Passing your book cover concepts around to friends and family is a great way to gauge response and get constructive feedback. But if you want your book to jump off the shelf and into your readers’ hands, keep in mind that not all advice is sound. In this week’s guest post, book cover designer Michele DeFilippo offers four requirements of effective book covers and tips for preventing friendly feedback from ruining a solid cover concept.
Staying on track is important when evaluating concepts presented by your cover designer. Chances are, when you show the concepts around to your circle of acquaintances, everyone will suggest changes—partly because they want to help, and partly because it’s just plain fun to participate.
To ensure that your cover design is not destroyed in the process, here are a few objective elements that every cover must have.
1. The title should generally be large and easily readable (with a few exceptions).
2. There should be good contrast between the title and the background. Simply put, this means a light title against a dark background, or a dark or colorful title against a light background.
3. The simpler the design, the better. Covers that are too “busy” or that contain overly ornate fonts or too many elements will confuse the buyer. The cover must tell the story in one quick glance.
4. The title should be readable when the cover is used in very small sizes and/or in black and white, as it may appear online or in catalogs. Print out the cover about an inch tall in both color and black and white to test it’s effectiveness.
While these four rules aren’t the only considerations to be kept in mind when creating a successful cover, they do form the basis upon which a solid cover design is built. So when your Aunt Matilda, who graduated from art school in 1940, insists that the background should be purple because it’s her favorite color, you’ll be able to explain why this isn’t a good idea.
About the Author: 1106 Design is an award-winning team offering book cover design and interior typesetting, manuscript editing, book title consulting, back cover copywriting, proofreading, printing coordination, and digital book printing. Our dedicated experts will hold your hand throughout the pre-press process and prepare your book to the highest industry standards. Our one-stop-shop offers the convenience of complete project management, saving you from the hassle and risk of choosing and managing multiple providers. Please visit http://www.1106design.com to view samples, read testimonials from happy clients, and download an Instant Quote, or contact Michele DeFilippo at office@1106design.com for more information.