When browsing in the bookstore looking for something no-specific to read, what made you decide on the book you bought? It was 90% the cover, and 10% the synopsis or author’s reputation, right?

If you’re a self-published author looking to get your book onto Amazon, you need a compelling cover capturing the prospective readers’ attention. Covers are what sell books, not their contents. Sure, the contents matter; it makes the reader decide whether they want to read your next book or give it a miss.

Beyond that, the cover is what triggers the sale. If you have an appealing cover design, you’re closer to closing the reader on choosing your book over the hundreds of other options on the shelves or in Amazon search results.

Book cover design is an art; excuse the pun. The best idea is to hire a professional designer with experience designing covers that sell. While that’s the optimal strategy, some authors are bootstrapping production and distribution costs and don’t have the budget to hire a pro.

If you’re designing the cover yourself, there are several aspects of book cover design to consider when developing a top-selling novel. If you have the luxury of hiring a professional to handle the design for you, these tips give you metrics to measure their work against.

#1 – Simple but Effective Design

Less is more when you’re developing your cover design. Keep it simple and you’re on the path to success. Overcomplicated design elements confuse the reader, and they’ll pass on your book. Taking a minimalist approach is the better option for success with your cover.

The cover needs to convey the book’s theme without going overboard. This strategy favors the cover’s focal point and intention, giving the prospective reader what they need to make their buying decision. Over-design screams desperation, like the books metaphorically shouting, “look at me!” and it turns off the buyer. 

#2 – Play on the Readers Emotions

The book cover draws the prospective reader’s attention to the story’s theme, even if it’s a non-fiction composition. The design must clearly indicate the contents without dropping too many spoiler alerts. The key idea behind the cover design is to get the prospective buyer to read the synopsis and maybe open the book and scan a few pages.

If you do your job as an author, the magic of your penmanship should be enough to close them on the deal when reading the synopsis. If the cover design is weak, they’ll never get that far, and it’s all for nothing. If you want success in fishing for readers, you need the right bait, and that’s what the cover design is all about.

The cover should play on the readers’ emotions of curiosity and intrigue. Think about representing the bigger picture of what your book is about with your design. Does it convey your message or story? Does it elicit a response of intrigue and interest? Does it stand apart from other book cover designs in your genre?

#3 – Where is the Focal Point?

Every visual communication from the cover must draw the prospective reader’s attention to a focal point. To discover the focal point, ask yourself where your eyes land when you first look at the design.

Is it the title, an abstract shape or figure, or the author’s byline? The focal point is the design elements capturing the reader’s attention when they gaze at the cover. It’s purposeful, not accidental, and you need to clearly understand what you’re looking at when assessing it.

There’s an entire science behind this art form, and it’s called “composition.” Mastering this skill allows you to dictate where the prospective reader will look when they lay eyes on the cover and the order in which they assess the visual elements.

They grab the prospective reader’s attention in the design order. There are primary, secondary, and tertiary composition elements, and you need to know which are which. The story you want to plant in their mind depends on this hustle for attention, resulting in the reader opening your book and pulling the trigger on the buying decision.

#4 – The Elements of Composition

We discussed the power of understanding effective composition and its impact when choosing your book from others. Composition is where you dive deeply into the art form of illustration and graphic design.

Composition is the fundamental skill of book cover artists and the difference between bad, good, and great covers. Mastering the design fundamentals takes time, so that’s why we implore authors to hire a professional.

If you don’t have that in your budget, spend a few days investigating covers of best-sellers and looking at the design elements and how you can use them in yours. Look for how the design utilizes “the rule of thirds,” the use of patterns and texture, symmetry, and angles.

Take what you learn and apply it to a single design offering the biggest visual effect. Take your draft design and ask friends and family their opinion. Note how they move through each element of the design composition, and ask them where they think the focal point lies in the cover.

#5 – Understand Titles and Subtitles

If you hire a designer, don’t assume the cover is completely at their mercy. You’re the creative inspiration in this model, and you’re the one who must live with the work. When assessing their work, ask yourself if it catches prospective readers’ attention from across the room or in a sea of other titles on a webpage.

The final product should be compelling, readable, and visible. The visual elements on the cover should strengthen its appeal to prospective readers. Your titles, subtitles, and font play a pivotal role in the sales performance of your book. Take nothing for granted and be critical of the designer’s work.

You’re spending decent money with them, so it should be up to your standards. Don’t be afraid to ask for a redesign. If you’re doing it yourself, treat your cover design like your writing and understand that the first draft is never the finished product but a stepping stone towards it.