The Best Cover Design Elements

As an indie author, you have a vision for you book cover. The way that the cover design fits your book perfectly. The images you want to use. You can see it already sitting amongst all the other pretty books on your shelf.

But what makes those other books so good? Well, that’s what this post is about. Finding those design elements that make those other books POP!

As indie authors, we have a big say in the design of our book cover. We can design it ourselves or we can hire someone to make our vision come true. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a lot of work, but we can have exactly what we want our book cover to look like.

Let’s delve into why other book covers look so good.

*I am not a graphic designer and this post is my own opinion.*

The Title Font

Book covers that utilize the title as the main aspect of the cover can work well. That is, if the right font and size is chosen. You want the title elements to show the story in a unique way without the use of images.

The Artwork

Not all covers are meant to stand out with fancy fonts. That is where the artwork on the cover comes in. By using small graphics that represent your book, you can bring to light the important aspects of your work. But be careful that you don’t provide any spoilery images on your cover.

The Images

If artwork isn’t your cup of tea, than maybe images are. Images provide the same pros as artwork. You’re able to represent your book in a graphic way that readers will be able to get a feel for your book. Again, don’t put any spoilers on your cover.

Minimal is Better

So much happens in your book, from plot twists to your entire cast of characters. However, you don’t want to cram all of that on your cover. It will only be a jumbled mess and no one will want to pick up your book if they can’t figure out what’s going on.

Genre Specific

Keep in mind your genre and audience when creating your cover. You definitely don’t want a hot pink cover with stars and half-naked men for your young adult mystery book. Just like you wouldn’t want a dark and dreary cover for your adult romance novel. Keeping in mind the elements that make the genre stand out will help in creating your novel’s cover.

Now that you’re aware of what makes a good cover, I hope you’ll use these tips to your advantage on your next release. Whether you create your cover yourself, or hire someone to create your cover, keep in mind the elements you wish to emanate on your next book cover.

Disclaimer: All cover images above are from Goodreads.