Effective Book Covers

The ongoing development of print-on-demand and e-book technologies has transformed the publication industry into an exciting modern field. If you are a writer with a soon-to-be-published manuscript, you likely have a long checklist to ready your work for the public.

After ensuring your writing is excellent, engaging, and valuable to your target audience, you should carefully consider your book cover. How will it be produced? The quality of your book cover design can determine the level of your publication’s success. Successful authors know that presentation matters. Effective book covers not only attract readers’ attention, but they also convey, accurately or inaccurately, the quality of work within.

Potential readers, when glancing at your book cover, will make a quick judgement. Does this book look interesting and worthwhile? A cover that appears homemade, crude, or maybe just plain suggests you are a novice author. A professionally-produced cover is an essential project asset. If you lack print design skills and experience, consider hiring a professional designer.

The right designer will become familiar with your work, your target audience, and your goals. She will craft a cover that will help get your book into the hands of potential readers. And on the online bookstore shelves, the right cover will get visitors clicking.

You’ll find some inspiring examples of high-quality book cover designs below. While preparing to design the cover for Kylie’s Ark, I’ve collected these favorites over the past year. You’ll notice stunning photography and interesting type treatments throughout.

Have any to add? Please mention them in the comments.