How to Choose Book Cover Fonts for Aesthetic Results [21 Book Cover Font Examples Included]

January 20, 2023

As an author, your immediate concern is to finish your manuscript. You work tirelessly to reach that milestone, and once you accomplish it, your next stageis to contact several publishing houses or to self-publish.

If you go with traditional publishing, your publisher will handle editing and publication, and you will likely have little influence over how the end product (book) will look.

However, if you self-publish, your still have a lot of work to do.

You will have to design your book and create a marketing plan to reach its intended readers. You will have to edit it and then commission an illustrator to do the cover design or use Canva to do it yourself. You will have to ensure that the cover stands out from thousands of others and impresses your readers. Cover illustration or image is only part of the hook. The typeface is the other part, so let's speak fonts (best title fonts included).

Why Good Fonts Matter (and not just for book covers)

If you, too, have pondered over the best fonts for books and have been investigating how other authors aced this by browsing famous book covers or searching the internet for clues over cool book covers or best book covers, this is definitely for you.

1. Book fonts increase the content's charm

Good fonts enhance the readers' experience of the book's content. Serif fonts, for instance, are used in more informal books, such as those for children and young adults. On the other hand, Sans-serif fonts are used for more formal writing, as it has fewer embellishments, and the simpler the fond, the more focus on the content. The larger the font family, the better, as it allows for more varieties. Chapters and headings are usually a weight combination of writing (light to bold) within the font family.

2. Book fonts boost readability

Have you ever wondered how some books you just can't stop from reading? Yes, it is the plot, that one character, and those immersive set-ups, but have you ever wondered if writers don't also have another trick up their sleeve? Not all professional fonts are suitable for books, but those that work well impact and boost readability.

You do not need to become a typography specialist, but you should pick up some tricks to achieve a great product when publishing. When reviewing your manuscript, consider not just fonts but also line spacing, font weight, margins, and space between paragraphs.

In some book categories, readability is crucial to keep the reader manageable with details that are difficult to follow. Take fantasy, for instance; you should be able to read but also feel free to imagine what you are reading without being too text conscious.

3. Book fonts strengthen reading comprehension

Once you understand the link between the font and the reader's ability to take in the message you are trying to convey, finding that perfect font should be your next aim. Think of it like a passage; the easier the route, the happier the travel.

Browse books you like, and try to look at them from a professional's perspective. Your font should not detract attention from your book and should definitely not be overwhelming.

If you find a font you like in a printed book, the colophon will give you information regarding the font's name. If, on the contrary, you are using an e-reader, several software programs can help you discover the book font. What the font gives you the answer based on drag & dropped image. Font Finder will also suggest 60+ other look-alike fonts.

How to Treat Your Fonts

Before treating your editor and readers nicely, make sure you learn how to treat fonts; the former will also be happy with a good decision. Quirky title fonts are essential, but good fonts and a great match with the cover design should be those you aim for. Read a few considerations below.

1. Pay attention to legal bits

Make sure your font is free to use, or pay for the one you want to use. You definitely wouldn't want somebody to use your book however they like. Neither do typographers. Make sure you check if the font is free to use for commercial purposes.

Most typefaces come with a built-in theft check feature: you can use them on your computer but cannot embed them into a PDF (which is needed for your cover to look the same on every computer and even in print).

If you are unsure, find out who owns the font (it can be the graphic designer or a company) and ask them to clarify. There are a variety of commercial fonts, and you may have to purchase one, but free ones are out there too.

2. Know their font family

There are five different classifications of typefaces: serif, sans-serif, monospaced, script, and display.

Each of them with its own purpose:

Sans-serifs are better for body texts because they are much more readable than serifs.
Monospaced fonts are fixed-width and work best for shorter texts.
Script fonts have a repertoire based on handwriting. They're elegant and work for shorter texts or titles.
Display fonts are very eye-catching, meant for large sizes, and perfect for titles and handlines.

Regarding titles, size matters; you want your short or long title to be legible, even in a thumbnail. Once you are confident that it looks good, be sure to view it in thumbnail size: around 100px.

3. What's in a name?

Never hurry to judge a font by its name, though some are pretty delightful. Instead, look a bit to assess its usability. Good fonts are versatile and combine readability with excellent aesthetics.

When buying or choosing a font, make sure it has a complete set of letters and characters (especially if it’s a gimmicky typeface). Also, consider kerning (letter spacing) for title fonts and make sure that what you have written and what it reads are the same.

4. Treat your typeface with care

Do not stretch the fonts or try to change them in any other way. These fonts are carefully designed to look perfect. Most fonts come with different weights and styles. If your font can't do what you want from it, use a different one.

Popular 2024 Fonts & How to Choose Title Fonts

There are numerous covers with cool writing fonts that I have browsed in the past years and as the publishing industry developed, so have the ways to capture the readers' attention.

What truly made a cover stand out was not the font itself but that perfect match between design, illustration, and font. Or a combination of two fonts: I have seen classical-looking fonts combined with edgy and minimalistic ones and some daring cover fonts with very plain-looking ones. Or the go-to mix of serif with sans serif.

But you must be very careful when choosing more than one font for your book cover. A font combo can make or break a book cover design.

Though all fonts have the potential to be good title fonts, regardless of whether you are looking for an aesthetic book cover or a minimalist book cover, here are some ideas to keep in mind:

Great title fonts are eye-catching;
Title fonts should be highly readable (think marathoners doing window shopping);
The overall feeling of the cover should be indicative of what the book is about;
A font attracts more attention when placed on a book cover with professionally designed imagery.

Search for a typeface by genre

The easiest way to nail all the above is to browse your genre and get into the overall mood. Yes, your book is to stand out, but not to stand alone, and you will have to weigh in on your expectations and the genre of your work.

Let's do a quick tour.

Mystery and Thriller

Layouts are simple yet eye-pleasing. Think dark color covers with bright-colored fonts. The back images are crisp. Drama is suggested in the background; it might be abandoned houses, broken plates, or a bloody knife—nothing too disruptive, just a vague suggestion that something is about to happen.