Decorated edges — sprayed bright colors, stenciled with ornate imagery — have taken the publishing industry by storm.

The book cover is a key element—it’s often the first impression that attracts potential readers. For those with limited resources or multiple projects, hiring a professional designer might ...

And once the book is published, many of those people would remember that they had a say in the cover choice, and maybe there’s a higher chance of purchase because of that. Everybody wins.

We were all taught the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but when you’re browsing books at your favorite bookstore, it’s impossible not to be drawn in by a book’s cover. The ...

01. Understand the story first A book cover should encapsulate the essence of the story. Before diving into the design, read the book or discuss its themes with the author.

Here are some of the best book covers of 2023 that you did not see—with insight directly from the designers who created them. The version that ended up being scrapped is on left, the final ...

Where have all the torsos gone? The photorealistic “clinch cover,” featuring lovers mid-embrace, is a critically endangered species. Fabio? Hasn’t been seen around these parts in years. But ...

I’ve been a book designer since the 1990s, working with some of Australia’s and the United Kingdom’s leading publishers. These days, I design book covers for Giramondo Publishing.

Carin Goldberg, a celebrated graphic designer who brought an inventive postmodern sensibility to book and album covers, died on Jan. 19 at her home in Stanfordville, N.Y., in Dutchess County.

Stevens’s new book—in which he delivers exactly what the title promises across 200-plus fake vintage book covers—is out today. And it works delightfully. Subscribe to the Design newsletter.

Designed by Alex Merto The same designer produced both of these covers. Looking at them side by side, they demonstrate a stylistic pluralism that speaks to the attention paid to each book’s mission.