Humans have been judging a book by its cover since the dawn of publishing. Books have always had a certain look that, of course, has changed over time. Things trend. Styles end. And if we want to be a part of this industry, we have to keep up.

When you self-publish, there is a high chance that you will do some of the book yourself, not just the writing part. And if you’re in charge of the cover, you have to make sure that you collect the correct elements to put out a product that is not only professional, but also looks like a modern industry book.

So these are the pieces that you need to develop your cover. Yes, it seems like a lot for that amount of square footage, but to really look polished and professional, you at least need the basics.

Let’s start with the front of the cover.

• Title, subtitle – you can absolutely have a cool title that is also easy for people who don’t know the name of your book (or you!) to find. Remember that using key words is not only good for website SEO. It can also increase your book’s chances of being spotted by those who need it most. Check my post on book titles for more info. Also, make sure you use a font that is appropriate for your ideal audience.
• Author name – yep, that’s you. Make sure you use the name that you are most recognized for, especially if that’s different from the name you go by on a day to day basis. Think about whether you need to have your middle name, maiden name, pen name, Dr., or whatever else in the name to coordinate with your branding.
• Awards – did your book win an award? Often, the awarding organization will give you a stamp to put on your book, either in real life or on a digital version of the cover (sometimes both). If not, make sure you note on the front that the book won an award.
• 3-5 word testimonial (optional) – if someone high in your industry or a big-name publication (think Wall Street Journal) reviewed your book and said something nice, you may want to put a tiny snippet of that review on the front.
• Image – make it pretty! People, plants, and animals are the most attractive for your cover, and I encourage you to put yourself on the front. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, an image of your ideal client, even a stock photo, is also great for attracting interested readers.

And on to the back.

• Back matter – This is basically a sales pitch, not just a summary. Make sure you are identifying the ideal audience and what their major pain point is, as well as letting them know that you have the solution to that problem within the pages of your book.
• Testimonials – did someone like your book already? Awesome! It’s especially great if these are people of note, in your ideal audience, or higher up in your industry.
• Head shot/bio (optional) – I like to include my head shot and bio on a page at the back of the book, but many people like to put it on the back cover. Especially if you don’t appear on the front of the book, put your image and a 1-2 sentence bio on the back. It should be short and appealing to your ideal reader.

And don’t forget the spine! If your book is thick enough (not judging, 100 pages isn’t usually thick enough), then you need to include your name and book title on the spine.

Additional tips: everything should be clear and not pixelated. Use high-resolution photographs. Ensure that text isn’t running off the edge. Basically, don’t put out anything that looks like it isn’t high-quality. Remember that your name is going on this book, and you want it to be stellar!