If you're an Indie Author, the design and style of your novel cover is entirely up to you. That's one of the epic boons of being self-published. You have a ton of control over your creative vision. So...don't blow it! A lot of self-pubbed authors don't know how to go about designing or creating their own covers. Good news, peeps! You can hire a professional cover artist. You probably know this, but maybe you don't know where to find one. Check some of these providers:
Parajunkee DesignAiricka Phoenix Book Baby Creative Indie CoversSBibb's Photo IllustrationRobin Ludwig DesignIndie DesignzIndie Author Services There are a few things to keep in mind when you're designing your novel cover:- Does it tell a story - specifically, the story of the book?
- Is it clean? You don't want a cover that's so busy it could double as a mosaic pattern.
- Is it age-appropriate? No naked people on the cover of a YA novel, folks!
- Will your cover stand out on a shelf and beg people to read it? Would you pick it up and buy it based on appearance alone? If your answer is no, then you're not done with your cover yet.
- More is less. Simplicity is always good. Think of The Hunger Games. One black background. One Mockingjay. One Title. Bingo! You got yourself a recognizable novel that says everything about the book with just a single, small image.