by Rebecca Forster

Topping my list of things critical to a books success are: a well- crafted story, a great editor, an exciting blurb, and, above all, an exceptional cover. But covers, like books, are not created equal and they serve different masters.

Branding: 3 Types of Covers

Here are three types of book covers with a "branding purpose." You have likely seen all of them.

Corporate Branding

Harlequin is a great example of corporate branding. Graphic elements such as type font and size, logo placement, and central images are as prescribed as the writing guidelines. A mere glance at the covers and the reader’s mind registers some key book elements:

• category romance
• happy for now, or happily ever after ending
• short novel
  and, above all...
• published by Harlequin.

The author is secondary to the brand.

Genre/Series Branding

The Idiots Guide to (insert word) or Chicken Soup for the Soul are fabulous examples of this.  The graphic elements are set in stone, making it simple for the reader to identify the book as being part of the over-arching series. These elements tend to be colorful and bold, the titles self-explanatory and prominent.

Author Branding

John Grisham’s books use a clean, easily read font for his name. His name fills the top third of his covers. The titles are secondary and the images are pleasant but not genre explicit. Grisham is the reason you are picking this book up, period. Many big name authors use this formula, and some indie authors are harnessing the power of distinct author branding.

My Own Cover Journey

My Traditional Years

During my 25 years as a traditionally published author, I wrote for Harlequin, Penguin Putman, Kensington Books, Harper Collins, and other houses. My covers from Harlequin were indistinguishable from other Harlequin authors, as we noted above. At the time, Harlequin is focused on their own corporate brand. My single title covers went from basic to intricate only when my book sales warranted the extra expense of foils and raised fonts.

The Indie Challenge

I entered indie publishing with 20+ books in my inventory, due to all the rights that reverted to me from my previous publishers. I was not, however, free to use the covers that were previously created. My initial efforts to create covers by myself were childish, and did me no great service in terms of sales. But, now that there were no advances on the horizon, my own efforts were all I could afford.

Luckily, my fortunes changed.

I hired a great editor, PR person, and I went in search of a cover designer. I had some luck, but nothing that knocked my socks off. The truth is, a person with a graphic program is not necessarily a cover designer. I discovered that two of these designers were actually using templates. That was fine, but I wanted more.

I just couldn’t quite define what that ‘more’ was.

In-House Again

Over the years, graphic design programs become user-friendly and reasonably priced, so I committed to learning how to create compelling covers. There was a lot of trial and error. Sometimes I succeeded—spot color and stark graphics for The Witness Series have proven successful, with over 3 million books downloaded.

My favorite self-made cover is Before Her Eyes (the book is also a personal favorite.).  Both these efforts are evocative of the stories. 

I was not so successful with the Finn O’Brien Thrillers. I knew what I wanted those covers to look like, I did a decent job of interpreting my ideas, but something kept them from being compelling.

Enter a Master Cover Designer.

I befriended an author, Luke Romyn, online.  I loved his storytelling but I was enamored with his covers. When I asked who designed them, he said that he did. It seems Luke is a graphic artist turned author, and the reason I loved his covers was indefinable. It had to do with depth of color and composition. I was drawn to them, understanding the story before I read a word.

I wanted that feeling for the cover of my books.

He took my "acceptable" Finn O’Brien covers and turned them into spectacular ones. Suddenly, there was an electricity that crackled off my thriller covers. The fonts he chose turned my name and the titles into bold statements. The tilt of a letter or intrusion of a graphic element into the type gave the cover life.

I possess a good eye; Luke has an extraordinary one. Look at the difference between my covers (left) and his covers (right).

The Bottom Line

It is impossible to quantify the soul of a graphic artist. They bring something akin to umami to the design table. Their talent is deep and ethereal. They seem to know more about our stories than we do without ever having read the book. Whatever the magic is, I’m glad Luke has it and am honored that he has me covered. If you want to see what I mean, check out Luke’s books awesome covers.

If you want to shake up your book sales, take a look at your covers.

What do you look for in a book cover, and do you know what cover elements make YOU buy? Do you create your own book covers or hire someone else to do the job? If you use a designer, feel free to recommend them below!

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About Rebecca

Rebecca Forster started writing on a crazy dare and found her passion. Now a USA Today and Amazon best selling author, Forster is known for her legal thrillers and police procedurals. Over three million readers have enjoyed her Josie Bates thrillers in the Witness Series alone. With over 40 books to her name, Rebecca had a long career in traditional publishing before becoming an indie author. Her fast-paced tales of law and justice are known for deep characterization and never-see-it-coming endings.

In an effort to make her work as realistic as possible, Rebecca has graduated from the DEA and ATF Citizens academies, landed by tail hook and spent two days on the nuclear submarine U.S.S Nimitz, engaged in police ride-alongs, and continues to court watch whenever possi

Rebecca has taught at the acclaimed UCLA Writers Program and various colleges and universities. She is a sought-after speaker at bar and judges' associations as well as philanthropic groups and writing conferences. Rebecca is also a repeat speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books.

Rebecca has just released The 9th Witness, the final book in her acclaimed Witness Series, Josie Bates Thrillers. Find all her books at any online bookstore or here: https://www.rebeccaforster.com/.

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