As a fantasy author, your book cover is one of your most essential marketing tools. It can make the difference between a reader picking up your book and passing it by. Avid readers can tell you that a cover is the first thing that draws them to a book. They will not only read the synopsis if it’s to their liking. They will also judge the book by its cover literally. It’s the first thing people see, so it has to catch their eye.
An experienced book cover designer can help you create a cover that will grab attention and accurately reflect the tone and content of your novel. Certain elements go into making a good fantasy book cover. Discover each of those as you read.
But to have the core idea of a good book cover, get to know first the types of genres that will require a visually appealing design.
Types of Fantasy Genres
Fantasy is a speculative fiction genre that deals with imaginative and supernatural concepts. It often features elements of the medieval setting, such as castles and knights, and fantasy stories may include aspects of the modern world, like technology and computers.
Fantasy has always been a popular genre with writers and readers alike. It is not all the same. Two different types of fantasy genres are popular: High Fantasy and Urban Fantasy. Let’s get to know them in detail.
High fantasy typically features grandiose settings and stories with a high degree of magic and adventure. Urban fantasy typically occurs in modern-day cities and features magic and supernatural elements in a more realistic setting.
Other popular genres or subgenres are based on the demographic of the writer. These are adult fantasy, young adult fantasy, and middle age fantasy.
Adult fantasy contains explicit and dark or dangerous themes not suitable for younger audiences. Young adult fantasies can still have darker themes because adults are big consumers of these kinds of books. Middle-age fantasy is the more tamed among the three.
How Can You Make a Good Fantasy Book Cover?
A good book cover is an investment that will pay off in increased sales and readership. It should be eye-catching and reflective of the story inside. If your book cover could be more appealing, potential readers will likely move on.
What makes a good fantasy book cover? It will depend on the specific genre of the novel you are writing. It should show a particular character or setting of your story. This is to let your readers know what to expect in the book.
Fantasy novels have a vast selection of books and subgenres. The market can be intimidating and competitive. How can you make sure that your book cover will stand out among the rest?
Writing fantasy or fiction is one thing, but getting people to read your book is different. The most excellent way to start making a good book design cover is to know what genre or subgenre you are writing.
Another thing to remember is who your main target audience would be. It can be challenging to create a beautiful and professional design without a background in graphic design. This is why it is necessary to consult a fantasy book cover designer. They will help you create a cover design that looks amazing and professional.
Elements of a Good Fantasy Book Cover
Having a solid idea about who the book is for and what your story theme is can help out in a great book cover design. To get people to pick up your book, you must ensure that the cover stands out.
When designing the cover, you should consider its color scheme, font, and imagery. These elements can help clue your reader on what to expect in the book. It can also elevate your book cover and make it more marketable.
Imagery
These are the pictures and illustrations on the cover. The imagery of your book should portray your fantasy world, or it can be used to feature your main character and their best qualities.
Images are the main focal point of the cover design. It can be something symbolic, immersive, or a combination of both.
Something to remember is that simplicity is better. This is where you have a lot of creative freedom. Keep in mind not to make it so complicated that your readers won’t be able to understand what your story is all about.
The cover imagery should showcase the novel’s subgenre. It can also be used to give your readers a glimpse of what to expect from your fantasy world.
Color palette
In marketing, color is often used to convey a certain emotion to the consumer. It can also hint at what sort of theme is being portrayed. It influences the novel to feel intriguing and approachable.
Darker-colored books can often be signaled as more mature or dark-themed content. Bright and light colors are suitable for more lighthearted child-friendly themes. Dramatic colors can convey passion, vengeance, love, and danger. A mix of dark and light colors can portray something magical or timeless.
Font
Book covers often have the title on the front. The font style of the book can transport you to another time or another worldly city. It can tell your reader if your main character has a big personality or if they have dark secrets. It can also help your reader know how severe or dangerous your story can be.
The font of your book can act as a bridge to tie in our cover design. Sometimes the title, subtitle, and the author’s name can be in different font styles. This can showcase a more diverse and interesting-looking cover design.
Why Do You Need A Good Fantasy Book Cover ?
Fantasy covers are known to be some of the most imaginative out of all the genres. They generally involve magic, monsters, and the unknown. They help set the tone for the book and are one of the first things the reader sees.
A good cover will attract readers and make them want to buy the book. So, when writing a fantasy, try to ensure that you put a lot of time into your cover.
Your cover designer will help you make a professional-looking cover that will boost your sales, and they can help you create the best cover for your novel. You need to have a solid idea of who the book is for and what your book is about. The color palette, font, and imagery will always be based on the content and demographic of your book. These will make it easier for the designer to make the right cover.
