I was so excited when it was time to get the cover for my first book. But I also had no concrete idea of what I wanted. Do I go the minimalist route or depict an actual scene from the story? What color scheme should I use? And should the author name be just as large as the book title, or smaller?
The only thing I did know was that I was going to hire a professional designer. My cover was not something I wanted to gamble with. But I still needed to give them some direction. So I did some research to figure out what direction to point them in.
Every single concept I was leaning toward was dead wrong.
I quickly learned that designing a book cover is a science. A science I am definitely not an expert in. So I brought in a professional to give you insider knowledge to creating that perfect cover.
Joining us for the post is David Collins of DC Cover Creations.
Nicole: David, thanks so much for coming on the blog. Before we get started, tell us about yourself and how long you’ve been designing book covers.
David: Well, I'm from Lancashire, England. I have 5 kids, but just the one wife. I am a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I have always had a creative and curious mind. I studied art and design at college followed by computer games design. Over the years I have owned a couple of small businesses and always designed my own marketing material, logos, etc. I first began designing book covers mid 2019 when I was going through the process of publishing my debut book. I had paid for a professional designer to create the cover for me as I had been out of the design mindset for a long time, had no idea about the technical aspects required for a cover, especially paperbacks, and not enough knowledge of the publishing industry. Self-publishing is quite the learning curve. Once I had my cover in hand, I wondered about the process. I am naturally curious and wanted to know how it was done, what is required by the publishing world, especially Amazon, and if I could do it. After a few months of intense research online and quizzing fellow writers and designers, I set myself the goal of learning the ropes of Photoshop, the industry-standard software for design and photo manipulation. Photoshop is such a powerful tool with so many different options available. My experience in design and IT was definitely an advantage in becoming proficient in the software and I soon found myself designing practice book covers that were a match (or better) than covers I were seeing on Amazon and other places. I began with my very first client (and best friend), Morgan Wright, designing covers for books she had in development and some that were merely ideas. Suitably impressed with what I created for her, she encouraged me to start up DC Cover Creations.
Designing just anything was not an option. As a member of the writing community on Twitter, I was in awe of the encouragement and support that I found myself and saw others receiving, I knew I wanted to work with people like that and be as supportive as I could be in turn.
Nicole: Let’s start off with the text. Is there a certain font and size that works best? Or does it vary from genre to genre?
David: Certain fonts do work better for different genres. There is no specific one font per genre, but there are certainly types of font that work best for some over others. For a hard hitting action thriller, you want something as hard-hitting, something strong and bold. Cursive fonts are normally reserved for romance genres, and fantasy is heavily dominated by fancy fonts that mix standard form with extended and embellished letters that stand out. Of course there are exceptions to every rule and I never rule anything out when creating.
The size of a title is a balancing act. You don't want the cover to be the title, at least not in 99.999% of cases. The font has to be big enough for a potential reader to make out from a thumbnail view that most people will initially see when scrolling through virtual bookshelves.
Nicole: Speaking of the text, there’s a debate on whether or not the author’s name should be larger than the title. Where do you stand on that?
David: I have not once (yet) created a cover where the author's name is bigger than the title. I can imagine if you are as big as Stephen King, James Paterson, or any other big named author, whose names are so well known that simply branding the books with their name attracts engagement and sales. For non-million-copy-selling authors, we should not distract the viewer from the title or design, which are vital to garnering interest, but at the same time, not hide our name in the shadows.
"Designing just anything was not an option."
Nicole: Is there a color scheme that typically catches the eye more than others? Or do you let the tone of the story determine it?
David: There are certain color themes that tend to be used more in certain genres, and there are color schemes which are more of a fashion trend of the time, where you will see lots of blue covers or red covers where the trend is set by one or more popular books at the time. In these instances, you have to decide whether to go with the expectation of the reader or whether to stand out with something else. Each decision has its pros and cons. For the most part I base color theme on a number of things, namely the genre, storyline, time period of the story, and any emotion that is vital to convey the feel of the story.
Nicole: How does a cover’s design change from genre to genre?
David: Much of what has been said above about fonts and colors.
Nicole: One of the go-to design ideas for new authors is to depict a scene from the story on the cover. But when I was doing research for my book, I found that it’s not the best choice. Do you agree with that? And if not, why?
David: It really depends. I like designing in different ways and have designed scenes on covers as well as singular characters, animals, symbols, and patterns. I really do think it is whatever works best for the book. Sometimes I can know from the start which direction to take the cover in, other times its good old trial and error.
Nicole: Another thing I learned in my research was that including your main character, a face, or simply an eye can create an emotional connection to whoever sees the cover. On the other hand, some covers include a key object or element instead. What do you recommend and why?
David: Emotional connection vs curiosity of a key object. Both of these have their merits and both can be successful covers. Contrast plays a crucial role with cover design. A character against a fussy/busy background will not work as well as a character set against a pale background with some accompanying embellishments. The same can be said for a key object or symbol. Contrast of color as well as the contrast between objects really help the design stand out. Sometimes you have to go against the grain and do something different that stands out, but so far as recommending one over the other, it really boils down to what works best for the book.
Nicole: What are some major pitfalls that authors can avoid?
David: Opinion: It's easy to get sucked into the design, to love what you're doing and get carried away. It is vital to have a second opinion (maybe a third and fourth too). You need someone/s who will be blunt and honest with you, not someone who simply tells you how nice it is because they don't want to hurt your feelings. People do this subconsciously, so simply asking for an honest opinion does not always present one. Try asking what they think of your design without saying that you designed it.
Copyright: I have seen a few people who try to make use of any image they find on the internet without understanding that those images were created by someone who, more than likely, owns copyright over it. In most cases you need to seek permission to use the image. If you are getting free images from a website that advertises them as so, make sure they are a reputable site and check the FAQs, terms of service, and any licensing information they have. You need to make sure that you can use the image in the way that you want to or you may find yourself in breach of copyright law.
Fonts: I see many covers fail on fonts. Too basic, too small, not fitting genre. Do your research, look at covers in your genre and see how they have done it, what kind of fonts they have used, etc.
Just bad: There is a small percentage of covers out there, you may have seen them yourself, where there is no doubt it is a homemade cover, that they did not seek a second or third opinion, the fonts are small or ill-fitting to the design. There is no shame in not doing it yourself. I know, I really do understand that not everyone has the money to hire a designer, but in the long run it is worth saving up a little to get it done right.
Nicole: What’s your process of designing a cover and what are some key things authors should consider as they look into getting their own cover?
David: When an author orders a design package with me, I send out a list of information I require from them. Title, author name, a blurb or summary, any idea they have. I use that information to plan out the cover. I source stock images (photographs, illustrations, and vector images) from various places that I think will fit. I then use Photoshop to digitally manipulate, transform, edit, merge, cut, and polish the stock images into a unique, cohesive cover. Once I am happy with the design, I send it to the author for their thoughts and opinions and then work with them to make any changes.
Nicole: Thank you again David for coming on. If anyone is interested in following you or contacting you with more questions, how could they get in touch with you?
David: You can find me on Twitter: @DJCollins82 and @CoverCreatorDC. Anyone interested in hiring me to design their cover or book marketing material should check out my site: DCCoverCreations.com
Getting your cover should be an exciting process, not a stressful one. Use these tips from a pro and you’ll have the best possible cover for your book.
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