eBook Cover Design: A Readability Checklist (2026)

A cover has to communicate a title and category when it appears beside other books. Review it at the size readers are likely to see in a store grid, as well as at full size.

Check the cover at small sizes

Reduce the cover until it is close to the size shown in a search result or library list. Check whether the title and author name remain legible. If they blur together, simplify the type, increase contrast, or remove a decorative element. Preview the image on a phone, where brightness and screen size can change how it reads.

Compare it with the right books

Look at recent books aimed at the same reader and in the same subcategory. Note their title scale, contrast, imagery, and mood. Use that review to make your category clear, then choose a distinct visual idea of your own. A reference set shows conventions; it does not predict sales.

Make the title easy to find

• Give the title the strongest type size and contrast.
• Keep any subtitle secondary and remove words that cannot be read at small size.
• Check title, author name, and series details against the book's metadata.
• Confirm that the image has the dimensions and format required by your target store.

Test the reading order

Show the reduced cover to a few readers in your intended category without explaining it first. Ask what title they can read and what kind of book they expect. Record their first impressions, then compare them with the brief. Treat this as a design check, not a sales test.

Prepare a series system if you need one

For a series, decide which elements should repeat, such as title placement, type family, or a small series mark. Keep those elements consistent while making each cover's main image distinct enough to identify the individual book.