The best memoirs aren’t vague self-help style books—they’re pieces of literature that take the reader into the memoirist’s unique experience. Memoir titles should reflect that unique experience.

One author created a PickFu poll that asked respondents which title would compel them to purchase the book. The two options had the same memoir title (Dream Take Flight) but a different subtitle.

Option A reads, “Dream Take Flight: One Woman’s Odyssey in a Homebuilt Airplane.”
Option B reads, “Dream Take Flight: One Woman’s Unconventional Journey to Self-Empowerment.”

Can you guess which one won?

Even though we’ve all heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” that’s exactly what most of us do. That first glance decides whether or not we pick up the book and peek inside. So it’s crucial that authors choose book covers that convince readers to do just that!

This principle applies to both physical books and ebooks. When nonfiction author Greg Cayea wrote a book to sell on Amazon, and he used a PickFu poll aimed at nonfiction readers to figure out which cover won them over.

Option A shows a traveler walking along a path that winds through a bright orange background. Option B shows the same traveler at the edge of a blue-sea beach.

Can you guess which one won?

If you’re a parent who also works, you know how hard it is just to survive some days. So when a book comes along promising to help you navigate a career, kids, and holding onto your self-love in the process, you’ll want to buy it. But which book cover designs will attract your attention the most?

One author created a PickFu poll with a special target audience — parents of 1, 2, or 3 children — to find out.

While both book cover designs feature the same photo, the layout is different. Option A has small orange lettering above the unframed photo and more orange lettering below. Option B chooses a bolder all-caps font, frames the picture in yellow, and adds a background to the author’s name and credentials.

Can you guess which one won?

If you’ve written a book with an unusual subject, what book cover design ideas go best with it? An ordinary, traditional cover to offset the uniqueness of your content? Or a cover that hints at the surprising revelations readers will discover inside?

Author Mika Terry ran a ranked poll on PickFu to find out which book cover design ideas were most appealing. Out of eight potential covers, poll respondents chose their top three.

Option A shows a silhouetted bob haircut with the title and subtitle in a playful font.

Option B changes the colors and adds a snake to the bob. The font is thicker and looks more serious.

Option C is completely different from Options A and B, with a quirky yellow border boxing in a purple Medusa.

Can you guess which one won?

You might think you remember what it’s like to be a kid, but when it comes to creating a book cover that appeals to children, you probably shouldn’t depend on your memory. Kids change, tastes change, and you want to stay on edge of what’s eye-catching in the book world.

That’s why one author used a PickFu poll to test book covers for a children’s book. The poll asked its respondents—parents of 1, 2, or 3 children—to decide which one they liked best.

Option A shows a blue background, two girls looking around them, and playful title font.

Option B adds a yellow border and palm fronds, and adjusts the font to something more serious—but still kid-friendly.

Can you guess which one won?

When readers pick up a book about the end of the world, do they want the cover to hint at the ending? Or is that too much information, taking away the thrill of discovery? The best way to know: testing book covers.

One author used PickFu to create a book cover test for a post-apocalyptic thriller.

Option A shows a woman and man running away from a burning world, with two people in hazmat suits carrying a stretcher in the background.

Option B does away with the man and woman and brings the two people in hazmat suits to the foreground.

Can you guess which one won?