How To Design A Book Cover that Doesn't Suck

About this video

Note: summarized from the Arabic caption track. Dale L. Roberts, joined by Rob, discusses how to design a book cover that does not look bad by avoiding four common DIY mistakes. First, not knowing the target audience: trying to be completely original and ignoring genre tropes makes a book unrecognizable to its readers, illustrated by a men’s health/fitness book that should signal the genre like others on Amazon rather than using a light floral arrangement. Second, trying to do too much: most people first see the cover as a one-inch thumbnail on Amazon, so clutter, trying to tell the whole story, a six-scene comic concept, or Easter eggs only readers who already finished the book would notice will fail; a simpler, streamlined design works better. Third, poor graphics choices: ensure licensing/rights to images, use high-resolution images so print does not look grainy, use images Amazon will allow, and avoid badly manipulated images with harsh edges. Fourth, bad text or text placement: choose a font fitting the genre and successful books in the category, do not mix visually mismatched fonts, and do not place text over a face or other important cover elements.

Key takeaways

• Use genre tropes so the target audience instantly recognizes the book as belonging in its category.
• Design for a one-inch Amazon thumbnail: keep the cover simple and uncluttered rather than trying to tell the whole story.
• Only use images you have the rights/license to use and ensure they are high-resolution for print.
• Avoid poorly manipulated graphics and images Amazon would reject, and ensure everything blends as a cohesive whole.
• Choose genre-appropriate fonts and place text so it does not cover faces or other important visual elements.

Episode details: published April 22, 2020 · 8:07 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

← Previous: How To Self Publish a Book Step By Step on KDP in 10 Minutes · Next: Self Publishing On Amazon in 2020: What You NEED to Know NOW →

All Dale L. Roberts videos · Dale L. Roberts profile · Dale L. Roberts on YouTube