Book Cover Creation Process

A book cover is one of the first things a reader will notice about your book. Without a cover that pops, you may not gain your target audience. So what do you need to know about creating a stunning book cover? Let me tell you!

Book covers some in all types of designs. You’re going to have to do some research to ensure your cover is up to par with others in your genre. I discuss in more detail about the types of elements to look for in my Best Cover Design Elements Post. However, that’s not what this post is about. Yes, I want your cover to be beautiful, but from a marketing aspect it needs to fit particular criteria.

If you’re following along in the Book Marketing Plan from the Bound to Writing Shop then we will be working on page 10 for today’s post. Every month I go into detail explaining what each page of the marketing plan entails. To find previous posts, head on over Book Marketing Resources and scroll until you find the Series Book Marketing Plan.

So you’re ready to take the step for a book cover? Let’s think about what goes into a book cover design and where that leaves you.

#1 Book Cover Inspiration

You wrote your book and synopsis; now it’s time to look at books that are within the same genre. You want your book to stand out, but you also want it to fit within your genre. Don’t make the mistake of your cover being too broad. People may not realize your intended genre and won’t pick up your book because of that. By looking into what other covers look like, you’ll be able to imagine a design that fits your cover in your books’ genre.

You can find more about book cover inspiration and examples in the Book Cover Design Elements Post.

#2 Cover Designer

If you don’t have any experience in graphic design then you probably are considering hiring a cover designer. The good thing is that it is one less thing for you to do. Between edits and marketing, you already have your hands full.

The hard part is finding a cover designer within a price range you can afford and has a similar vision for your book.

Pricing

Pricing can range anywhere from $50 USD to over $600 USD. When setting your budget, talked about in the Budgeting Your Marketing Plan post, make sure to allot an appropriate amount of money towards a cover designer.

Design

Design is the next important part when looking into cover designers. All cover designers should have examples of their work online. Usually they fit a similar style the designer goes with. Look for a cover designer that has the potential to envision your cover like you image it.

#3 You Are the Cover Designer

That last point didn’t apply to you and if you have good knowledge in graphic design then you may want to be your own cover designer. You’ll need to decide the style of your cover design. You’ll also have to decide what program(s) are best to work in for your design whether that be Photoshop, InDesign, or any other graphic design program.

Creating a cover for your book is important. Taking the necessary steps to create your book cover will help readers decide if your book is for them.

I hope this post has been helpful in explaining what to look for during the cover design phase. Take the time to think through this process as it’s going to be seen by everyone when you publish your book.

Next month we’ll be discussing Formatting from the Book Marketing Plan.

Until next time, Happy Marketing!