The Wattys Boot Camp Mentorship Program is back for 2023! Have you written a story that you plan to submit to the Wattys? If the answer is yes, you've come to the right place. This program helps you prepare your submission to make it the best it can...
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This week we are working on your story's cover. A window into your character's world.
Why do covers matter?
Like it or not, people judge books by their covers. We know we're not supposed to, but we do it anyway. With thousands of books to compete against on Wattpad, you need to make cover design a priority. It's the first glimpse readers get of your story, and the fastest way to communicate what your story is about.
What makes a great cover?
1) A prominent title
We know how important a story title is. Many of us spend countless hours deciding on a great title that communicates the essence of our story. Likewise, it should be the primary focus of your book cover and must be clearly visible.
> choose a font that is easy to read
> use a font size that is easily visible even in a thumbnail image
> select a font color that stands out from the background
2) A simple design that is not over-crowded
A crowded design makes it difficult to pick out the important stuff. When a reader is scrolling through covers, they're simply browsing. Don't make them work too hard.
> do not allow other text and graphic elements to compete with the title
> use no more than two fonts, this includes title, author name, and subtext. More than that can make the cover look too busy
> leave plenty of 'white space' (a term meaning blank space without text or design elements). Your design should be uncluttered so that your message is conveyed without forcing the reader to search for it.
3) A design that showcases the story's genre
Genres exist for a reason. They help a reader guess if they'll like your story or not. And each genre has its own cover design style. When a reader browses, they generally choose stories based on their preferred genres without even reading the title.
When searching cover design ideas, we suggest you start by browsing other popular books in your genre. What colors, layouts, fonts, and graphic elements are common in that genre? Which of those elements make sense for your book?
4) A design that features a key theme from your book
If you're looking for cover design inspiration, look no further than your own writing. One path to a creative cover design is to visually represent a specific element or idea from your writing. Think carefully about the most intriguing or unique story element to feature there. Just be careful not to overwhelm readers by trying to convey too much.
How do I actually design a cover?
We're glad you asked. Wattpad created some videos that offer pointers on how to design great book covers in Canva. Even if you use something other than Canva, many of the ideas shown in these videos can be useful to your creative process.
See the next chapter, Story Cover Activity, for instructions on your assignment.
