Creating a book cover is one of the most important aspects of self-publishing a book. A book cover is the first thing that a potential reader sees, and it can make or break the decision to purchase your book. Therefore, it is essential to create a book cover that is eye-catching, professional, and visually appealing. In this article, we will discuss the steps you need to take to make a book cover that stands out.
Table of Contents:
- Research Similar Covers
- Choose the Right Size File
- Purchase Professional Fonts
- Find Stock Images
- Create a Composite Design
- Save and Upload
Research Similar Covers:
One of the first things you should do when creating a book cover is to research similar covers in your genre. Look at bestsellers in specific categories that you will use to list your book on Amazon. This will give you an idea of what designs work well and what elements you should include in your cover. It’s essential to stand out from your competitors, but you also want your book to fit in with the general look and feel of your genre. Readers will click on books with covers that look similar to books they enjoyed before.
Choose the Right Size File:
The next step is to create the right size file for your book cover. A size of 1600 x 2400 pixels works well for most books. You can use software like Adobe Photoshop or Canva to create your cover design. Make sure that the image is high resolution and that the proportions are correct for your book’s dimensions.
Purchase Professional Fonts:
Fonts can make or break your book cover design. It’s essential to choose the right font that complements your book’s genre and theme. Avoid using free fonts, as they can be overused and not very professional-looking. Instead, purchase fonts from professional sites like Myfonts.com. Make sure you have the rights to use the font commercially.
Find Stock Images:
Stock images are a great way to add visual elements to your book cover design. You can find stock images on sites like Shutterstock, iStock, or Adobe Stock. However, make sure that you have the license to use these images commercially. Some stock images are for editorial use only, so make sure you read the license agreement carefully.
Create a Composite Design:
Once you have all the elements, it’s time to put them together into a composite design. Use parts of different images to create a unique design that will stand out from other books in your genre. Experiment with different layouts and color schemes until you find something that looks professional and eye-catching. This may require skills such as cutting out images from backgrounds, matching colors and shading to create a new unified whole, and adding effects such a smoke or overpainting hair. Designers usually use Photoshop or GIMP to create covers.
Save and Upload:
Once you have your design, save it as a high-quality JPEG file. Make sure that the file size is under 50MB, as this is the maximum file size that Amazon’s KDP platform accepts. Upload your book cover design to the KDP dashboard or any other platform you plan to publish your book on.
Consider time and professional experience:
Hiring a professional book cover designer can save you a significant amount of time and effort. Creating a book cover requires expertise in design principles, typography, color theory, and image selection. A professional designer will have the knowledge and experience to create a cover that captures the essence of your book and appeals to your target audience. By outsourcing the design process, you can focus on what you do best – writing your book. This allows you to spend your time and energy on crafting your story and developing your characters rather than struggling with design software.
Melody Simmons is a cover designer with over a decade of experience, and she browses genres on a daily basis to stay up to date on what is trending in the short and long term. By working with a designer like Melody, you can ensure that your book cover stands out and attracts readers in your genre. Have a look at her Portfolio here or see if she has a Premade Cover available in her store for you.