NaNoWriMo Day 28 - Book Covers

Thursday 28th November - Book Covers

The first thing that people see of your book is the book spine. The next thing is the book cover. Then the back cover, with the blurb, then a sample of pages. Your book has to pass the test each time in order to be bought.

When I teach my class about book spines, and book covers, I explain how a reader will subconsciously try and persuade themselves not to buy the book. It's a crazy thing!

So, while it's important to write a fantastic book, it's also important to ensure you have the correct cover.

Now, I'm not going to say that you can't design the cover yourself. I seen some fantastic homemade covers...but I've also seen some terrible ones. The first piece of advice is one of the best:

* Look at other book covers in your genre!

Covers portray a certain type of book, so pay particular attention to books in the same genre that you write. Obviously don't copy, but look through some of the bestselling books and see if you can pick up any similarities between them!

* Don't forget the spine and back cover!

Unless you are publishing an ebook without a paperback, you'll need a spine and back cover too. The best book covers I've seen have the background image continuing over the entire cover. Don't make the mistake of just having a solid colour for the spine and back cover - it's just not as interesting.

* Pay close attention to the font!

The font that you use for the title and author name can make or break a book cover. Try and find a font that is quite individual (providing it is copyright free, of course). Generally, the fonts that look great for the inside of the book are not the best ones to use for the cover. Use a maximum of two fonts on the front cover, and make sure it is clearly readable.

* If unsure, pay a designer!

I love getting someone else to design my front covers. It's just so exciting receiving the finished product! And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either. I have used a cover designer on Fiverr three times now, and she is just superb. Her profile can be found here!

* Make sure your book cover looks good small!

This is a piece of advice I've heard a lot on the Internet, and it's so true! Don't forget when people search for your book online, they only see a thumbnail size of your book cover. Check it looks good by simply zooming out on your computer.

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