Psychology Of a Good Book Cover
We have always heard the statement “do not judge the book by its cover”, yet we mostly do that.
Books amaze their readers in unexpected ways. It’s a compilation of knowledge, joy, and fascination. Some people claim that a good book is a person’s best friend. Well, who can deny the fact though?
Have you ever wondered, when you enter a bookstore, why do some books instantly catch your attention? What makes you pick some books although you might not even know who wrote them? Yes, it’s a good cover of a book!
Perhaps, writers don’t specifically write books. They write the manuscripts. The book you get is the end-product that is designed in a reading form by designing the book cover and author’s manuscript.
Thereby, buyers get naturally attracted to good books kept in a book store through the essence of a well-designed cover.
Let’s get into some details of designing a good cover for readers.
Cover design and layout
Book cover design is a combination of images and texts. Perhaps to get a good layout, you need to decide the message or idea that you intend to portray.
When you know the purpose of the layout, it becomes easy to present the design. Depending on the genre of the script, choose the color theme, words, and image so the designer can combine effectively.
Let’s take a general look at the characteristics of a book cover design.
Front cover
This is the first part of the book that the reader views. Therefore, it is essential and should have the properties to attract the right reader. Following elements contribute to a well-designed front cover:
- Imagery
- Title
- Typography
- Subtitle
Imagery
In comparison to all other images used in the book, front cover images contribute the most in attracting an audience. The image on the front cover illustrates the idea of the genre of the book, on the other hand, creating a lasting impression to the reader.
Title
When deciding the book title, authors should think like a reader. They should aim for clarity and a picky title since it’s the first thing that is read. Perhaps, be sure that it communicates the idea of the book,
Typography
The selection of fonts is vital to the script that resides in the book. To attract readers, don’t go for extra fancy fonts that become difficult for readers to catch.
Subtitle
The use of subtitles is optional. However, it adds detail in support of the title. You can add a subtitle if it suits the need of the book and makes sense to the title.
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Back cover
If the reader turns to the back cover, that means the designer has done a good job in making the front cover. A reader liked the front cover and perhaps wanted to know more about the book. The following elements are a part of the back cover:
- Description copy
- Books reviews
- Author bio
- Spine
Description copy
This is a summary of the book. It highlights the different body parts of the book. Therefore, it should show the readers why they need to read the book.
Book reviews
Book reviews are the credibility of a book’s script. They are one of the basic selling points for the authors of the book. Perhaps, adding them to the back cover is more of an endorsement by a celebrity.
Author bio
This part is crucial as well. However, the bio should be short and precise. It can describe the author’s personality and recent works performed by him.
Spine
Spine text that shows the primary title and author’s last name as part of the cover design is also required for finished publications. Make it easy to read and ensure that it can be viewed both vertically and horizontally.
Tips for a good cover
So now that you are aware of the design and layout that should support your cover. Let’s look into some tips that can help to achieve a good cover:
Simplicity
This is one basic tip that professionals follow as well. Simplicity is the key to a good cover book. A clear and comprehensible message on the cover of your book is a far better choice.
It is not advisable to use a mix of confusing text colors and an infusion of extra images.
Know your target audience
It is wise to know about your readers and design your cover accordingly. For instance, if your book is a children’s book, you might want to opt for cartoon images and colorful letters.
Avoid clichés
It’s not necessary to give typical titles and use boring images that make your book feel like old school. Titles can be innovative even for books that have hard subjects. Perhaps, convey the message through creative ideas.
Quality of images
Pictures are unquestionably more valuable than a collection of words. When used to create an engaging cover design, it tends to draw more readers at first sight.
As a result, selecting a high-quality image with the right elements and colors is a good decision. It is critical to treat the cover image with the same respect with which one treats the story in the first place.
Consider costs of designing
It is essential to keep the cost of coverage under control. There are other expenses ahead that can eventually increase the financial burden in the completion process of the entire book.
To conclude, the fact lies that people do judge the book by its cover. Therefore, it becomes an essential aspect in the eyes of readers when they are buying a book.
However, writers of the book can opt for an attractive layout that can increase their readers.
Perhaps, they can choose to hire an agency that can do custom book printing for their scripts. This can solve the issue of presenting a good script in a good form.
A well-designed cover with a clear message to the readers can contribute to attracting readers to choose the book. It’s a healthy investment that can promote the author’s book into a valuable tool for the buyer.
So why not get the book customized? Some professionals can do the job for you while you write meaningful scripts!
