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Last updated on Jan 21, 2022

The Elements of a Book Cover: A Deeper Dive

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

About Raúl Gil

Illustrator and designer passionate about cover design and visual identity.

Ever wondered what makes a successful book cover ? While authors and designers obviously want their covers to stand out on the shelves, there are many standard features that you'll find on pretty much any book cover.

In this post, we'll dive into the elements that make up a cover design to better understand their crucial role in contributing to a book's appeal .

Front cover: the moneymaker 

Let's be honest; we all judge books by their covers, and for a good reason! The front cover should be designed to reflect its genre and hint at what it's actually about. It's the first thing a reader will see, making it your number one marketing tool. 

The crucial elements of a front cover are the title and the author's name, but those alone would hardly jump out at you from the shelves. Cover art, color scheme, and typography are just a few other elements that will make your book stand out to potential readers. 

Your cover art will be one of the most critical aspects of your book cover design — different styles and trends are closely associated with specific genres, so it's important to get it right. This is why it's essential to hire a professional cover designer who knows what's fit for the market you want to sell to . 

Adding photos or illustrations to the cover of a book can help offer some insight into what the book is about and signal to a reader whether or not they'd like it. The designs for the two books below do a great job of communicating genre, tone, and content.

The log cabin set in the moody, moon-lit forest for Hidden Beneath the Pines (above) simply screams "mystery-thriller" and tells the reader where the story will be set. On the other hand, the catalog-perfect room on the cover of Messy Bed, Messy Head immediately connects to the book's content — and offers a glimpse of what the reader might aspire to.

However, some covers are more abstract and give an idea of their concept, rather than plot or specific locations and characters. Reedsy designer George Stevens's cover for The Pain Habit takes author Drew Coverdale's metaphor of a 'journey to recovery' and represents it as a trail map up a mountain. 

Through George's use of color and playful graphics, he's able to represent a topic that's tied up in trauma and present it in a hopeful light.  

The cover below (by Reedsy designer Patrick Knowles ) uses bespoke illustrations to capture the unique story in Goran Baba Ali's The Glass Wall.

This design bridges the gap between literal and abstract cover art by depicting the book's characters and settings and the book's complex theme. The book deals with the vast inequalities and challenges facing immigrants escaping conflict in the Middle East. To offset the challenging subject matter, Knowles and Ali ensured that the cover remained accessible, rather than too abstract or metaphorical.

While you can just use stock images to create your cover, illustrations tailored to your book will convey your message much better and help it stand out more, especially if you're putting it out as an ebook that could so easily be scrolled past.

Type hierarchy 

The title of the book and the author's name aren't carelessly slapped onto the book's cover without any thought. The font, size, and placement of any text are key elements of book cover design — not only can it be used to catch a reader's eye and guide them to the most essential information. That's why the names of well-known authors are often more prominent than the title of their book, while debut authors will put more focus on an intriguing title.

Taking the reader's eye on a journey across the cover is especially important on nonfiction covers. More often than not, they'll have a subtitle to clarify what the book is specifically about. The title 'Our Road to Damascus' , for example, could be for almost any kind of book — anything from adventure or fantasy to religion and memoir would fit. It's the subtitle, '7 Lessons for a Life of Purpose and Meaning,' that tells us it's a self-help book. 

Testimonial 

If you've already got some reviews for your book you might want to include a short testimonial on the front cover, too — especially if they're from a recognizable or reputable source. The cover above omits photos or illustrations in favor of a striking background, bold title, and a short recommendation from another author.

Spine: I bet you look good on the bookshelf

The spine is the center of the book's cover, where all pages are bound. It holds your book together and, if done well, will make your book stand out on the bookshelf. 

The essentials for a book's spine are the book's title and the author's name — these should be in the same font as the main text on the front cover. In the example below from Patrick Knowles, the spine continues the front cover and re-utilizes one of the graphical elements. 

Back cover: the (not-so) boring bits 

Once a front cover has caught the reader’s attention, it's up to the back cover to convince them to actually buy and read your book. To anyone sighing because "no one ever looks at the back cover," we ask: how many times have you bought a book without reading its description?

Practical elements

Let's get all of the less glamorous practicalities out of the way first, starting with the ISBN. An ISBN is a unique, 13-digit code used to identify a book, usually found just above the barcode at the bottom of the back cover.

Traditionally published books will also display the publisher's logo towards the bottom of the book's back cover. 

Marketing materials 

The most important feature of a book's back cover is the blurb — a short description to tell readers what it's all about. It shouldn't be a lengthy synopsis, and nor should it contain any spoilers, but it should make your readers curious about the pages between the covers.

Another great way to draw in new readers is a positive review from another author in your genre, especially if you've not already got a testimonial on your front cover or if this is your first book. Many authors also add a personal touch. A short author biography and headshot is standard — especially in nonfiction. 

Flaps: the hardback's special feature

Your book's cover will look a little different if you're publishing a hardback. Hardbacks usually have dust jackets — a removable cover printed on thick, heavyweight paper. Some features usually found on the back cover may be relocated to the dust jacket's back panels (or flaps). 

There aren't really any hard and fast rules — the author's photo and bio are the most common choices for the flaps, but they can also house a book's blurb or some testimonials. 

The exterior design of a book is one of its most important features so getting it right can feel a little daunting at first. But, now that you’ve got a solid grasp of its various elements — you know what it takes for a cover to truly work . If you want a professional cover for your next book, be sure to check out Reedsy's network of experienced book designers.

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The Psychology Behind Good Book Cover Design

By Guest   |  September 17, 2017  |  20 Comments

After spending 18 years in the design and advertising industries, and having launched several successful businesses during that period, Damon Freeman began to dabble in book cover design part-time in 2011. Damon’s entrance into the industry fortuitously coincided with the explosion of self-publishing, and by 2012 this side project had turned into a thriving business. After initially doing his best to hold down a full time job and simultaneously run Damonza, Damon eventually found out that he disappointingly wasn’t a cyborg that could run 24 hours a day without sleeping, and decided to concentrate on his new venture full time. After finding some amazing designers that had a similarly deep passion for cover design, Damon has since taken on the Creative Director role of the business. No cover leaves the Damonza offices without first being approved by Damon, ensuring the firm’s exacting design standards continue to be upheld. He has created beautiful and engaging covers for hundreds of authors, including multiple New York Times bestsellers. 

You can learn more about Damon and his services on his website , and by following him on Twitter and Facebook .

The adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” does not necessarily hold true in the literal sense. We judge books by their covers all the time. In fact, the cover can often make or break the selling success of a particular publication all on its own. Thus, it is important to understand the role psychology plays in cover design and how it can influence potential customers.

What Makes a Good Book Cover

There is no specific formula for designing a good book cover. As a designer, my goal first and foremost, is to create a polished, professional look for each cover. Beyond that, the design should match its target audience.

According to a recent marketing study , 70 percent of people make up their minds about a product within a 90 second span. The color and aesthetics of the product’s packaging are largely responsible for swaying potential buyers in one direction or the other.

Think of the cover of a book as its packaging. It must be captivating, and it should offer a glimpse into the book’s content. It needs to catch the eye of prospective buyers.

To create an appealing cover, I rely on the psychology behind design, visual traction and branding.

The Psychology of Color

The color of a book cover plays a large part in how the book is perceived. No two people will interpret your book cover in the same way based on its colors. However, you can alter the target audience’s perception through color association.

Research shows that people associate colors with temperature, smell, and taste. These associations turn into feelings, which then turn into perceptions.

For example, an individual can associate yellow with citrus fruit or the sun, which then creates a perception of happiness. Therefore, if we want to hint that beyond the cover, a book is lighthearted, we opt for a yellow background.

Color perceptions are determined by gender, age, and even cultural background. For instance, in women, red might evoke warmth and excitement, while in men it might be associated with anger or power.

• What genre is this book in?
• What tone does it convey?
• Who is most likely to read it?

A dark blue design on the cover of a romance novel might not catch the eye of its intended readers: women ages 25-55. Nor would this design give a glimpse into the book’s tone: warm, upbeat and with a happy ending. A safer bet for a romance novel is a yellow or pink hue. Both colors convey warmth and appeal to a feminine base.

For books of fiction, warmer colors tend to work best. According to a marketing study , warm colors evoke a sensory-social response, which hints at an emotional read.

Reference books and other nonfiction can benefit from cooler colors such as dark blue or brown. Dark blue conveys a functional message, while brown suggests an air of high quality in this context.

The Insight of Image

A book cover’s image is a window into the story behind it. At a glance, the reader should be able to understand what the book is about without peeking at its description.

You don’t need to replicate a scene from the book to grant the reader that all-important glimpse. An image depicting the subject of the book will do.

When choosing an image for a book cover, I recommend maintaining a careful balance between suspense and insight. The picture should be uncluttered, but detailed enough to entice the reader to open the book.

The Z-Pattern Layout

There is one sure-fire way to make a book cover appealing. Design your cover using a layout that the human eye can follow naturally.

The human eye naturally tracks visuals in a Z pattern. This is most evident in how we read: from left to right and top to bottom. Like the letter Z, the eye tracks information starting at the top left corner of a page, moving across, then down at a diagonal, and finally from left to right again.

On a book cover, this layout is best represented with text across the top and bottom. The image should be framed in the middle at a slight angle.

Although symmetrical layouts are also appealing to the human eye, they don’t naturally stand out. A good book cover stands out on a bookstore shelf, causing a potential reader to gravitate to it instantly.

The best way to create an outstanding cover is to incorporate the isolation effect into its design. Using bold contrasts such as incongruent font and contrasting colors makes a book leap off the shelf in the visual sense.

In Conclusion

Great skill and talent alone cannot guarantee a good book cover design. To create a successful design, you must rely on the psychology behind color, patterning and visual preference.

Have thoughts about covers? What attracts your eye or, alternately, repels you? Do certain colors pull you in? How do you feel about models on the cover–good for you, or not? And, for good measure: What genre(s) do you generally read? Are your personal tastes over covers changeable depending on those genres? Over to you.

Many thanks to today’s guest.

You can read more WU guest posts by visiting this link .

20 Comments

More on this topic, please!

Thank you for such an interesting post. Colors–yes, they definitely evoke emotions. I’m drawn to lighter covers even if the subject is dark. I’ve been appalled at some of the horribly dark covers on children’s books. I can’t imagine any child wanting to pick up a book that looks so dreary. I often find myself picking up a book based on its cover, esp. if it’s artful. I love maps and navigation symbols, nature. I don’t particularly care for people because they rarely match my own imagination.

A question that’s been on my mind for some time: Seems like so many images of women on book covers show them cut off some where–only a partial picture of a face, or a body, or just a back or a shoulder, often nude. What’s the psychology behind that?

An excellent question, Judy. Wouldn’t it be interesting to take a random sample of book covers–the more numerous the better–with equal numbers of women and men, perhaps from the same genre (mysteries, some hardboiled and some not so much) and compare their depictions of body parts.

Hi, Judy! Apart from the usual commercial objectification of women’s bodies, there are some practical reasons for this: A. A certain artificiality in the depiction of nudity & erotic embraces to conform with what Amazon & other vendors will allow on the cover B. A depersonalization on the hero/heroine’s visual image can make it easier to identify with them or project personal preferences onto them. You’ll notice in A.zon erotica covers the men too are often cut off at the neck, have a hat over their eyes, or their face obscured by shadows. In effect, they are often just muscly torsos. C. Probably most important reason. I’m no designer. But I understand that asymmetry. especially in faces, creates a visual tension that draws readers ATTENTION. And that this is so, even though a whole face may be more aesthetically pleasing. Apparently there is research to back this up

I recently saw a video in which a marketer from a major company said that both men and women prefer pictures of women over pictures of men. So, pictures of women make the book cover attractive to the greatest number of potential buyers.

I love good cover art and your portfolio is impressive. Thanks for the tips. Would love to have you back for talk about fonts, etc. Maybe even to analyze specific covers you feel work well.

This was a great post, Damon! I’m so thrilled to have worked with you on the cover for my book, THE MEMORY BOX. You and your team did an amazing job. I do remember being torn over whether to use models on the cover, but in the end, I’m glad we went without them. Sometimes the models will date the cover, especially the way they’re dressed or the style of their hair, for instance. Also, using a model can “lead” the reader into seeing the character in a certain light and I wanted the reader to form their own image. Working on the cover is a fun process, but more complicated than you might think because there’s so much to consider. I was once told that the cover is a promise an author gives the reader about the book. It’s definitely something to consider when making design decisions.

Great cover! (Amazon image) Made me immediately read the description and then open the image in a new tab to view it in detail.

Hugely interesting! I wonder why there are so many extremely ugly covers out there, given that they are done by professionals with lots of knowledge. Personally, I mostly prefer illustration over photography (except for landscape in a few cases). I absolutely hate people on a cover, especially when they are models and have nothing at all to do with the content of the book. Babies, dolls and sepia family photos are another total no-go (maybe they work for a horror novel, those should have a horrible cover by definition). In terms of color, I’m drawn in by anything in vivid autumn and spring palettes, some shades of blue, or some darker colors, while I’m utterly repulsed by anything pastel. Worst is pink in all it’s shades. That color prevents me from buying a book, even if I want to read it badly. I’d feel contaminated by touching it, and I’d be mortified to see it on my shelves. Black and white can be okay, but they don’t attract my eye. More often than not they’re just lazy. And matte is almost always better than shiny. I love covers that complement, illustrate and extend the content of a book, where you can feel that the cover artist has read and loved the book. That’s a sign of quality to me.

I recently read a book I found at the library because of the cover. The cover had a woman’s hand holding a martini glass full of lightning and so I read it. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to its cover or the premise

In designing book covers for my medical romances, romantic comedies and mysteries, I have been studying what works, and really appreciate your blog.

Some of these are new and others were previously traditionally published. I’ve learned I can’t necessarily use the original cover as a guide. Some hold up, and some don’t.

Two helpful tips I’ve learned: #1, in genre fiction, it’s important for the reader to make an emotional connection with the cover. For this reason, I dislike designs that cut off the models’ heads, for example.

#2 I study the covers on various book-sale newsletters such as BookBub, but also less well-known ones. I ask myself: what genre is this book (sometimes I can’t tell)? Does this work? Does this entice me to read the book?

It’s a learning process that fascinates me.

For me, as a freelance book designer, a critical criteria for a strong cover is that the title, image, and author name work and communicate at the thumbnail sizes we see online. This is especially important for indie authors who primarily publish online and don’t have the opportunity to have their physical books in bookstores other than through consignment. Another is to make sure that the total image/typography/etc. mesh well with and signal the primary genre. Thanks for your input and information.

Great article. Makes me think more about the work behind the cover. I don’t always judge a book by its cover but there defiantly has to be some connection there that sits in favour with the introduction of the story at the back. Colour effects the mood of the story, me too I think

Interesting article. I often watch my wife in a bookstore and pounce on her when she has picked a book up – she hates it. I ask her why she picked a book up and apart from she knows the author, the most common reason turns out to be “I liked the cover.” I can see that she picks up covers similar to books she has already read almost irrespective of the genre. Warning – try this at your own risk – I often spend time outside the bookshop on the naughty step whilst she chooses her books at leisure without the pressure of me hanging around. :)

My publisher invites author choice on cover artist and our own visualizations. For each of my two covers, I rejected the designs until the 3rd or 4th version. Both books were time travel/romantic suspense based in American West of the 19th Century and Ireland.

I hate the bare torso/cleavage-showing couples depicted on many romance novels. My debut novel had my headless heroine dressed for the teaparty that sent her back in time, holding the cup that was the vehicle of the slip. She was wearing white gloves. What? No gloves mentioned in book! (I was able to add a sentence in galley that corrected the image.) Since the cover was the only picture representing the book, I wanted accuracy for the only dress worn in the book.

I am driven to bookcovers that I would be proud to display on a coffee table and love the watercolor covers that could be mini paintings or portraits, nothing a reader might be embarassed to demonstrate their reading choice. The cover IS truly important, I agree!!

Covers are a juicy subject. Originality is what draws me in. I’m always amazed at the chintzy, cookie-cutter covers of paperbacks in grocery stores and airports. Famous authors, too. The romantic couple in close up, the woman in a dress staring off at the house with the picket fence, or the half-dressed man w the 6-pack. Ditto for the war books. I know there are formulas one can supposedly bank on—there are formulas for everything—but I prefer unique, interesting, or fun covers where the writers/publishers clearly put energy and creativity into them. I’ve done 3 by myself, taken a lot of time with each, and am happy about them, but I always feel I could work on them indefinitely (as with the manuscript). Eventually I have to pull the plug and go for it.

great insight. Now I have to put it to use. Sometimes I wonder if I should redesign all of my covers.

My favourite cover image (although I’m not sold on the fonts) https://www.amazon.com/Vagrant-Trilogy-Peter-Newman-ebook/dp/B00OXHFR40/

I’m drawn to “painted” covers. Those that look like paintings. Like the covers of Jon Hassler’s novels. There are few of these used today. I’m also drawn to covers with space. In other words, uncluttered. There’s breathing room. Example: “A Thousand Falling Crows” by Larry Sweazy and “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate. Of your portfolio I would pick up “Ancient Enemy” without regard to the book’s genre or author. The same with “Age of Water” or “Becoming Katelyn”. I’ll bookmark this article. I may need your services–if I ever finish my novel!

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