Lisa Aldridge's Blog: The Write Magic - Posts Tagged "bookcover-design-art-writing"
How to Conjure a Good Book Cover
A good book cover whispers to the reader, as if the characters inside the story are subtly pulling us toward them, daring us to peek inside, only to be drawn in completely.
That whisper raises our emotional expectations to the point that we want to pick up the book, hold it in our hands, feel its weight, and delicately turn the pages, allowing our eyes to consume the words and phrases.
Jane Mendelsohn, author of "Cover," said that a good book cover "...quietly suggests some of the story’s major themes...and wraps them up in an image 'as rich as a poem.' "
The back cover confirms our suspicions: This is where I want to spend my time. The art and the summary work together to give us a glimpse of the dream that awaits between the covers.
Whether you have a traditional publisher or not, take the time to walk through a bookstore and glance at the books in your genre. What caught your eye? What held your attention? Why? Which book covers pulled you right over to them, like a magnet? Which book cover was so irresistible that you had to pick it up, turn it over, and look inside?
Now find a book that you didn't notice at all and compare the covers. Look at color, text, imagery, flow of design, positive/negative space, etc., and think about how it makes you feel. Consider your own book and decide what kind of initial reaction you want potential readers to have and what kind of emotional impact that will give them.
These types of thoughtful examinations will help you create a better book cover, whether you are working with a graphic design artist or it's a DIY cover.
Please remember that when you hire a professional cover artist, they bring experience, knowledge, and an eye for design, but they don't always have time to read every word in every book for which they create a book cover. This is why you need to share important aspects of your story and images that you feel will resonate with readers. Then step back, and watch the magic happen!
That whisper raises our emotional expectations to the point that we want to pick up the book, hold it in our hands, feel its weight, and delicately turn the pages, allowing our eyes to consume the words and phrases.
Jane Mendelsohn, author of "Cover," said that a good book cover "...quietly suggests some of the story’s major themes...and wraps them up in an image 'as rich as a poem.' "
The back cover confirms our suspicions: This is where I want to spend my time. The art and the summary work together to give us a glimpse of the dream that awaits between the covers.
Whether you have a traditional publisher or not, take the time to walk through a bookstore and glance at the books in your genre. What caught your eye? What held your attention? Why? Which book covers pulled you right over to them, like a magnet? Which book cover was so irresistible that you had to pick it up, turn it over, and look inside?
Now find a book that you didn't notice at all and compare the covers. Look at color, text, imagery, flow of design, positive/negative space, etc., and think about how it makes you feel. Consider your own book and decide what kind of initial reaction you want potential readers to have and what kind of emotional impact that will give them.
These types of thoughtful examinations will help you create a better book cover, whether you are working with a graphic design artist or it's a DIY cover.
Please remember that when you hire a professional cover artist, they bring experience, knowledge, and an eye for design, but they don't always have time to read every word in every book for which they create a book cover. This is why you need to share important aspects of your story and images that you feel will resonate with readers. Then step back, and watch the magic happen!
The Write Magic
The Write Magic is a powerful source for supernatural writers of all types to learn more about the art of creating worlds and characters out of thin air, using nothing but words and imagination.
- Lisa Aldridge's profile
- 101 followers
