past!) For moral support, I showed the cover to a few friends, seeking their reactions:

“Is this a joke?”

“Whoa! I thought maybe you’d been exaggerating.”

“Is it me, or is that woman about to get busy with herself?”

The only positive comment about the cover came from my friend Dan. “It’s not that bad,” he shrugged. “Maybe it will sell some books.”

Yeah, right, I thought, and maybe people will assume those are my silken thighs. But that doesn’t make it right.

My friend Dan did make a valid point. Helping a book sell is indeed one of the main considerations when designing its cover. Depending on your publishing contract, you may not have much, or any, say in the final design, and that isn’t completely unreasonable.

. . . .

In case you are curious about what happened to that naked woman on the “final” cover of my writing guide, here is the rest of the story. As soon as I saw that image, I called my editor in a state of high dudgeon. As it turns out, he shared my low opinion of the cover choice, but the designer had voted him down. “Don’t sweat it for now,” my editor told me. “Marketing is on your side as well.” This begged the question: Who was this designer with such sway he could override both my editor and the folks in marketing?

Weeks passed. My print date drew near. Each time I checked in on my sex worker, I was told that the designer remained reluctant to remove her from my cover. As a seasoned author, I am not afraid to speak my mind, but I am also not big on ultimatums. “Replace that cover—or me and my book are walking!” For me, it still feels like a miracle when a publisher accepts my work. It was unfathomable to think I would do anything to jeopardize my “forthcoming release,” two words I love dropping into every conversation. But I just couldn’t accept that cover. This felt bigger than a battle over design. This had the stink of misogyny.

Finally, I got word. Fifty Shades of Writing was no more—I would see a new cover option for Good Naked by the end of the day. This news came in the form of an email from the same marketing coordinator who, weeks earlier, had sent along the original design

Link to the rest at Jane Friedman

Publisher Logos: 7 Amazing Examples To Inspire Your Design 

From The Book Designer:

Publisher logos are a part of the writing process that are often overlooked. However, logos are an integral part of marketing and alerting readers to the credibility behind your book. While logos may seem like a simplistic piece of art, they are much more important than we often realize.

In this article, I discuss what they are, if you should make your own, and provide examples of real ones.

Whether you choose to traditionally publish or self-publish, incorporating a logo with your final manuscript can help you in a myriad of ways. 

Yes, writers often pursue writing because they love the writing part of the creative process. It’s crucial to keep in mind that there are other creative aspects that largely influence your success as an author. Publisher logos are one such aspect. If you’re ready to dive in, let’s get started!

. . . .

What Are Publisher Logos?

Publisher logos are emblems that represent the brand of the publisher. Publisher logos help identify one publisher from the next. They act as an easily recognizable piece of art that categorizes books according to the publisher.

Every book that a publisher puts into the marketplace will have a publisher logo. You will often find publisher logos on the title page of a book and frequently on the book’s spine as well. 

A publisher logo helps people place the book with the publisher with a simple glance at the spine. It acts as a finishing touch to the product. 

Fun fact: One of the first pages of the book, often called a colophon or copyright page, is full of details like:

  • Copyright
  • Publication information 
  • Legal disclaimers 

Back when scribes wrote every copy of every book by hand, they used this section to make little notes about how tough it was to transcribe a text by hand. In fact, the word colophon is actually from Greek via Latin and originally meant “finishing touch.”

With this in mind, the next important question to ask is if you should make your own publisher logo. If you choose to self-publish rather than traditionally publish, should you add your own finishing touch to your book?

Should You Make Your Own?

If you want to give your book the best chance of selling, creating your own publisher logo is an important step in the process. Publisher logos are an important part of marketing. After all, branding is what differentiates your book from all others.

The more detail you put into your author brand, branding your book, and marketing this brand to your potential readers, the better chance you have for selling copies.

Creating your own publisher logo is not as difficult as it may sound. Consider the following options: 

#1 – Use Canva

Canva is a great platform for creating publisher logos and offers both a free and paid version. If you have an eye for graphic design and understand branding, you may want to try your hand at creating your own publisher logo.

#2 – Hirer A Graphic Designer 

If you aren’t as confident in the graphic design space, your best option may be to hire someone to design several publisher logos for you to choose from. Before making the hire, be sure that you do your proper research: ask other writers for feedback on the designers they have used and be sure to look at reviews.

#3 – Go Hybrid 

On the other hand, maybe you  have a vision for the type of publisher logo you want to use but you aren’t quite sure how to manifest it. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of both your own creative bent and the professionalism of a graphic designer.

Simply use Canva or another such platform to create a mock-up of the design you want to use. Next, reach out to designers and ask if they can work with your template. Once you find the right designer for your project, collaborate until you create a logo you love.

Examples Of Real Ones 

Sometimes it helps to see examples of what has been done to inspire your creativity and help you create something new. Of course, we should never copy a previous publisher logo, but it’s perfectly acceptable to draw inspiration from logos. 

#1 – Penguin Press

Penguin Press has a great, simple logo featuring, of course, a penguin! This publisher uses white, black, and orange to create an easily recognizable logo that will fit on books’ spines. 

#2 – Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House, one of the “big five” traditional publishing houses and over Penguin Press, features a very simple publisher logo. In fact, it’s so simple it may appear on-the-nose. However, their logo reinforces their brand name and is one to learn from!

#3 – Victory Publishing

Victory Publishing takes a spin on line art for its logo. An open book, created by what looks like possibly just one line, adds a simplistic spin to what we often recognize as a traditional book logo. A simple font includes the name of the publisher and when it was established (2014). 

#4 – Open Book Publishers 

This publisher breaks the trend by using blue rather than the traditional black color for their logo. An open book comprises the entirety of their logo: Simple, to the point, with hard lines. 

Link to the rest at The Book Designer