How to Make Book Covers That Attract Readers and Boost Sales

Millions of eBooks have been published and everybody is trying to master the art of how to make book covers that pop. Your book cover is much more than a decoration – it is your book introducing itself to its potential readers.

The right cover can easily make the difference between a buyer clicking on the ‘buy now’ button or simply moving on to the next book he or she comes across.

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How do you design an eye-catching, communicative, and meaningful e-book cover? Without further ado, let’s try to better understand how to create intriguing and sales-effective covers.

Know Your Audience: The Foundation of Great Design in Learning How to Make Book Covers¶

Before you even think about colors or fonts, take a moment to understand who you're designing for. Are you writing for busy professionals looking to level up their career game?

Or perhaps you're crafting tales for young adults hungry for their next fantasy adventure? Your audience's preferences should guide every design decision you make.

Pro Tip: Your ideal reader is in her or his early 40s; college-educated, affluent, and with an active lifestyle. What are their interests? What visuals catch their eye? This is the design layout mental image that will act as your guide throughout the design process.

Spy on the Competition (In a Good Way)¶

It is not ridiculous to emulate success. You can do the same on Amazon or Goodreads, choosing the bestsellers in your genre for a virtual walk. What patterns do you notice? Do thriller books have solid and unicolor images while romantic novels have rosy and dreamy images?

Pay attention to:

• Color schemes that pop
• Options for choosing the font that affects the mood
• Infographics that relay a message in a single instance

You’re not plagiarizing – you’re collecting information that you will use to produce an original work.

The Psychology of Color: Choosing Your Palette When Discovering How to Make Book Covers¶

We always feel that colors are beautiful and do not know they convey certain messages. Every shade may allow specific feelings and convey the atmosphere of your book before turning the first page.

• Blues: Ideal for business, science, or any other informative and self-help books, as it comes closer to inspiring confidence and relaxation.
• Reds and yellows: Maximum busyness and intensity This is the perfect accompaniment for thriller or action gothic kind of story.
• Soft pastels: Perfect for romantic or fluffy books bringing cosiness and affection Published on Jun 24, 2018, it has 567 views and during the contest week it had 88, 7K visits.

Remember: Balance is key. You can try Adobe Color or Canvas color palette generator to pick those color combinations that you believe have a voice in your book.

Fonts: The Unsung Heroes of Cover Design¶

Your font choice is like your book’s clothing: it must look appropriate, for the occasion, and be fitting. Here's how to nail it:

• Match the mood: Historical romance? Think elegant serifs. Cutting-edge tech guide? Choose current styles and minimal sans-serif typefaces.
• Make it easy to read: It’s better when your readers can read your eBook title, even in thumbnail view.
• Less is more: Do NOT use more than two different fonts – one for the title, and the other for your name/subtitle.

Play with size and style: Bold or italicize your title to make your title stand out.

Picture Perfect: Incorporating Imagery and Graphics as Part of How to Make Book Covers¶

A picture says a thousand words and on your cover maybe it equals a thousand sales. This is so because no matter the type of design you have chosen between a photograph, an illustration, or an abstract design, you need to be sure that it has something to do with what your book is all about.

• For travel books: Use beautiful settings that readers are instantly taken to.
• Self-help guides: People should be incorporated into the designs in a manner that will make them feel more at ease, and the images should inspire.
• Fiction: Capture attention by using symbolism or suggestion in a visual form

This would not just exclude banners and text overlays, but also icons or textures. They can be enriching, but don’t need to overload the main picture.

The Art of Placement: Titles and Subtitles¶

The cover is much like the property location in the real estate business; every inch of it qualifies as a strategic position.

1. Place your title, ideally, in a region higher than the third of the cover. It is the place where people’s glance is directed automatically.
2. When choosing a color we have to ensure that it is contrasting with the background so that the texts are easily readable.
3. Position subtitles under the main title, making the latter larger than the former to establish a hierarchy.

Mobile-Friendly Designs: Think Small to Win Big¶

In a world where many readers lurk on phones, your cover must look beautiful in every size.

• Keep it simple: One vivid picture usually looks much better than many networks combined.
• Check what your drawing looks like as a thumbnail. Not too flashy and not too simple, right?
• Choose high-contrast color combinations to preserve the readability of small displays.

Tools of the Trade: Equip Yourself for Success¶

Even though you may not be a professional designer, you don’t have to worry about having a bad cover. Interfaces specifically Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Affinity Designer, and the like have versatile features compounded with simplicity.

• Adobe Photoshop: Great when images require to be edited intensively and create some particular effects.
• Canva: Very suitable for rookies, as many samples for filling out are provided.
• Affinity Designer: A cheap substitute for Adobe with quite functional features for professionals and artists.

Spend time learning these tools—your covers(and sales) will thank you.

Wrapping It Up: Your Cover, Your Story¶

Designing the best eBook can be stated in terms of a combination of art, planning, and some profession. In other words, it is about identifying the intersection between your book and your reader’s wants and needs.

Just think of your cover as not only a face but as a guarantee to your reader about a great time to be had while reading your book.

So, go forth and design! Try experimenting with colors and styling with fonts, and do not hesitate to make some changes. Every time you make a cover, you are not just being an artist of book design, but you are also being an architect of invitation to an entirely different universe.

Have a good design session and hopefully, the covers will allure readers all over the world.