As you’re thinking about a cover for your upcoming project, consider the covers you’re already seeing in the industry.

What do you notice about the placement of the graphics in relation to the text?

What do you notice about the color scheme and the typefaces that were selected?

Does the cover seem to do a good job of reflecting key aspects of the content based on the blurb and reviews?

What do you like about the cover as it stands?

What would you change if you were the author?

These sorts of questions can help you think through how you want your own cover to look.

Remember that you can maintain a folder of covers that you particularly like. Then, when you get to the point of needing a cover designer, you can come to them with concrete visuals for what you like in a cover.

Having this level of clarity only makes their job easier and ensures that you are more likely to purchase a cover that you (and your customers!) are going to love!