Cover & Interior Design
Make your book look ready to belong.
Readers assess a book before they read a page. Connect genre, message, and format through considered design.
Your Next Chapter Starts Here
Creative direction
Develop a visual brief based on your reader and category.
Cover concepts
Review title hierarchy, imagery, and thumbnail readability.
Interior layout
Set typography, headings, spacing, illustrations, and navigation.
Production files
Prepare approved formats for the agreed print and digital editions.
What should professional cover and interior design accomplish?
Cover design communicates the book’s subject, genre, and identity. Interior design organizes the reading experience through typography, hierarchy, spacing, images, and navigation. IME connects both with the approved manuscript, intended reader, and selected editions so the presentation supports the book rather than competing with it.
Make the book recognizable before asking for the sale.
A cover has limited space to communicate. An interior has hundreds of opportunities to either support or interrupt the reading experience.
Begin with a design brief covering audience, category, tone, title hierarchy, and practical formats. Review a cover at thumbnail size as well as full size. The title, author name, and important visual information need a deliberate hierarchy.
Inside the book, consistency matters as much as decoration. Chapter openings, tables, callouts, captions, and references should follow a usable system. Print and ebook editions require separate checks, particularly when content includes complex layouts or illustrations.
A plan with visible decisions.
Use this sequence to understand the work. The scope and approval points belong in your written proposal.
- 1
Brief
Define reader, format, category, and visual direction.
- 2
Concept
Review cover directions and a representative interior sample.
- 3
Refine
Resolve hierarchy, consistency, and approved revision rounds.
- 4
Export
Prepare and proof files for the selected editions.
Service workflow illustration. Stages describe work, not promised sales or performance.
Which starting point sounds like yours?
Open the closest match to review the decisions worth discussing.
01I need a new cover
Bring the final working title, audience, comparable category presentation, and any visual assets with documented usage rights.
02I already have a cover
Review the editable file, image licenses, spine dimensions, and requirements for the new edition before assuming the artwork is production-ready.
03My interior contains complex material
Inventory tables, exercises, diagrams, footnotes, and images. Agree on sample pages before extending the system across the manuscript.
Decisions worth making early.
| Decision | Why the decision matters |
|---|---|
| Asset rights | Confirm image, illustration, and font usage permissions. |
| Manuscript stability | Content changes after layout affect pages and potentially the spine. |
| File delivery | Identify final exports, editable files, and any licensed-asset limitations. |
Bring the material. Clarify the plan.
Use this optional checklist to prepare. Unfinished items are discussion points, not barriers to applying.
Start with your project.
Share your stage, goals, audience, budget range, and release window through the saved application. Continue to the scheduling link after submission.
Discuss Your Project ↗Try Publishing Readiness Review ↗References behind the practical guidance
KDP trim size, bleed, and margins ↗Print-file requirements vary by trim size, page count, ink, and format. Confirm current specifications before final export.
KDP metadata guidelines ↗KDP asks publishers to use accurate descriptions, keywords, and categories, and to keep cover information consistent with metadata.
Platform requirements and eligibility change. Confirm the current rules for your selected edition and channel.Frequently Asked Questions
What happens on the strategy call?
We review your idea or manuscript, publishing goals, and starting point. You leave with a clearer view of relevant services and next steps.
How do I choose the right level of support?
Tell us what you have completed and where you need help. We assess the manuscript or existing assets and outline a suitable scope.
What happens before work begins?
Your written proposal identifies deliverables, fees, responsibilities, approvals, and schedule. Review the agreement before authorizing the project.
Will one design file work for every format?
Different editions require appropriate outputs. A print cover depends on trim, page count, paper, and binding. An ebook and a print interior also have different reading and technical requirements.
How many concepts and revisions are included?
Your proposal states concept directions, review stages, revision rounds, and additional-work terms. Agree on a design brief before concept work begins to make feedback more specific.
Should I finalize the cover before the manuscript?
Early creative direction is useful. Final print-cover dimensions and production files should follow confirmed specifications and page count. Treat early concepts and final print-ready files as different stages.
You have the idea. Let’s put a plan behind your book.
Start with a conversation about your goals, your manuscript, and the publishing path suited to you.
Book a No-Cost Strategy Call ➜