How important is a book cover when self-publishing my story?
As an author that's about to self-publish their book, there are a lot of things to think about. One of the most important - believe it or not - is your book cover. Even though you'll (most likely) only be selling your book digitally as an epub, mobi, or PDF, a book cover is the first thing potential readers will see as they browse your website or Amazon Kindle listing. It's what will make them decide whether or not to pick up your book and give it a chance. We're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but the average reader and book-buyer definitely does!
A good book cover will grab attention and make people want to learn more about your story. A bad book cover will turn people away, no matter how good your book might be. You can used sites such as Canva largely for free to try your hand at cover design, or to at least get a place-holder.
But if you're not confident in your own design skills, it's worth hiring a professional graphic designer to create a professional-looking cover for you. It doesn't have to be expensive - there are many great designers on Fiverr or 99designs that can create a beautiful, eye-catching cover within your budget. It's worth the investment, because a great book cover can mean the difference between selling 10 copies and 10,000 copies of your book.
Here are some things to keep in mind when designing or commissioning your book cover:
1. Keep the cover design simple
You want potential readers to be able to see what your book is about at a glance. A busy or confusing book cover will just turn people away.
2. Use strong imagery from your book
Your book cover should be eye-catching and visually appealing. Think about what kind of image or images would best represent your book's content and theme.
3. Use colors that pop
Again, you want your book cover to stand out from the crowd. Avoid using muted colors or too much black, white, and gray
4. Make it eye-catching
Your book cover should be eye-catching and visually appealing. Use colors, images, and text that will stand out and grab attention. Avoid using generic stock photos - instead, try to find unique or interesting images that fit with your story.
5. Use strong typography that matches your book's theme
The text on your bookcover is just as important as the image. Make sure the font is easy to read, and use a font size that will be legible even when the cover is shrunk down to thumbnail size. Think about using bold or italicized text to add emphasis.
6. Keep your audience in mind
When designing your book cover, always keep your target audience in mind. What kind of colors, images, and text will appeal to them? What will make them want to pick up your book and give it a chance?
7. Hire a professional
As mentioned, if you're not confident in your own design skills, it's worth hiring a professional graphic designer to create a beautiful, eye-catching cover for you. And there's no shame in this! After all, there's a reason it's an entire profession!