Print and bind your novel

Novels are probably the cheapest books you can print, since they’re usually rather small and rarely use any pictures, eliminating the need for colour printing. You can of course print a novel with a hardcover and semi-gloss paper if you’d like to make it a bit snazzier. We’ve put together a few templates that we think work well for novels.

Novel template ideas

Template 1

This is a typical novel template: not too big, easy to handle, and featuring classic cream paper. 

  • Cover type: paperback

    Practical and cheap

  • Format: 135 x 215 mm

    One of the most popular formats

  • Cover finish: matte or glossy

    While we’re partial to matte, both will do nicely

  • Paper type: cream paper 

    By far the most used paper type for fiction

  • Colour settings: B&W

    By far the most common, and the cheapest option

Template 2

A slight variation on template 1. Solid choice no matter what subgenre you’re writing in. 

  • Cover type: paperback

    Practical and cheap

  • Format: 155 x 235 mm

    Slightly larger, but still easy to handle for the reader

  • Cover finish: matte or glossy

    While we’re partial to matte, both will do nicely

  • Paper type: cream paper 

    By far the most used paper type for fiction

  • Colour settings: B&W

    By far the most common, and the cheapest option

Template 3

This template is based on the ever-popular pocket format. This is the format for those who like to read on the go. 

  • Cover type: paperback

    Practical and cheap

  • Format: 110 x 180 mm

    The smallest format we offer

  • Cover finish: matte or glossy

    While we’re partial to matte, both will do nicely

  • Paper type: cream paper 

    By far the most used paper type for fiction

  • Colour settings: B&W

    By far the most common, and the cheapest option

Novel cover ideas

With the myriad of genres and subgenres out there, novel covers are the most varied in the business. Nevertheless, there are clear trends that you can observe by browsing any bookshop (which we recommend you do if you’re looking for inspiration). Try to reflect on what grabs your attention and what puts you off. Then try to apply those principles to your own cover. We’ve put together a few mockups for you that will hopefully help get you started.

novel cover mockup

Modern

This is a perfect example of how a cover can tell prospective readers everything they need to know about the book. Everything about this screams thriller: the black and white image of a mysterious loner, the dramatic dark red lettering, the ominous title. Everything comes together to convey the feeling that a bleak but suspenseful mystery is waiting to be discovered in this book.

You can adapt the general format of this cover for other genres as well, with the no-frills, highly legible font enhancing whatever emotion the cover image is meant to convey. Simple, but effective!

novel cover mockup

Classic

This retro-style cover just oozes literary vibes. An inconspicuous yet visually pleasing cover image  combined with a serif font serves to convey a sense of class. This cover promises a an introspective, cerebral reading experience that’ll probably serve to highlight something about the human condition. This cover image could easily be replaced by a pattern of some kind, though we’d stay away from a plain, coloured background, as that would rob this already simple cover of its charm.

novel cover mockup

Playful

This cover primarily uses bold colours to catch the attention of prospective readers. A large, modern sans serif typeface combined with a simple illustration keep this cover from being too plain. The final result is warm and inviting. Make sure that your title is intriguing enough, as it’ll have to pull its weight in a setup like this.