By Hannah Linder

Imagine showing up for the most important job interview of your life. You’ve earned the degree, researched the company, felt confident in the skills you can bring to the table, and prayed over the opportunity for so long.

Now is your chance.

You pull into the parking lot, take a deep breath, and stride inside. But as you pass a mirror just before you reach the hiring manager’s office, you pause and frown. Wow, what a fright. Your hair is unwashed and disheveled, your clothes are baggy, your purse is missing a button, and a bit of red lipstick is smeared on your front teeth.

You look unpresentable. In all this preparation, how did you forget your appearance? Don’t you know that after one look at you—whether you’re qualified for the job or not—the hiring manager will choose another more well-put-together applicant?

Authors, the same applies to your book. You’ve prepared and prayed and poured your heart over what’s in the pages—the important part. But when it comes time to present the book to the world, oftentimes authors forget about appearances.

Your book has clothes. You are in charge of the outfit. Some don their books in tuxedos and glistening evening gowns, while others just shrug on a pair of dirty overalls and sweaty T-shirts. And the reality is, just as people are judged by what they wear on the outside, books are judged by their covers.

So, if book cover design is so important and really does make a difference on whether a reader picks up your book, what can you do to ensure you “dress your book” right? Here are a few essential clothing items and accessories:

The Genre Gown

If you’ve written a book on solving murders in the swamplands, make sure your book cover screams, “Mystery!” If you’ve written a fun princess-meets-pauper-and-falls-in-love, make it pop with “Rom-Com” glitter. Whatever the genre, it should coincide with other similar books so that a genre fan can easily pick it out on the shelves.

The Color Coat

Something that shouts “self-published” more than anything is a cover with jarring colors. Make certain the colors in your text match well with the colors in your imagery. For example, don’t throw in a neon-blue title if the rest of your cover is in red and black.

The Readability Ring

Make certain all text is legible. White or light colors on dark backgrounds; black or dark colors on bright backgrounds. Also, keep in mind that the author’s name and title should be easily readable, even at a thumbnail view.

The White Space Watch

White space, a basic design principle, means leaving empty space around any elements in your design. Too often, a cover will have the author’s name, a logline, or the title so close to the edge that it looks ready to fall off the cliff. Give all your text a little breathing room. It will enhance your book’s appearance as much as a watch will enhance your wrist.

The Simplicity Shawl

Lastly, I want to reference that old saying, “Less is more.” In the desire to portray characters, important objects, settings, and swirls, often authors try to cram too much into the design of their book cover. Just as a woman decked out from head to foot in excessive jewels and furs looks obnoxious, over-dressing your cover can be unappealing. The result will be a cluttered mess and the viewer will have too many aspects of the design trying to pull their attention. Simplicity will always be in good taste.

How much does your book cover really matter, you ask? The truth is, it matters a lot. Readers will judge your book by its cover and it will affect how many are drawn into the pages you’ve worked so hard on. Final thought?

Don’t show up for your interview in flip-flops with lipstick on your teeth. Come prepared. Dress your book like the radiant story inside. You’re going to shine out there.

Hannah Linder is an international and multi-award-winning designer who specializes in professional cover design. Having designed for both traditional publishing houses and award-winning authors, Hannah understands the importance of an attractive book cover and the trends of today’s industry. Her clients have included New York Times, USA Today, national, and international bestselling authors. Also, Hannah is a magna cum laude Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate, and has served as an industry judge for ECPA Top Shelf Book Cover Awards. Many of her designs have been honored with first place cover design awards. Find out more at www.hannahlinderdesigns.com.