Do you trust your cover artist? You should, but you should also remember who your target audience is. The cover shouldn’t be just eye-catching — it has to be eye-catching for the RIGHT audience.
Which of these book covers catches your eye?
Design #1: dramatic, bold and screams “murder, assassin, thriller.”
Comment: “I loved working on #1, and love how it turned out. I tried various design, layout, filters, and this was the final concept. The client loved it, too.”
Design #2: Less dramatic, but provides the same ideas: assassin, killer, murder.
Now that you have formed your opinion, I want you to tell me….
Which would you choose and Why?
Before you answer, you should first ask yourself — WHO is the intended target audience?
The Impenetrable Spy, Future Dreamer, Book #2
Here’s the teaser:
Five years has passed since the events of The Impenetrable Spy. Zack Carter’s oldest friend has been murdered. The gun is covered in his fingerprints. Now on the run, Zack has to pit himself against CIA agents while trying to uncover the truth. He has to clear his name before things get out of hand. When he stumbles onto something bigger he must go on several missions through locations including Nigeria, Chicago, CIA headquarters, Germany, and France.
Author: Spencer Brokaw, age 13
Audience: MG to YA.
So, NOW, which book cover design is the better one?
Comment: “I had to REMIND myself of this AFTER I created the first design. It was hard to tear myself away, but I simply had to. The design just didn’t fit the intended audience. This new design is much better, fits the audience, and ties in well with the first book cover design.”
NOTE: Images are mockup book cover designs.
Next: Creating an eye-catching book cover for $5 or less.
