Cover Elements

So, what makes a great cover? There are really only two functions of a cover design. The most important thing a cover does is make a potential reader pick up the book. Today, this may be the literal picking up of a physical book in a bookstore or clicking the thumbnail in an online bookstore. The second thing a cover should do is communicate, in a general sense, the story. The cover should hint at what lies inside, but leave room for the reader to start asking questions and wanting answers to those questions.

A cover should not be too complex. While many readers purchase books in traditional brick-and-mortar stores, many buy from online stores. The cover thumbnail displayed in a list of search results for an online bookstore may be the size of a postage stamp. If the cover is too complex, it may look like a blob of color, not a book cover. When a reader may spend as few as three or four seconds browsing the list of search results, cover thumbnails that do not at least somewhat standout are likely to be discounted without any consideration.

While there are design rules and guidelines to be followed, all of the imagery, typography, and color use are for naught if nobody picks up the book. When everything is said and done, the cover design has one job: to get the potential reader to pick up the book and start reading it. If a cover design can do that, it’s a great cover.

Tin Whiskers Publisher is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). IBPA’s mission is “to lead and serve the independent publishing community by providing advocacy, education, and tools for success.” IBPA is a not-for-profit membership organization serving and leading the independent publishing community. Founded in 1983, it is the largest publishing trade organization in the United States. IBPA members pledge to uphold the organization’s code of ethics.