Typography refers to the style and arrangement of text for visual appeal and legibility. A book cover\u2019s typography is incredibly important to attract readers and emphasize the theme or the plot. Poor font choice and stylization can look messy or confusing, deterring readers from enjoying the story within. You\u2019ll need a balance of outstanding visual elements for a stellar book cover, and effective typography is half the battle. There are many common typography mistakes new authors make when designing their cover, and you can learn from them while planning yours.<\/p>\n
Font styles<\/a> are fun to play with, and many gorgeous options may fit your book cover well. You\u2019re not going to want to choose all of them, though. Too many font styles can make a book cover look cluttered, busy, and difficult to read. Choose two font styles at most unless your book is specifically trying to evoke a busy look (like a ransom letter or mystery novel). You can always play around with many different fonts, but your final decision typically shouldn\u2019t include too many. Most books choose a stylistic font for the title and another, simpler thematic font for the subtext.<\/p>\n A fitting, topical font may be fun, but it may only be legible to some audiences. Overly cursive or playful fonts can not only prevent your target audience from reading the text properly, but you may find that readers with visual impairments or conditions like dyslexia will have additional trouble deciphering it. You can choose a stylized font, but don\u2019t go overboard. Readability is the most important. You can work with cover designers to stylize a font legibly.<\/p>\n Tons of fonts evoke certain moods or themes. For example, a bold, capitalized serif font can easily represent a historical novel, while silly, fun fonts like Comic Sans are often displayed on children\u2019s books. You wouldn\u2019t want to use Comic Sans on a serious, graphic adult horror novel. Your font should be readable and also fit the genre and theme of your book. The typography<\/a> doesn\u2019t have to be overly stylized, but it should reflect the content within well.<\/p>\n While vibrant colors can be pretty, they usually don\u2019t belong on the text itself. You want the text to be the easiest detail on the cover to read, and harsh, bright colors can easily make that difficult. Your background color will play a role in legibility as well. A yellow background with white text can be too similarly bright to read well. Graphic cover designers can help you choose a font color theme that will be readable, fitting, and attractive.<\/p>\nIllegible Font<\/h4>\n
Ill-Fitting Themes<\/h4>\n
Harsh Colors<\/h4>\n
Too Much Text<\/h4>\n