Best Practices of Book Cover Design (so You Look Like You Know What You're Doing)

I’m cheating a bit this week. I was intending to write my own article covering this topic, but life is coming at me fast this week and all my scheduled writing time has flown out the window. I thought about just skipping a post here this week, but then it occurred to me that all of the information I wanted to cover is already out there on the Internet, probably communicated better than I would have, anyway.

So instead of writing my own version of what’s already been said, here is a curated list of articles and videos that can help you approach cover design like a pro.

One thing he mentions that I forgot to in this post (and in my my book) is selecting white paper for your book’s interior instead of cream. I need to go back and add that in, because that’s a biggie.

This 45-minute webinar from Draft2Digital is on the long side, but it’s worth the time. It’s more focused on working with a professional cover designer, but they hit some good points on what makes a good cover design.

Again, this author is more focused on working with a professional designer, but he covers good basic cover design elements.

This article from DIY Book Covers shares the author’s notes from a presentation he attended by a Big Deal Branding Expert and Designer, and contains some excellent advice.

This article on book cover design basics by Ingram Spark has a lot of good info, but I have two quibbles with it. One, I would place more importance on communicating your book’s genre and attracting the kind of readers who enjoy books like yours than on communicating the plot. Yes, you want your cover to convey something of what you’re book’s about, but don’t get hung up on trying to cram multiple plot elements into the cover.

Two, I feel like their tip #7 is terrible advice, and at odds with the warning in tip #2 in the previous article. Sure, if you can find a clever way to stand out, you should. But for an inexperienced cover designer doing their own cover, trying to stand out and be unique or original instead of adopting the tried and true cover tropes for your genre can be a one-way ticket to zero book sales.

Finally, this article on 8 Essential Elements of Book Cover Design makes some additional good points, as does this 7 Best Practices article by Gatekeeper Press.

My own advice for indies wanting to design their own book covers? Research research research! Do the work to really nail down which primary genre your book best fits into. This can be really difficult if your book doesn’t neatly fit into one genre. My best tip is to identify popular or best-selling books that are similar to yours in tone and see how those books are categorized. This may take some trial and error, but nailing the right genre to attract the right readers will help you nail your cover elements to draw them in.

And once you identify your genre? Research bestselling books in that genre. Study the covers. Don’t shy away from the tropes. Use the same types of fonts and color palettes. Like someone up there said, you’re designing a billboard for your book, not creating a work of art.

I hope this list increases your understanding of what goes into a good book cover, and increases your confidence as you go forth and make your own. But if all it’s done is convince you that you really should save up and hire a pro, then check out my affordable pre-made covers and custom cover design services. And if you’re new here, be sure to check out my book’s chapter on cover design and options for getting book covers made on a budget.

And don’t miss this related post!

An Invaluable Resource for Upping Your DIY Book Cover Game

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June 12, 2025

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