142: The Ultimate Book Cover Blueprint.

Have you ever heard that you judge a book by its cover? A cover either makes or breaks a book. It can be the best-written piece, but what’s on the inside will never be read if people can’t get past your cover.

This doesn’t mean that what you’ve written or what someone else has written is bad writing, we tend to judge books by how they look. Seems juvenile, doesn’t it? Yet, we simply can’t help ourselves. It’s in the DNA of our subconscious.

When I wrote and printed my first book in 2008–Christmas gift for my family–I happened to throw together a cover. It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly won’t win any awards. But I’m quite fond of the cover because it was my first attempt at putting one together.

Fast forward to 2010. After getting the book edited and after searching for an agent and publisher, I decided to take the reins and publish the book myself. I ended up changing the name of the book and decided that I needed a better cover–one that would convey the story.

So, why do you need a good cover for your book? What steps should you take to produce the best cover to better position your book to sell well?

Here is my book cover blueprint that will answer all your questions in getting a professional book cover designed.

Can I make the cover myself?

This is a question I even asked myself, and the answer is… it depends. Are you a graphic designer with years of experience and are you ready to take up the challenge of designing one yourself? The answer is probably no.

So many authors try and design their own covers. It’s a bad idea to even consider trying. Yes, there are tools in the marketplace to get one designed, and you can attempt, but I add my word of caution. Don’t expect to sell many books.

Every cover I’ve designed myself–but that’s because I’m a graphic designer, with years of experience. But, I have not just slapped my own designed cover onto a book, I’ve always sought outside counsel from other published authors and readers alike by asking them this question: does it stand up against everything else on the market today?

Stop using your own photographs!

Before I get into some practicalities of cover design and what to look for, here’s a warning–stop using your own photos. I know you really love Aunt Betty’s house or that beautiful photograph of a flower you took while in college in 1997–don’t use them.

There are a plethora of book covers on the market that use their prized family portrait or favorite photograph, but they make terrible covers. This is usually found in Memoirs – and theirs nothing wrong with that – as long as it’s done well and it’s not a pixelated image.

Here’s a few I found rough:

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If you’re dead set on using your favorite photograph, contact a professional graphic designer, who specializes in cover design to let you know if it will work or not. Most of the time it won’t work.

Hire a professional Cover Design artist.

This is where the rubber really meets the road. When you’re using a professional, you know your cover it will be of a higher standard than if you attempted it yourself. I’ve had authors contact me to design their covers because they’ve seen my work and know what I can do with a Photoshop and Illustrator.

Here’s a sampling of covers I’ve designed myself.

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You can have a really great or really bad cover. I’ve learned, as a designer, to pay attention to the market, genre, and style most traditionally covers have as a design. Hiring someone to help you navigate the waters of book cover design, will pay off in dividends down the road.

Be prepared to spend some money. Cover design isn’t cheap, but it also doesn’t need to be expensive. I’ve found that the average, professional design will cost you around 200-500 dollars. However, there are several options that will help you in getting the best possible cover for the money.

1. 99designs.com: this is a great crowdsourcing company that will help you get a great cover. You will be expected to write a short brief for them, pick the dollar amount you’re willing to spend, then hit submit. Within hours or days, you’ll start receiving several potential cover designs to choose. Pick your favorite and pay. The more you bid, the better cover you’ll get.
2. Stuart Bache at Books Covered: Stuart Bache is considered one of the best Indie book designers today. With designs for Stephen King, Mark Dawson, and John Le Carré, you’re sure to get a cover that will stand against the very best. However, be prepared to spend nearly $500.
3. Buy Premade Covers: This is a cost-effective solution if you’re on a tight budget. You can get a premade book cover that will suit your books’ needs at a discount. You’ll still receive a high-value book cover and know that it will perform well against those on Amazon.
4. Hire my services: If you’re wanting great ideas, multiple samples, and coaching through the whole process of cover design, I’d be more than happy to help you. And know this, I’ll be cheaper than most of the above. So, if you liked my covers above, let me know, send me an email and let’s get your cover designed.

Do it yourself.

I don’t recommend this option, but if you’re really strapped, let me give you a couple of places that will help you get a decent cover. I say decent because the heavy lifting is already done, you just change the title, author name, and perhaps an image. That’s it.

1. 1. Canva: This one free piece of online software is a God-send. I cannot tell you how handy it’s come in for creating blog images, ads, Powerpoint slides, and even simple logos. As a graphic designer who uses Photoshop and Illustrator, I have found many great uses for Canva. They have an extensive and ever-growing list of covers you can use to make a simple book cover.Here are some samples I pulled from Canva:
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   2. Quick Covers by Adazing.com: As an author, I’m always looking for ways to improve my craft and how to market my books. That’s a whole other topic. But one thing that is fun to use is Photoshop; maybe that’s because I’m a graphic designer. If you’re looking to get quick covers that look amazing, or looking for something that will make your series shine, you need them all to look the same.
      
      C. J. McDaniel is an expert in the area of marketing your book for maximizing your success. He’s created a full suite of products, that I use, that will help you take your message to the next level. These quick covers are beautiful and fully versatile and changeable. Check them out. (I do not make a commission on this suggestion – I just believe in his products.)

Whatever route you go in creating a cover that wows the competition and engages your reader, I know that you’ll be on the road to success if you follow this blueprint. And if you know any authors who are looking to take their message to the next level, give them this blueprint. They will thank you!