How custom book cover design works:
Submit
Complete and submit the Custom Book Cover Design request form. Please answer all the questions, even non-required ones, and include at least some longer excerpts of your book. The more detailed information you provide, the more on-point we can get in nailing the ideal imagery and fonts for your cover.
Quote
I respond within 1-2 business days with any questions about your book and details of your desired cover design, as well as time-frame for first drafts (usually within 1-5 business days of the projected start date). Grand Package authors are encouraged to provide a copy of the manuscript, so I can immerse as deeply as possible into story, theme, and mood before drafting. [please note: Longer excerpts and manuscripts will be read after deposit.] Once we’ve clarified the specifics, I’ll send a Paypal invoice for the deposit (which is half your project total).
Concept
Now, we enter the first collaborative phase, which is mainly a lot of brainstorming of concepts and imagery that could capture the essence of your book at a glance. Ideally, your final cover image hits the sweet spot of four critical elements of book marketing:
Genre: Regardless of style or theme, all custom book cover designs are crafted to meet current genre conventions. Imagery, color scheme, and font will factor heavily to draw readers and communicate your book’s adherence to the elements they love about that genre/subgenre.
Theme(s): What’s your book’s elevator pitch? Custom book cover designs distill your book’s story, setting, and voice into one iconic image. Here, symbolism can be an invaluable visual shorthand to communicate theme in a split-second glance while browsing.
Mood: Mood is the closest reflection of your book’s voice, and an effective driver of reader engagement. Communicating it clearly is essential to attracting the target audience for your book. We use every element, from background image and model expression and body language to color palette and font style, to reinforce your story’s mood and help your book attract the right readers.
Hook(s): What makes your book unique from other similarly themed stories in your genre? This element can be the easiest or hardest to nail down, but is by far the most critical to intriguing potential readers and winning valuable click-throughs.
Drafts
Once we have the concepts nailed down, I’ll go to the drawing board. All packages of custom book cover designs include up to three drafts of our top concept choices. Drafts are a loose interpretation of the final cover design with rough masking and effects using comp (watermarked) stock images. Depending upon the complexity of the designs and my current work flow, this stage could take from 1-5 business days.
Revisions
You select one draft (or combination of draft elements) to revise to a final cover. Revisions are where many designers vary. While some limit them to a specific number, I lean toward a more flexible and collaborative style based on your needs and the time budget of your chosen design package. While Basic Package authors won’t be locked into a set number of revisions, reasonable limitations of time will apply, while Grand Package authors will have virtually unlimited leeway to tweak until the design captures their precise vision.
Finalize
Once the revision process is completed, I’ll do the last polishes and checks, and provide you with a final watermarked draft (or drafts of ebook + print covers). On your approval, I’ll send a Paypal invoice for the project balance. Upon payment, I’ll provide completed files of all included assets.
Have questions about custom book cover designs?
Check the FAQ page for answers.
Want to get started?
Submit your Custom Book Cover Design request form (below) now!
A few fine-print details about custom book cover designs:
• Authors who wish to select their own stock images are encouraged to browse the collections at iStock (including Signature images – please see package details for allowed images per package) or Deposit Photo. However, stock may come from any reputable micro-stock agencies, as well as specialized providers such as NeoStock and Period Images.
• Cover fonts are selected from those owned by and licensed to Artful Cover. Authors may request a specific font, at the discretion of Artful Cover, though additional charges to purchase font(s) may apply. A wide range of excellent professional grade fonts designed by independent artists may be found at Creative Market.
• Authors who wish to supply existing art for their cover must provide proof of stock license purchase, copyright, or permission by the copyright holder to confirm their right to use. Photos without stock licenses must also include a release form for any model(s) pictured.