Need a book cover designed? I'll do it for free.

[LifeTransformer]

Thanks for the likes on the horror cover!

I've just found a site where you can sell pre-made covers, so I'm going to change my website to client related business only, and link to my store on the pre-made cover website.

Although this takes 30% of the profit off of my pre-made business, it will save me a lot of hassle while I'm just getting started.

Still not satisfied with the way the website looks at the moment either, going to look for a better template/theme I think.

 

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[LifeTransformer]

My first 2 pre-made covers are now available for sale!

https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/premade-book-covers/the-mystery/
https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/premade-book-covers/an-urban-story/

I know I've violated the "C" with doing this, but it gets 2 of my designs out there on an already established platform.

It also means I have a "store" link to send people to from my website: https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/designers/ya-covers/

Things are moving forward. 4 more designs are waiting to be published.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Third pre-made book cover is published (still 4 pending approval). This one ALMOST made me start writing another book.

Also made this earlier which I quite like:

 

[LifeTransformer]

Finished my first sci-fi book cover.

Don't think its the best work I've done so far, but its the first I've tried making for the genre.

 

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[LifeTransformer]

Since I can't edit the first post anymore, I better put this here: Not taking any requests on this at the moment, no matter the niche.
Sorry if you missed out. I might do a few more in the future.

What I'm bumping the thread for is some feedback. I'm currently re-working the site and want to know what you guys and gals think of this idea:
Any book covers that the Book Cover Designer doesn't accept for sale on it's site, I am going to list on my own and sell with GumRoad.

The thing I'm wondering is, do I use a picture of the book cover and link to the product like I am with the other pre-made covers? (at the top of the site).
Or, use the embed feature from GumRoad?

If you've got a minute or 2 spare and would like to do me the favour of letting me know which looks best (aside from some CSS issues I need to address), I would love to know what you think.

If you go to the site: http://yacovers.com and have a quick look at the second set of book covers, which looks best to you?
I like the idea of a direct buy button linking to the product, rather than the book cover with no real call to action. But what do you think?

I'm still putting the site together, so ignore the fact that there's big gaps, the logo has been hit with a shrink ray, and my contact page has no way to contact me.

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Think I've figured it out. Just needs polishing up now.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think these covers are very good. I realize you are learning and doing work pro-bono is a nice way to build experience.

Kudos for you.

Unfortunately these covers just look like clip art slapped with some fonts. If I was a client I'd be disappointed because they represent something I could do in about 10 minutes.

If you are building a portfolio I'd be very careful about which covers you "advertise" as completed work. I might not be the consummate customer you're targeting, but that's my opinion. I'm in the middle of designing a cover, and based on what you've shown here, I wouldn't give the task to you, much less hire you for it. I know that sounds dickish, but as you know, we don't sugarcoat things around here. And of course, my opinion DOES NOT make a market. I am one person -- and 100 people giving you cash is much more valuable of a metric than my solitary opinion.

Anyhow, keep honing your skills and you'll get better. One day you'll look back at some of these covers and say, OMG, I'm so much better now!

Good luck.

 

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[Vigilante]

Finished my first sci-fi book cover.

Don't think its the best work I've done so far, but its the first I've tried making for the genre.

Did you use Word Art to make this?

 

[Vigilante]

Third pre-made book cover is published (still 4 pending approval). This one ALMOST made me start writing another book.

Also made this earlier which I quite like:

View attachment 12589

I like the Asylum one.

The other one, however, looks like a book cover for a .99 eBook on Amazon.

If you intend to make a business out of this, you're going to have to do 10x better.

I currently have an artist working on some stuff for me, and it's night and day. If you are going to make book covers, they better be the same grade as a professional publisher would make for me, or don't do it at all.

 

[Dazed]

Unfortunately these covers just look like clip art slapped with some fonts.

I think the problem here is that many customers are happy wth this type of work (see Andrew post earlier). In my experience many designers churn this type of stuff out regularly but as soon as they come across a discerning customer with high standards they get very perplexed and things end badly.

To the OP, I'm sure you're very talented. I know it's not your intended market but why don't you do a redesign of the Millionaire Fastlane cover and we can all see the quality of your work?

Best, Dazed

 

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[splok]

Not to jump on the dogpile, but here's the perspective I would take: Go to Amazon and pull 4 traditionally published covers from the best seller list in one of your genres. Show those along with one of your covers to someone and ask them which of the 5 look self-published. Once people stop picking your cover more often than the others, you're good enough to compete.

 

[LifeTransformer]

I think the problem here is that many customers are happy wth this type of work (see Andrew post earlier). In my experience many designers churn this type of stuff out regularly but as soon as they come across a discerning customer with high standards they get very perplexed and things end badly.

To the OP, I'm sure you're very talented. I know it's not your intended market but why don't you do a redesign of the Millionaire Fastlane cover and we can all see the quality of your work?

Best, Dazed

Hmm there's an idea!

Thanks for all the messages from everyone! If your saw my first book cover design, you'd see a marked improvement hand over fist from where I first started out. They get better every time. Hopefully I'll be able to show that soon.

Did you use Word Art to make this?

Haha! It does actually look like that now you mention it.

@AndrewNC did you ever decide which book cover you're going to use on your book?

I'm working on some new stuff at the moment, will post some more images up when they're ready. I might only be 5x worse than a pro now ;-)

 

[Vigilante]

Not to jump on the dogpile, but here's the perspective I would take: Go to Amazon and pull 4 traditionally published covers from the best seller list in one of your genres. Show those along with one of your covers to someone and ask them which of the 5 look self-published. Once people stop picking your cover more often than the others, you're good enough to compete.

gold

 

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[LifeTransformer]

I don't think this actually got posted in the thread, but between our PM's, me and @AndrewNC ended up with another option (in 3 different colors) that looked like this:



I'm not saying it's perfect, but I think it's a bit nearer something a mainstream publisher might put out there. Could that be improved on? Most certainly.

 

[AndrewNC]

Hmm there's an idea!

Thanks for all the messages from everyone! If your saw my first book cover design, you'd see a marked improvement hand over fist from where I first started out. They get better every time. Hopefully I'll be able to show that soon.



Haha! It does actually look like that now you mention it.

@AndrewNC did you ever decide which book cover you're going to use on your book?

I'm working on some new stuff at the moment, will post some more images up when they're ready. I might only be 5x worse than a pro now ;-)

Going with that light color one!

 

[LifeTransformer]

Going with that light color one!

Cool!

I'll post an update on this venture tomorrow if I get time.

 

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[LifeTransformer]

Here's my attempt to copy (to a similar look) TMF 's book cover:

Note: the image quality has been hampered, the file was too big (6mb) to upload it.

I left off the Puzzle/Dollar bill part because I couldn't find the right stock for it. If I was designing it I would obviously spend longer looking for the right files. It's not as good as the original cover obviously.

@MJ DeMarco looking at the book cover today, it's the first time I even noticed the dollar bill and puzzle embed into the road.

Anyway, that was mostly a bit of fun trying to re-create it.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Here's a couple more things I've been playing around with:

 

[Fox]

Check out some basic courses and invest in your skill set.

Example of something that might be useful...
https://www.udemy.com/graphic-design-for-beginners/

 

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