What research to do before designing book covers?

7 min read
25 January 2023

It has never been easier to create book covers. But with so many online resources, freelance graphic designers, and online platforms that offer book design services, the choices are endless.

You get excited to get started on designing your book covers. But before rushing full-speed ahead, researching some factors are necessary.

Why rush the cover design after spending years writing the book? So researching these questions will help you design your perfect book covers. 

  1. Who Is My Audience?

You should use similar values to your book cover design as to how you wrote your story for a certain audience, so they can easily identify with it. Consider what images, font, and composition styles readers will like.

A book about personal health and nutrition may attract people with images of the benefits of exercising, giving them the impression that they can do it too if they buy the book. If your book is about politics or business, use a government-building image or vector graphics.

Do market research to learn what sells in your category. This doesn't mean copying other book writing services ' ideas but learning what grabs readers' attention. 

  1. Which appearance best fits my story?

The book covers image selection is difficult. The most essential are photographic, illustrative, and vector-based images. Non-fiction is more literal; therefore, fictional works can be more abstract and emotive. Both can't be in either category.

You know best what sort of image will convey the tone you want to portray, so leave your options open — illustration can open the reader's imagination. Find out what image styles are popular at your local library.

If you can't afford an illustrator or photographer, you may have to use stock photography. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as most stock image websites have millions of photographs, so your image is less likely to be used on another cover. Depending on the image's popularity, it may have been used before, but this is rare. Do your research. 

  1. How can my book cover stand out?

To attract your target audience, your book's cover should match others in its genre. You don't want your book to blend in with the bookshelves, though. Designing your cover at thumbnail size gives you maximum impact from afar. Avoid genre-generic imagery and use an image that will intrigue and attract readers. For a psychological thriller, use an image of an empty staircase. Consider other options.

  1. How do I want to be presented as an author?

Your reader will know more about your book cover than the first text, so display your rare side. As the author, you'll always have a relationship with your cover's message and tone. 

  1. What type of font should I use?

Every element must be excellent because your book cover is a collection of elements. The font you use matters since it shows your book's category and conveys a feeling of professionalism over other covers with poor font. Choose a font that adds excitement to your cover rather than one that is just legible. You can also connect with the experts such as Alpha Book Writers for queries relating to your book. 

Why is doing research important for book covers? 

A book cover makes an immediate impression on potential readers. So, the design of book covers is one of the most important parts of getting people to buy them. You won't sell as many copies if the cover isn't well made. So, if you want to make a book cover, you should think about hiring a professional.

The people who write books don't write books; they write manuscripts. Designing a book cover is how an author's manuscript gets into the hands of a reader. This is done by making the manuscript real or giving it shape. A good book cover should make the reader "feel" the story, not just "tell" about it.

Write down the things that your cover design should have, and then keep this list in front of you as a guide when you're looking at the cover that was sent in. A lot of book covers don't say what they need to say. Books that have interesting graphics, fonts that stand out, and attractive covers sell more.

The cover is an important part of selling your book, so don't wait until the last minute to design it. Be bold! Do the research first. Doing research helps you to generate a great book cover that is necessary for the success of the book. Here are some other reasons why doing research for your book cover is important: 

Book covers get the buyer's attention

Even though there are a lot of books on the market, an outstanding cover can make the difference between a hit and a miss. This is why experienced designers of book covers are in high demand. Your book's cover should tell just enough about the story inside to make people want to read it, but not too much. The design of a book cover must tell a buyer that the pages inside are worth their time and attention.

Book covers show the book reviews. 

The book review is a summary of how intuitively one person reads the book. A good review should deal with the difficulty of the work in question and not question the author's choice of subject matter. The reviewer should talk about how this is done, what has been done, and whether or not it was presented in a new way, with skill, or with compelling insight.

Book covers carry the book information.

The most important thing about book design is that the information in the book is clear. Whether you've written a work of fiction, a book for kids, or an educational book about health and happiness, the cover should hint at the book's most important information.

Conclusion: 

Your book's cover should tell what the story is about. Treat your book cover as if it were alive, and let it do the talking. The best book covers have one amazing fact that makes people want to buy the book.

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nath mark 2
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