Since publishing Hidden by These Walls in October, I’ve had several compliments on the cover. I was even interviewed for Pressing Matters podcast, discussing the creation of the cover. If you haven’t listened to that interview, you definitely should (Nov 21 episode on Spotify or YouTube!)
Take a look at the cover of Hidden by These Walls. It’s dark and moody with realistic characters, a full moon, the woods, and an old gray house, all elements important to the story. Today I want to give you some tips to consider as you prepare to create your own eye-catching book covers.
- Pay attention to the genre. Rom-coms are clearly identifiable by their illustrated characters and bright, cheerful colors. Fantasy books typically have a calligraphic font and monsters, swords, crowns and magical elements. Now if it’s romantasy, they typically include a couple on the cover as well. It’s pretty obvious that horror or thrillers have a bold font and spooky elements like ghosts, haunted houses, blood, etc.
- Consider your use of color. Color reflects mood, so think about the tone or feel of your story. You want to use a color that best represents that feeling.
Red can represent boldness, anger, danger, passion or power. I often see it on thriller or horror books because they scream of all the descriptors above. Sometimes red can give a feeling of foreboding and that’s why those genres use it. Since red is also a Christmas color, so you’ll see it as a prevalent color on holiday stories too.
Blue can be a calm color or a deep, mysterious color depending on the shade. Blue seems to be a very common choice for every genre of book from romance to sci-fi. Most books I’ve seen have some element of blue on the cover.
Green reflects nature, magical elements, peace and refreshment. Several fantasy books have green covers for this reason. Green is, not surprisingly, showcased on holiday fiction
Purple reflects royalty, magic, and power. Deep purples are great for fantasy books or fairy-tale retellings. Purple creates a mystical feeling and a sense of wonder.
Yellow=happiness and sunshine. Pink=love and fun. Orange=warmth and energy. Think Fall and Halloween too.
3. What about the font? Does it really make a difference what your title and author name look like on the cover? Most definitely! Some books have large, bold lettering that takes up most of the cover with minimal design. If that is what you like, go for it, but as a reader, I like to have some indication of what’s actually in the book. A smaller font allows other elements of the story to be showcased as well. Do you want your title in all caps? Or do you want a softer, swirly font for a lighter read?
Think about what type of book you’ve written and make choices that relate. The font for Hidden by These Walls has little fracture lines embedded in it, so it’s perfect for my story. My favorite part of the title is the little BY hiding in the word HIDDEN. It is a creative way to show the story is about secrets just by hiding that little word.
4. Consider the most important aspects or scenes of your book. Would it give too much away if you showcase one of them on the cover or would it create a sense of intrigue or wonder in the reader? We all know that we shouldn’t be judging a book by its cover, but everyone I know does, including myself. If the cover images spark my curiosity, chances are I will pick up the book to read the blurb.
5. Decide who will design your cover. Are you gifted in graphic design? It’s possible you could create your own cover, but if you’re like me, that’s not happening. Look for reputable companies or individuals to work with you. I was worried about finding someone who wouldn’t take my money and run or someone who would be able to take my vision and convert it into something that looked professional without breaking the bank.
I didn’t have a huge budget to work with and when I found Getcovers.com, I wasn’t sure about them because the cost seemed so inexpensive. I decided to give them a try, thinking that if the cover came back and I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t be out much money. Turns out, they did an excellent job. I was pleased with most elements of the cover from the get-go, and with a couple minor tweaks I had my cover in a short amount of time.
6.What kind of finish do you want? Shiny or matte?
Shiny finishes allow darker colors to stand out more. They are reflective and will have glare. They also will show fingerprints.
Matte finishes are more sophisticated and have a soft feel. They tend to mute bright colors and can look dirty from handling. My advice is to take a trip to the bookstore. Hold and feel books with shiny and matte covers, so you know what you like and what is more appropriate for your work.
7. Have fun with the process! Your book is the packaging for your words, so enjoy making it exactly what you want it to be.
I hope these ideas will spark your imagination on your journey to creating an eye-catching book cover!