A book’s cover is the first thing a prospective reader sees so it is important that it be professionally created. If it is poorly designed or if it is too simplistic, it can turn your reader away. I know of some self-published books in which the story and writing were pretty good, but the covers screamed “Self published!”
In these days of digital printing and e-copies, a good cover also needs to look interesting in thumbnail.
With traditional publishing, the author may not have much say regarding the cover. However, with self-publishing, the author has 100 percent responsibility for making sure the cover is professionally created.
I cannot stress enough the importance of hiring a professional cover designer. In my case, my husband is an artist and he has designed all my covers.
Some self-publishing websites also offer cover design services. However, if you want a professional looking cover and not too simplistic, it’s better to hire a cover designer. Ask fellow authors for recommendations. Do an online search. Cover designers are as diverse as authors. Look for a designer whose portfolio includes covers which are professionally done and thematically in line with your book’s topic.
Once you’ve hired a designer, it’s important to work with him or her to create a cover design which sets the mood for your book and intrigues a prospective reader.
Two things an author should realize with regard to good cover design is that:
1) one of the most important things about a cover design is the composition
2) artistic/visual composition is probably one of the things authors/writers know the least about
Look for books which have interesting designs and ask yourself:
What’s the theme?
Why does the layout work?
What’s the emotion?
What’s being represented?
Do the lines, color and composition support the theme?
A book’s cover is a marketing device. Professionally produced covers will not only enhance your book, they will also help in marketing it to prospective readers.
Ellen Gable Hrkach is an award-winning novelist, freelance writer and vice president of the CWG. Her new book is called “Come My Beloved: Inspiring Stories of Catholic Courtship.” She blogs at Plot Line and Sinker. She lives with her husband and five sons in Pakenham, Ontario Canada.
Ellen Gable Hrkach
Ellen Gable Hrkach is an award-winning, Amazon bestselling author. Her five books have been downloaded over 620,000 times on Kindle. Currently, she works as the Marketing Director for Live the Fast, a non-profit Roman Catholic apostolate based in Boston. She does freelance writing and editing for a variety of other websites, she blogs at "Plot Line & Sinker" http://ellengable.wordpress.com and is also self-publishing book consultant and a publisher. She and her husband are the parents of five sons ages 16 to 28 and live in Pakenham, Ontario. In her spare time, Ellen enjoys playing board games with her family, watching classic movies on TCM and reading on her Kindle.