Eight Steps for Creating a Grade A Book Cover
By Chris Olsen
More than 4 million new book titles are released each year. That means it’s not enough to write a great book—you have to design a great book as well. A well-designed book stands out in a crowded marketplace and attracts the attention of your ideal readers. It lets readers know what to expect as they dig into your book and lends authority to you as an author.
Most self-published books don’t meet publishing industry standards for production, including cover design. Publish Her has been recognized multiple times by Publishers Weekly magazine as a grade A publisher for cover design, book design and typography. We are also an official partner member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, which means our books meet or exceed publishing industry standards.
Here are eight steps for creating a grade A book cover. We’ve used Angie Mizzell’s memoir, “Girl in the Spotlight,” as an example:
1. Pinpoint the style.
While the author’s style preference is important, equally as important is the book’s genre. We ask authors to provide a list of 10 book covers from comparable titles in their genre that represent their style and to describe it. Angie included books such as “Happiness” by Heather Harpham and “Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro on her list and described her style as “simple, clean, welcoming and inspiring” and “bright and hopeful in a low-key way.” Angie’s website, which she launched just before her publishing journey began, also provided a visual representation of her style.
2. Identify the theme.
The cover should relay the spirit of the book and provide a glimpse of what’s inside. As a child, Angie performed on an imaginary stage in front of family members. The positive feedback she received led her to pursue a career in the spotlight as a television broadcaster. The theme identified for Angie’s cover was “performing,” and we explored two concepts—a young girl performing for her family and a newly minted television reporter broadcasting live.
3. Determine the trim size.
The book’s trim size affects the number of words on the page and ultimately the number of pages in the book. While there are dozens of print book trim sizes available through self-publishing platforms, the most common sizes are 5 by 8 inches, 5.5 by 8.5 inches and 6 by 9 inches. Angie opted for a less conventional 5.25-by-8-inch trim size for the softcover version of her book and a 5.5-by-8.5-inch trim size for the hardcover version.
4. Select the images/graphics.
Regardless of the medium selected for the cover—illustration or photography—it must be licensed for publishing and the imagery must fit the book’s genre. Based on Angie’s style and the book’s theme, we determined photography would work best. We considered some of Angie’s personal photos, but the dimensions and resolution of those images were not ideal for a book cover. We explored options from dozens of professional photographs and narrowed it down to two that were high resolution and could be licensed.
5. Select the typeface/fonts.
As with imagery, the fonts selected for the book must be licensed for publishing and fit the genre. Stick with one or two main fonts that are easy to read when the cover is displayed at full size but also when it is thumbnail size. For “Girl in the Spotlight,” we considered handwritten fonts that would provide a more contemporary look. We also explored modern fonts with substance. Ultimately, for the title and author name, we paired two bolder fonts together and added “a memoir” in a handwritten font (which you can see in the final cover image).
6. Consider the format and margins.
Book covers may be enlarged on signage or reduced in size or cropped on book cataloging and bookseller websites, as well as social media and other sites. When possible, keep important visuals near the center of the front cover so they are not lost if a portion of your cover is not displayed. Also, consider whether imagery will appear on both the front and the back. The hardcover version of Angie’s book included a dust jacket, so we chose an image that was large enough to be wrapped around the book.
7. Include mandatory design elements.
To meet publishing industry standards, the front cover must include the title, subtitle (if there is one) and author name. The spine must include the title and author name. If applicable, the publishing company name and/or logo should appear on the spine, as well as on the back cover. Also on the back, be sure to include the BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications) subject heading, ISBN (International Standard Book Number), EAN-13 (European Article Number) barcode and price.
8. Add optional design elements.
A description of your book is not mandatory but is highly recommended. In addition to telling readers what to expect, it provides an opportunity to elevate keywords and phrases that will help them find it. While not required, an endorsement or positive review of your book, typically from a well-known or respected reviewer, can also be included on the cover. In the case of Angie’s book, we added a short quote from a reviewer on the front cover and two longer quotes along with the description on the back.
Final Thoughts
While many tools for designing book covers are free and available through publishing platforms and various apps, if you don’t have a design background, and you have the means to do so, consider working with a professional designer. Deviations from publishing industry standards reveal whether a book was designed by a publishing expert or not and can make audiences question the author and publisher’s credibility. Great book design has the power to influence booksellers’ decisions about which titles they will stock, as well as readers’ decisions about what to share in reviews.
To learn more about Angie and her memoir, “Girl in the Spotlight,” follow @angiemizzell on Instagram and visit www.angiemizzell.com.
About the Author
Chris Olsen is a book designer, publisher, educator and the author of “Whyography: Building a Brand Fueled by Purpose.” The founder of Publish Her and Publish Her Story, Chris has helped thousands of women tell their stories and publish their books.
About Publish Her
Publish Her is a female-founded publisher dedicated to educating authors and elevating the words, writing and stories of women. We are passionate about amplifying the voices of women of color, women with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to make publishing an attainable, exciting and collaborative process for all.