Which Book Cover Designs Resonate Most with You?

(Poll at the Bottom of Blog)

There’s nothing more important in marketing a novel than the book cover.

Of course, the writing needs to be good. There needs to be an engaging premise, told in a way that draws readers into the world and makes them want to read more. But getting a novel into the hands of readers is the first step in the process. Before they even read the first page or the back blurb, a potential reader is assessing the book based on one thing only: the cover design. Does this look good in my library? Will people ask me about it when they see me reading it?

It is for this reason that I recently hired a designer to create the cover for Whalers. They have experience working in the industry, creating covers for both traditionally and self-published books. Our collaboration has been fantastic, and I can’t wait to see the final product.

Today, I want to discuss some trendy designs in the cover art world, and I’d love to hear your feedback on what resonates most with YOU as a reader. There’s a poll at the bottom of this blog where I’d love to get your feedback. Let’s get started!

1. Symbolic Book Covers

Symbolic book covers feature an object or symbol from the text that represents the work as a whole. Often times, this is on the more abstract side of things, but creates quite an “aha” moment once you find the symbol in the text.

2. Landscape Book Covers

Landscape book covers focus on the setting. They aim to draw the reader into the world of the novel and provide a glimpse into the environment where the story takes place. The enviornment can say a lot about a book. People are usually a product of where they live.

3. Typographic Book Covers

Typographic book covers emphasize lettering. In these designs, there are often few images, but what draws the reader in is the unique use of color and font. I love this example from Eat, Pray, Love, as the noodles, the beads, and the flowers say plenty on their own.

4. Abstract Book Covers

Abstract book covers are designed to make you think. What could this possibly be about? By crafting intricate, detailed, yet puzzling covers, readers can’t help but pick the book up to read. Human beings naturally are puzzle solvers. We are curious by design.

5. Character-Centered Book Covers

Character-centered book covers provide a glimpse into the lives and personalities of the main characters, helping readers visualize the people they’ll be reading about.

Whalers debuts in early 2025. Be on the look-out for my cover reveal, coming soon.