How much area does each design cover?
Answers
bound to be impressed by the amount of creative energy in all of the book covers and overwhelmed as to how her own is going to stand out. One way or another, it’s going to have to.
Describe the image in a couple words
Via by Nevergohungry
It’s common knowledge by now that readers shop with their eyes. They look for familiarity but simultaneously yearn for surprise—for something that is new and refreshing. They want a book they can be proud to hold on the subway or read on their e-reader. So many books are published each year—a good book design must communicate that the pages within are worth a reader’s time and attention.
In the Ultimate Guide to Book Design, we’ll take a look at how to get your book cover to tell readers a story before they even crack open the first page.
Before you start your book design
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Questions to answer
Who is the author and what is his or her brand?
The author wrote the book. The design process must start with them. If the author is a debut, they might be figuring this out at the same time. Are they young and upcoming or established and trusted? Do they have previous books that have already established an expectation of what a cover should look like?
Does the genre (Sci-fi, romance, horror, etc) have an established style?
Commercial fiction are books that fall solidly in one genre. Examples of commercial (or “genre”) fiction are romance, thrillers, fantasy, horror and science-fiction. These genres have cover design styles that were established decades ago. Since the goal of your cover is to sell books, the cover of a commercial title should follow, or at least evoke, the standard bearers of its particle genre. A planet (that’s not earth) sends a clear message of science-fiction; a couple sends romantic vibes. A desolate landscape can be fantasy or dystopian. The key is to embrace the expected and find a way to create something surprising and new.
>> Learn more on how to design book covers for any genre
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A lovely cover by L1graphics that stays true to the recognized historical elements while still feeling fresh, modern and cinematic.
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The covers for VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic tip their hat to the fantasy stylings while also building a recognizable, gorgeous brand that is all their own. Via Bookriot.
Literary books most often straddle one or more of these genres and are defined by high-quality writing and profound human stories.
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Literary covers that give little away in terms of plot–but don’t you still want to read them? Via LitHub.
“Up-market” titles are books that are well-written while also retaining the readability and accessibility of genre. They are often popular choices for reading programs and bookclubs because they are enjoyable reads that also have powerful themes that spur conversation. Their covers often blend elements from literary and genre to draw interest from the largest possible audience.
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A selection of up-market covers via Pinterest.
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The cover of The Martian employs a light genre touch from the science-fiction style while being attractive enough to not alienate average readers without an interest in hard sci-fi.
Where will the book be sold?
Where a book will be sold can have a great impact on its design. With the recent rise in e-readers, some authors choose an eBook only path, eschewing the printed format entirely. Design will be different if the book will only be sold on Amazon as a thumbnail. Text has to be larger and more eye-catching as a consumer scrolls through hundreds of titles on a screen. A print book will live on a shelf in a bookstore where the consumer can pick it up, flip through it, and have a more tactile experience.
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Christmas book cover design for graemesb. Via B&J.
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An eye-catching design by Meella that would pop whether it was used in print or as an ebook.
Information to collect
Format
Ask first if the book cover be used in print, eBook or both? This is relevant for the design notes mentioned above and also because print and web use different color spaces. If the book will be print, find out which format and size.
Formats include: paperback, hardback or casebound. Hardbacks can be made with dust-jackets or with the cover images printed directly on the boards. Books can be almost any size a designer can dream up, but it’s wise to really think about what’s best for the book before arbitrarily selecting a size. The smaller the trim size the less words per page. A 300 page book will get extremely thick if designed too small, while a larger book needs to be a good length to not feel flimsy and more like a magazine or bookle