Book cover design is subjective. I can share my experiences with people. I can tell them what worked in the past. I can explain what I’ve learned through hours and hours and hours of research and reading studies, and looking at best sellers’ lists and losing myself for countless hours in bookstores. But, at the end of the day it’s still 50% subjective, with a few verifiable research studies tossed in for good measure and a list of success stories that may or may not support using one style cover over another.
The industry does have experts though, and many of them are willing to share their expertise. Chip Kidd is one such book cover designer. For 25 or so years he’s been creating memorable designs, like the dinosaur silhouette on Jurassic Park, and the “wet” look of Augusten Burroughs’ Dry.
Kidd has several very informative videos on YouTube. If you’re designing a cover, hiring a cover designer or managing a publishing project for yourself or someone else, this video is well worth 17 minutes of your time. I think the information at 2:50 is really important and exemplifies a common issue with self-published covers — treating readers like morons.
Random House also has material about the process of book cover design on YouTube (Chip Kidd shows up in this one, too).
Another well-known designer who shares the design process he underwent to create book covers is Henry Sene Yee. I thought his cover for Smut was brilliant. His use of Comic Sans on Sam Lipsyte’s book was a great marketing idea.
Lots of good information out there. Take my word for it.
