Test the size readers will see
Reduce the final upload file to the actual book-list, phone-card or sharing display size and inspect it at normal reading distance. Interfaces differ, so there is no universal minimum type size here. Sharp enlarged lettering does not establish thumbnail readability.
Read the title accurately, then identify the main person or object. Keep the byline complete and suitable for delivery without displacing title and subject. For missing letters in an export, address cropping first.
| Small-image symptom | First trial |
|---|---|
| Title becomes a glowing blob | Reduce glow and intricate strokes; try clearer lettering and contrast. |
| People and props merge | Keep a focal point and remove redundant genre decoration. |
| Clear subject, lost title | Simplify texture behind type; revise colour, brightness or placement. |
These are candidate fixes, followed by inspecting the actual small result.
Choose the first thing readers should recognise
Extract one main story promise. Foreground, midground and background need not include every important character, place and clue. story-cover separates text, style and picture and compares close-up, full-body and scene compositions. Choose the hierarchy for this book before treating style-library options as candidates.
Specify title lettering, placement and colour separately, along with the byline. Clarity does not mean every letter must be enormous: reducing competition and preserving strokes and spacing can help more than another glow. Top and bottom positions are starting choices, checked against actual art and crop.
Simplification should retain genre. Keep the focal subject and a useful setting cue rather than turning a mystery into a blank commercial poster merely to expose its text.
Simplification example: a bookshop cover for 雨天留灯
The original contemporary story 雨天留灯, by 顾禾, concerns reopening an old bookshop. Assume a first concept crowds three people, shelves, umbrellas, a cat and glowing type. The author selects a 3:4 composition and 120×160 preview and hypothetically finds the title unreadable. This is an example size and observation, with no actual cover or test result.
Keep the rainy opening and lit doorway as the focal idea. Remove the cat, umbrellas and other two people from this cover, using one protagonist and a lamp for everyday warmth. Shelves become a simple interior background, with title on a quiet dark upper area and a distinct lower byline. Use this complete brief:
Author-selected 3:4 portrait illustrated cover for a warm contemporary bookshop story. One protagonist opens the old bookshop door on a rainy evening; a warm doorway lamp is the main accent. Keep interior shelves simple and subordinate. Use muted blue-grey rain and warm cream light. Title exactly '雨天留灯' in clear cream lettering in a quiet upper area; byline exactly '顾禾' in smaller readable lettering below, with a restrained divider. Keep both inside the final retained canvas. No other people, cat, umbrella, slogan or watermark. Save a separate candidate.
This changes cover emphasis without removing characters from the novel. Inspect full-size letters and person count, then title and lamp separately at this example’s 120×160, followed by the intended upload file. If they still merge, adjust that issue. “High resolution” and “professional” do not establish a pass.
Compare candidates under the same conditions
Compare candidates at the same display size, background and version. Record specific issues such as merged letters, a face lost in shadow or a lamp competing with the byline, rather than “more premium.”
Check the lettering, then ask a reader who has not seen the synopsis which title and genre they perceive. This can reveal communication problems, without guaranteeing clicks. The author chooses the tone that fits the book. Check the complete upload export and actual publishing preview.
FAQ
Should the title always be as large as possible?
No. It needs to read while preserving subject and canvas. Oversized type can cover faces or get cropped. Adjust placement, letterforms, background and actual display size together.
Is there one universal thumbnail test size?
No. Use the intended display. This example’s 120×160 is an illustrative choice, not a platform or interface requirement.
Do it with the skill
For actual cover generation or revision, use /story-cover, or $story-cover in Codex, with exact title, byline, intended use, save directory and this page’s concrete brief. Declare reference purpose and preservation requirements, save a separate candidate, then inspect lettering, picture and upload export. The skill calls an image tool and saves files; a prompt cannot replace checking the result.
Read the method: Lettering, references, version saving and review · Genre, composition, palette and lettering options