A striking book cover is the single most important element of book design. Your book's cover will serve as your work's first impression to the world (no pressure)! The cover has to capture a potential readers’ attention in seconds and hold it long enough to get them to look at your book further, whether it’s on a bookstore shelf or online.
Honestly, this part of the book creation process used to be my least favorite thing. There is such an immense amount of work that goes into the graphic design process that the average person blissfully unaware of. Imagine staring at a blank canvas, having all of the options in the world, and having to narrow it down to one single design. This step can make or break the book you've poured so much work into.
In order for the cover design process to be successful it’s vital to know what you want—to have a clear vision. Each little element of a book cover communicates certain things about your work to a potential reader, both consciously and subconsciously. After three decades, I’ve come to really enjoy the creative expression involved in the process.
For those of you who’ve been following this series of posts you’ll remember after my epiphany of what I wanted the book cover to look like I had Grok create the following cover image:
This served as an initial starting point. Having AI create this image from my text prompt shortened and simplified the entire book cover process considerably. I sent this image that Grok created (based on my prompt) to my book designer asking if he could replace the head on the Grok-created image with a photo of mine as a child. He returned the following options as first drafts:
Cover Option A
Cover Option B
Cover Option C
I chose Cover Option C because I appreciated how the photo of the child was offset, subtly tying into the word "Edge" of the title, and I liked the visual balance of it all. Although it didn't fully match my vision it was close.
This morning, I responded with my feedback about the next round of changes I wished to see:
- Decrease the size of the child (me) by about 1/3rd.
- Make the general color of the background apocalyptic cityscape a few shades darker. I think this would add a little more contrast to help the title and red of the flower pop. It would also depict the gravity of storms that are on the horizon if humanity doesn't soon change its course.
- Regarding the title— can we increase the font size of "Poems from the Edge" and make those words more bold and then have a single line running under it in a smaller font reading, "of the Apocalypse"? I would also like it if we could make it look like light (or a glow) is coming from "Poems from the Edge", if possible.
I'm really happy with how this is moving along. Next steps will be back cover design and the book's internal layout. I also have to have some new author photos taken because all of mine are around five years old.
More updates will be coming soon! I hope you're all enjoying this glimpse into the book creation process. Have a good weekend everyone.
Be well, make the most of this day. Thank you for reading!
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I also like option 3! The child is the protagonist, but also the landscape. I think the remarks you made to the designer, also very accurate and relevant. And I agree with you when you say that the cover is fundamental to the success of a book. Just as the first impression is fundamental when we treat a person, visit a place or eat something, so too when we see a book in a shop window. There are covers that are so striking that they invite you to read the book. A hug and may all this process be light and fun, my friend.
Thank you Nancy! I've worked with this particular designer three times before so that's really helped speed up the process. He's super talented. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
It's looking good! I like the idea of darkening the background, for sure, and of making "of the Apocalypse" a smaller font. It's certainly exciting seeing into this whole process. Thanks for being so open about it!
I appreciate that! You're welcome! I enjoy sharing the details of the book projects. I certainly made enough mistakes along the way and hope to help prevent other authors from unnecessarily wasting time/money. When I first started there weren't nearly the resources available to us now.
Might there have been something from HIVE too in the cover? 🙂
Probably not on the cover but there's nearly an entire page inside the book dedicated to Hive along with a QR code people can scan to create an account. I'm going to heavily promote the platform during the marketing campaign as well. All of these poems were first published on Hive so that creates a pretty good segue. : )
I agree with your thoughts on the changes to C and why you picked C in the first place. It makes a lot of sense. Do you know if there is a way to soften the edges of the child a bit to make it look less superimposed? I know you didn't ask for it, but that would be the only critique I have.
Good thought about softening the edges! Thanks for that suggestion, I've passed it along.
No problem. I don't want to be overly critical, but I thought it might help.
The feedback is always appreciated.
How are you, dear friend @ericvancewalton
If you have any doubts, the cover design must be very laborious. As you say, it's the first impression the reader sees, and it has to be compelling. I also like the last option.
The changes you proposed are very clever.
Thank you so much for sharing this preview.
Have a wonderful weekend.
I'm glad you like it! Thank you my friend and I hope you enjoy what's left of the weekend.
The red flower really stands out. It’s a nice touch against the dark city. You made a really good choice with the smaller text for of the Apocalypse gave it a much cleaner look. Awesome cover man
Thank you!
Always welcome
Honestly, the cover design must be very catching and enticing. You already have a good thought. All what you are proposing are okay by my own judgement, though I don't know what other are thinking about it. I like the design you are proposing
Thanks!
I like it! My mind immediately flashed on an old photo of a child running toward the camera in Hiroshima. Could be because I just finished a good book, "What Happened to Henry" by Sharon Pywell.
I look forward to your changes, although I kinda like the title in the font as it is. Very compelling to me. Love the poppy, that gives me chills of hopefulness.
This is very exciting!
Thank you! I may decide to stick with the original title layout once I see the alternative. I really like how the red of the poppy draws the eye in—I'm hoping it does an even better job of this once the cover is a few shades darker. How did you like, What Happened to Henry?
It was very very good. A bit lugubrious at the beginning, but then Pywell hits a very beautiful linguistic stride. Lots of Japanese thought in it, very intriguingly presented. A bit of imaginative time/thought travel, which I loved. I knew Sharon quite well way back in the day, when she often announced that she wanted to write The Great American novel, along the lines of Bonfire of the Vanities. We were both involved with a Japanese cooking school; she was married to someone in it, and I was an apprentice there.
Her book is nothing like Bonfire (thankfully) and was the first of four novels that she has written. I will def read the others, but they, unlike this first one published in 2006, are not in my local library.
Recommended reading for sure!
That sounds like a book worth picking up! It's always nice to have that kind of connection with the author. I just bought Conspirators' Hierarchy by Dr. John Coleman. I've only read excerpts so far but it looks really good and very rabbit-hole-ish (not that I need another one to dive down).
@carolkean is reading it right now, and she loves it!
I hope to start it soon. I have quite the queue ahead of me...there are currently seven books on my reading table. : )
I am familiar with that problem. I just went through a box of very old books, and put half a dozen on my bedside table.
that red flower in the hand of these child is looking beautiful and real.
AI is getting pretty good!
I wish you every success.
#hive #posh
The covers are all fine but I like the option c like you said. The boy being off from the set gave it a unique touch. C is look