Adding Images, Icons, and Graphics — Without Making It Look Like a Scrapbook

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So far in this series, we’ve focused a lot on type and layout. But what happens when you want to sprinkle in a few visuals? A chart here, a photo there, maybe even an icon to spice up a heading.

Today’s topic is all about using images, icons, and simple graphics to enhance your book’s interior—without overdoing it or losing your book’s professional look.

Because let’s be real: we’ve all seen a DIY book that tries too hard with images and ends up looking like a flyer from 1999. Let’s avoid that.

Why Add Visuals in the First Place?

You don’t have to include images in your book—but if you do it right, they can:

  • Clarify or illustrate complex ideas

  • Break up long walls of text

  • Make your book more engaging (especially for visual learners)

  • Establish tone and personality

This is especially useful in genres like:

  • Nonfiction (e.g., how-to, business, wellness, productivity)

  • Memoirs (family photos, travel logs)

  • Educational books (for adults or kids)

  • Workbooks / planners (icons, diagrams, prompts)

Rule #1: Purpose First, Pretty Second

Before dropping an image into your layout, ask yourself:
Does this serve the reader’s understanding or experience?

If the answer is no, skip it. Visuals should support the content, not distract from it.

For example:

  • A pie chart to summarize survey results? ✅

  • A photo of your cat because you like cats? ❌ (unless it’s a memoir about your cat)

  • An icon that makes headings easier to scan? ✅

  • Random clip art for decoration? ❌ (don’t do it, please)

Types of Visuals You Can Use

Let’s look at some tasteful ways to add visuals:

1. Photos

Photos can make a book feel more human, relatable, or historical. But use them carefully.

  • Use high-resolution images (at least 300 DPI for print)

  • Stick with a consistent style: don’t mix black-and-white with bright color unless intentional

  • Keep the layout clean—don’t crowd the page

  • Include captions if necessary

👉 Memoir Tip: Consider placing full-page photos between chapters rather than inside text-heavy pages.

2. Icons

Tiny icons can make section headers pop, highlight tips or warnings, or reinforce structure.

  • Use a minimal icon set (same line weight, style, size)

  • Don’t mix icon styles (outline + solid + hand-drawn = chaos)

  • Use sparingly: don’t put an icon next to every bullet

Free or paid icon resources: Flaticon, Noun Project, IconScout

3. Charts & Diagrams

Perfect for nonfiction or instructional books.

  • Keep them simple and readable—don’t overload with labels

  • Use consistent fonts and colors

  • Consider using grayscale for a clean, print-friendly look

Tip: Tools like Canva, Google Slides, or even PowerPoint work surprisingly well for creating diagrams.

4. Pull Boxes / Callouts

Instead of visual images, consider using text-based visuals:

  • Tip boxes with shaded backgrounds

  • Important notes styled with a border or icon

  • Step-by-step instructions formatted into a numbered list with spacing

These are visually distinct and guide the reader’s eye to the good stuff.

Page Layout Tips for Graphics

  • Leave room to breathe. Don’t cram images against your text. Use white space generously.

  • Center or align? Centered images feel softer; left-aligned works better in instructional books.

  • Wrap text sparingly. Wrapping can get messy—sometimes it's better to break the paragraph and let the image sit on its own.

  • Use styles. If your callout boxes use gray backgrounds with rounded borders, stick to that look for all of them.

Color in Print vs. Ebook

In print:

  • Full-color printing can get expensive. Consider using grayscale or black-and-white versions of your images.

  • Make sure color contrast translates to grayscale—some light blue text may disappear entirely in print.

In ebooks:

  • Color’s fine, but don’t rely on it alone to convey meaning (e.g., red = bad, green = good).

  • Make sure images scale well on small screens.

Accessibility Matters

If you’re adding visuals, make sure:

  • You include captions or alt-text if publishing digitally

  • Text is legible over any backgrounds

  • Nothing essential is only conveyed by image (include the data in your body text too)

Especially in educational or instructional books, accessibility helps everyone—don’t skip it.

Today’s Challenge

Go through your current manuscript and identify 1–3 places where a visual could truly enhance the experience.

  • Is there a section that feels heavy and could use a diagram?

  • Could you add an icon to your recurring “Tips” box?

  • Would a full-page photo between chapters give readers a pause?

Sketch it out, test it, and remember: function first, then beauty.

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