Before & After

Chapter . Cool covers: Ten simple ideas for great-looking covers

Designing a captivating cover that encourages the reader to look inside is not as scary or difficult as you might think. The key is to use what you already have in new ways.

Build a cover of squares

This cover uses its own grid as a visual element. Divide a square page into four squares, put a point of interest in one corner, the title in the opposite corner, then make the two squares visible.

Draw a grid Divide a square page into four squares. Position the photo—one with plenty of cropping ...