Judge a Book by Its Cover! (And Don’t Feel Bad about It)

Yeah, right. Worst. Idiom. Ever. That’s like saying, Don’t judge a person by their personality! Don’t judge a criminal by their criminal record, especially if it includes multiple convictions of murder and hate crimes. Ooh ooh ooh! And don’t judge a meal by its taste.

Whatevs.

In a piece for Writer Unboxed, a site dedicated to the craft and business of writing fiction, Erika Liodice (@erikaliodice) penned a great piece titled “How to Create a Book Cover That Connects with Readers,” adding more credence to the fact that “Don’t judge a book by its cover” should be removed from the pantheon of dumbass English phrases.

Ms. Liodice’s post is definitely worth reading, even if you’re not planning to publish your own book, as it offers excellent advice about the creative process from start to finish. Maybe you’re like my brother, who runs his own sheep farming business and needed a catchy logo for his beloved sheep. Perhaps you’re designing your own website and need homepage artwork. The point is, this piece is worth reading in its entirety, so I’ll just highlight the eight main points below to whet your palate.

Step 1: Understand what works (and what doesn’t)

Step 2: Find the perfect image (or curate your own)

Step 3: Plan your design

Step 4: Prioritize your information

Step 5: Develop a creative brief

Step 6: Hire the right designer

Step 7: Draw up a contract

Step 8: Get feedback