Designing a cover that tells a story

There’s something magical about reaching the point where you’re designing your book cover. For me, it’s the moment the story starts to feel real. I can see it, hold it in my imagination, almost picture it sitting on a bookshelf.

But with all that excitement often comes a healthy dose of overwhelm, especially if you’re taking on the design yourself.

Suddenly, you’re deep in research mode, scrolling through what’s already out there, comparing styles, colours, and fonts, and wondering: What if I get it wrong? What if the image in my head doesn’t quite translate to the final design? It’s a thrilling and nerve-wracking process all at once.

A book’s cover is the first hello to your readers, the instant connection before they’ve even read a single word. It needs to tell a story of its own while also fitting comfortably within its genre. That’s why understanding what readers expect is so important.

So, yes, it means research! Look at what’s working in your genre. Which covers are catching your eye? What colours, moods, or images seem to resonate? Sometimes, it’s the smallest detail that captures the heart of a story. One cover I absolutely love is from Lis Angus’s Not Your Child. It features a pair of park benches. Simple, yet deeply symbolic once you’ve read the book. That kind of visual storytelling adds so much meaning beyond the surface.

And then there’s the big, buzzy topic: AI. It’s definitely making waves in creative spaces like cover design. For many indie or first-time authors, hiring a professional designer isn’t always in the budget, and tools like IngramSpark’s cover creator can be a good place to start. I tried it and I couldn't get it to do what I wanted it to (user error I'm sure), but it’s great to have more accessible options.

That said, I always prefer human over artificial when it comes to intelligence and the creative process. As the mother of two creative types I understand the significant impact AI is having on their chosen industries, but I’m also a realist, and the technology is not going away.

When I started exploring designs for The Watcher's Prey, I tried a bit of everything, a freelancer’s concepts, some of my own ideas made in Canva, Shutterstock images, Creative Fabrica fonts, and yes, even a few PowerPoint mock-up’s! I also experimented with a couple of AI-generated designs just to see what was possible.

Then I asked a few trusted friends for feedback. Most of them gravitated toward the freelancer’s work… phew money well spent… except for one person, who surprised me by picking a PowerPoint design I’d made myself. In the end I went with one I created myself using PowerPoint which sounds insane I know, but I'm really happy with how it came out. I will admit my DD did help me finesse it with the fonts and placement of the words but then she's got a great eye and she was certainly not afraid to tell me what I had didn't work. The cover reveal will be coming soon.

In the end, it all comes down to what works best for you. Your time, your budget, your skills, and your creative comfort zone. Personally, when I can afford it, I love working with professionals. There’s something very special about collaborating with someone who can take the vision in your head and turn it into something breathtakingly real.

Because a great cover isn’t just beautiful, it’s a promise. It whispers to readers: Come inside. There’s a story waiting for you.