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There are five things you need to know about Designing a Book Cover That Sells:
- The purpose of a book’s cover is to assure the prospective reader that the book is worth further consideration.
- The two ways to get a professional book cover are to hire a designer or do it yourself.
- Your cover must match your genre by including the same elements that genre readers are used to seeing from traditionally published genre novels.
- The key image must be simple. Single images work better than collages.
- Other visual cues like correct typography and layout subliminally assure readers that they are looking at a professional product.
Remember that your cover itself is not the product. Your book is the product. Your cover is the packaging. And it needs to assure potential readers that what’s inside is good and is what they want. That’s it.
See our book on the subject of designing book covers
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Or watch a larger version on YouTube
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[av_toggle title=’List of Professional Cover Designers’ tags=”]
A professional cover can increase books sales by over 300%.
So where do you find a professional designer?
The best way is to network with other indie authors who have professional covers and ask who their designer was.
If you are lazy, here are a few shortcuts. Note: Shelfbuzz is not affiliated with these designers and does not receive any sort of affiliate commission for listing them.
Click the names to visit each designer’s site.
The Thatchery | |
Jason Gurley | |
Scarlett Rugers | |
Kit Foster | |
Derek Murphy | |
Carl Graves | |
Blue Harvest Creative | |
Damonza | |
Yocla Designs |
P.S. Smashwords, a popular indiepub distributor also compiles a list of cover design artists. We’ve browsed through the portfolios of the ‘designers’ on this list and were not impressed by their work. Stick to the professionals listed above.
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[av_toggle title=’Recommended for Improving Your Craft’ tags=”]

Take Off Your Pants! – Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing

Outlining Your Novel – Map Your Way to Success

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method

Write Your Novel From The Middle – A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between

Story Engineering – Larry Brooks

On Writing – A Memoir Of The Craft

Techniques of the Selling Writer
All of these featured books listed on one page at Amazon. Click here.
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