Generating a Book Cover in Midjourney That Doesn't Look Generated
Most AI covers scream 'AI.' A few prompt disciplines get you something a designer wouldn't be embarrassed to show.
The giveaway on AI book covers is the hands, the text, and the uncanny perfection. Start by banning text entirely: 'no title, no letters, no typography' in the prompt, then add the title in design software later. Midjourney cannot spell, and fighting it wastes generations.
Pick a genre convention and state it plainly: 'high-contrast thriller cover, single object centered, negative space top third.' The model responds to composition words, not vibes. I keep a short list of cover cliches per genre and include two of them on purpose so it reads as intentional, not random.
Aspect ratio matters more than people expect. Use --ar 6:9 for a paperback and lock it, or you'll get a square hero image that fights the template. Generate a batch of four, pick the one with the calmest background, and upscale only that.
Treat the output as a starting photo, not the final art. I pull it into an editor, fix the one weird shadow, drop in the title in a real font, and only then does it stop looking like a prompt.