In today's world, self publication is becoming an increasingly popular method for authors to publish their work for the world to read. Generally, self publishers have pretty tight budgets and it's no surprise that book cover design can be discounted as an expense of lesser importance. Is book cover design really that important?

The answer is YES! Book cover design is one of the most important decisions an author can make in the creation of their book. We've all heard the phrase, "Never judge a book by its cover." Ironically, that's exactly what we all do before we even open a book and peer inside its pages. In light of this, book cover design should be carefully thought out and meticulously executed. Hiring a professional book cover designer for the job is an absolute must.

Some key factors to consider while designing your book cover are: your target audience (their likes, their dislikes, their age range, and most importantly their design aesthetic); your book's message (your book cover design should reflect this message); your book's general mood and/or emotional tone (your book cover design should reflect this mood); and your book's potential competition -- what other books will be vying for a customer's attention? Your book cover design should help your book to stand out among the others, getting the customer's attention and prompting them to open the book and see what's inside.

While plenty of book cover designers are companies, many book cover designers are individual freelancers so think about this when you're ready to have your book cover designed. Working with a larger company may have its benefits, while working with an individual may have other benefits.

An excellent resource for finding book cover designers is linked below. You can use this site's directory to find all kinds of book cover designers and, hopefully, choose one that is right for you.