How to Self-Publish Your Book. Step 3: Cover Design

While designing covers may not be my area of expertise, I know with certainty that a well-designed cover is critical for the success of your book. That's why I work closely with professional book designers to ensure every book cover fulfills my client's unique vision and entices its readers. 

When planning your book's cover, consider these tips: 

Do your research: Spend time perusing bookstores and libraries, and pay close attention to any trends within your genre. Be sure to note what you like or don't like and why.

Apply this research to your book: Make a list of the types of images that appear in your book. For example, do you make use of symbolism in your story? Better yet, are there any images or elements that could act as a teaser for your reader? 

Create sample mockups: Using your chosen images or elements, create a few sample mockups to share with a book designer. Your mockups will give your designer a concrete starting point when developing your book's cover.

Or, try your hand at design: If a professional designer is not within your budget or if you have design experience, you could use an online program like Canva, which offers access to several design tools. These programs were developed to make basic graphic design accessible to everyone. 

Test out 2-3 cover options: Don't skip this step. Collect feedback from test groups before deciding on the final design. Nowadays, you can easily gather feedback online by creating a poll on social media or by emailing a trusted network.

Your test groups will likely prefer some aspects of one design and specific things about another. For example, they may prefer the front cover of one option and the back cover of the other. This feedback will help you fine-tune your final design before publishing. 

Most importantly, remember that no one knows your book as well as you do. Keep it simple, and use your intuition to guide you when it's time to design the perfect cover for your book. Trust your instincts--you'll know when you see it.