On Minimalist Book Covers

On Minimalist Book Covers - Self-Publishing Tips

Back when I was trying to design the cover for my debut novella Apartment, I had very limited resources. 

I could have created hand-drawn cover, if I was patient enough to really make it look good, to try and try again. I wasn't feeling very patient back then. I could have hired someone to do it for me, but I wasn't financially secure at that point in time and rates can be quite high. I could have used free-for-commercial-use graphic assets, but I was concerned that the assets uploaded to Pixabay and other websites aren't always 👀 above-board. I could have waited, but I didn't want to wait. Like I said, I wasn't feeling very patient back then.

I don't take short-cuts, and I don't like the idea of using something I'm not certain about. When in doubt, stay away, and all of that. So, I went with the easiest but most acceptable and aesthetic route I could take: a minimalist book cover design.

You can see it below:

The design is extremely simple. All I had to work on was choosing a font that I was able to use, choosing a color scheme, and fiddling around with the line and letter spacing. Super duper simple, and I made a range of different styles which I enjoyed, including one with a black background instead. 

At the time, I also liked the emptiness of the design, which to me connected very well with the isolation theme of the apartment building on Wallstone Avenue. It also lends itself very well to the "void" vibe I had going in the novella, so I thought this was actually a really neat design, and I still do.

Mine is one of the simpler designs. There are a range of other, more beautifully compelling minimalist designs that intrigue and present a book in style. Here are just a few examples that I personally like:

Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett:

Seeing Red by Lina Meruane

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Pros and Cons of Minimalist Book Cover Designs

➕ Easier to make yourself.

➕ Helps you cut costs if you're right on resources.

➕ Gives you a clean, professional look with minimal skills required.

➕ Allows you to emphasize specific visual elements if you prefer.

➖ Usually won't include unique art made for your specific story.

➖ Can be easily replicated.

Despite all of the above, you need to keep in mind that you can always update your book cover! It's not the cover that your book is going to be stuck with forever! But if you find yourself in a time crunch, without the necessary resources or skills, a minimalist book design can really help you take care of one of the biggest obstacles to a more successful self-published book.

I'm very happy with my minimalist cover design. Over time, of course, I may want to change my cover for Apartment. In fact, I'm hoping that I can update the book itself and give it a bit of an overhaul in the future, but it's currently not my priority. (We all know nothing can ever be perfect! The true course is to learn from mistakes and errors and move forward with those lessons in mind.)

In the meantime, I'm a big fan of minimalist designs for book covers, especially if - like me - you have no other resources at your disposal.