How to Create a Book Cover: Behind the Scenes with Gracie Dix
Hi friends, it’s Gracie! Have you seen the cover for Welcome to Superhero School? It’s one of my favorite parts of the publishing process — bringing the story to life visually.
Since releasing Welcome to Superhero School, I’ve also published Journey to Superhero School and Beyond Superhero School – Let the Games Begin! (That last one features a very special surprise — my super dad is on the cover!)
Let’s rewind for a second and talk about how the cover for my first book came to be — and what I’ve learned since.
Step 1: Start with Inspiration
I explored tons of middle-grade action and fantasy books to understand what I liked — bold, exciting covers that felt real, not cartoony. Some of my favorite inspirations included:
I highly recommend all of these books if you love adventure!
Step 2: Find the Right Designer
I used 99designs to explore talented book cover illustrators and ultimately chose Biserka Design. They offered a package including paperback, hardcover, and ebook versions — super helpful since each format requires different specs. You also want someone who is willing to revise until you are both happy with the cover!
Biserka Design’s Work
Step 3: Pick a Scene That Pops
For Welcome to Superhero School, I chose one of the most action-packed scenes (hint: it includes dinosaurs, superpowers, flying, fire and forcefields!). I wanted the cover to scream, “This book is going to be thrilling!”
Step 4: Be Specific
I sent Biserka a very detailed description — down to the characters' hairstyles, positions, facial expressions, and even bruises. All those little details helped the artist bring the scene in my mind to life.
Step 5: Tweak, Tweak, Tweak
It took several revisions to get it just right. My favorite change? Adding a magical vine around the edge of the cover — it brought everything together. And the custom lettering? Totally hand-drawn to match.
Step 6: Add the Text
We added my author bio, a gripping book description, and made sure everything was easy to read. Pro tip: use clean, readable fonts for bios and blurbs, and always test your design on multiple devices and in different lighting.
Bringing It Full Circle
Now, with Journey to Superhero School and Beyond Superhero School out in the world, I’ve had even more fun designing covers. Each one reflects the unique adventure inside. And, yes — the cover of Beyond Superhero School – Let the Games Begin! features a fun surprise: the superhero character on the front is modeled after my dad. Here’s the cover from it’s first two drafts to the final:
Options 1 and 2 for Beyond Superhero School
Final Thoughts
Creating a book cover is a process filled with trial, error, creativity, and heart. It might take longer than expected — mine definitely did! — but seeing your characters and story represented in a single image is completely worth it.
If you haven’t checked out the full Superhero School VORK Chronicles series, now’s the perfect time. And if you’re an aspiring author or illustrator, I hope this peek behind the scenes helps you along your own creative journey.
Which of the three covers is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!