Book Covers for self publishers

Then if that is the case you have hit the nail on the head, and I agree with droflet, the second cover is the one.
 
THANKS, you more knowledgeable folks. I'm undeterred, though, at least in designing my own covers for m short stories. Especially having software that can create characters from either my own photos, vintage public domain photos, create my own hairstyles, manipulate body types, and more. I'm just having too much fun to forgo designing my own covers. Of course, what I learn here I will take to heart as waddle on my way.

I'm especially attracted to the suggestion of using local student artists. Living near a university town, that may be a ready option for me. I'm certainly going to explore that possibility. Meanwhile, go Vols!
 
AE35Unit, the DIY covers you presented are bad. I can understand how a cash-deficient author would take such a desperate step. But at some point, bad is just too bad. Like -K2- said, authors should want to sell their books, not scare people. However, DIY covers needn't be a NO NO for everyone. Currently, I'm in a forum discussing DIY covers using an animation related software. I'm willing to try this approach but first listen to experienced designers to learn what I can, and second to learn as much as I can about the software itself. Here's a sample one member posted to show his experimental efforts. Given the bad samples you shared, I'd advise a cash-challenged author to swallow hard and shell out the moola for a decent cover. Unless they have and are game to use proper software to help them design a cover. Some of us just march to the beat of different drummers.
 

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JJewel said:
@BuriedAlien Like the artwork, looks good quality, just brought out my second and designed my own.
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I think your cover looks right. Now, I'm no expert, or anything resembling one, but I think the font fits the title well. I think the same of the image. Everything from the styled sketch of the raven to the cryptic prehistoric sketch opposite it. I also think anyone into this genre or topic would be attracted to the book by the title. Even if only to pick it up and just thumb through it, you still got their attention. And that's the job of a cover after all.
 
Thank you, that was my thinking to. Slightly more eloquant that my description on Sidekicks but yet again the image catches the essence of the book.

The question has to be though why do all superheros pose constantly? :)
 
Sorry to be the dissenting voice here (but!)...

how can we expect to be taken as effective writers if we can’t even discern the difference between a need for professionalism and the impatience to get your book out on Amazon?

These covers are dreadful. It’s not just about image but about cohesion and the ‘feel’ of professionalism.

It’s a shame that so much effort in the production of a book is negated by its cover.
 
Okay Phyrebrat, I am a buyer not a critic so I will bow to your wisdom.

The previous two book covers, what is the wrong with them?

@Droflet to, what do you feel is wrong with them since you agree? :)

Also not that I want to bring others into it but @Ashleyne designed her own on the last page (Pg 3) which I thought worked well and yet under your guidance you would also mark that as undervaluing her book?
 
Thinking back my fave colour is only half remembered, it was a political sci-fi novel set in the 1960s / 1970s about a body guard in a dictatorship, style of rollerball the original movie really.

But the image was just minimal group scene in a garden with a lot of yellow and stood out as utterly eye catching. It reminded me of a monet had he been bereft of any art skills at all, and yet it is one of the few covers I remember. So that must say something?
 
JJewel said:
Thank you, that was my thinking to. Slightly more eloquant that my description on Sidekicks but yet again the image catches the essence of the book.

The question has to be though why do all superheros pose constantly? :)
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Ahhh! Superhero posing, oh, I don't know. Given their ultra tight outfits and the bare as much as possible by female supers outfits, I suspect they all work for Victoria's Secrets or something like it. :ROFLMAO:
 
I once read an Xmen comic where Scott the eye blast guy was talking to one of the females in bed, they were barely dressed and the amount of sexual gymnatics in her movements should have had some sort of effect on him but no, they just chatted on?

I always prefer the characters I write to slouch, more like the Ramones than heros :)
 
JJewel said:
Okay Phyrebrat, I am a buyer not a critic so I will bow to your wisdom.

The previous two book covers, what is the wrong with them?

@Droflet to, what do you feel is wrong with them since you agree? :)

Also not that I want to bring others into it but @Ashleyne designed her own on the last page (Pg 3) which I thought worked well and yet under your guidance you would also mark that as undervaluing her book?
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Hi JJewel,

Purely on a glance, of your cover, my instant reaction was: 'Ah! you are an academic historian, and you are publishing your highly technical PhD thesis on some arcane university topic'. It doesn't feel like a cover for a piece of fiction on first look. IMHO, of course. Other opinions will of course vary. :)
 
-K2- said:
How about this one?

View attachment 70403

I think it represents my writing rather well.
K2
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You're probably right. Unless you're joking around, it seems you want to be as discouraging as possible to people who want to at least try DIY covers. I think the earlier posts that suggest it's often not a good idea were very educational as to why. However, insults are totally unnecessary. I don't think the forum was meant for that. For the nonce, I'll assume you're joking around and not take the post seriously.
 
Spot on @Venusian Broon , in reality it reminds me of the style of a lot of early 1970`s sci-fi political tracts which I used to enjoy. And also it says little and that is the fun of it. Mislike books with lots of action on the front, to much and it offends the eye, that would make it a comic cover for me and I dont do comic covers :)
 
BuriedAlien said:
You're probably right. Unless you're joking around, it seems you want to be as discouraging as possible to people who want to at least try DIY covers. I think the earlier posts that suggest it's often not a good idea were very educational as to why. However, insults are totally unnecessary. I don't think the forum was meant for that. For the nonce, I'll assume you're joking around and not take the post seriously.
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Nope...I'm the other person who believes DIY covers are fine. In fact, I believe (if you have the time) everyone should do their darndest to try and master any subject they choose, to a point they're satisfied with what they set out to accomplish. There will ALWAYS be someone better at anything we do. But, we don't have to be the best compared to all others. We simply need do the best we can for ourselves, be proud of those efforts, and strive to improve at every turn.

You don't accomplish that by saying up front; I'll have this ghost writer rewrite my novel, I'll not try and edit/correct it and let the publisher's editors do it, I'll not try to develop a cover image that fits the vision in MY head. When all said and done, you might very well choose to not do those things and let professionals do the heavy lifting, but at that point you're simply one of many spokes in a wheel.

I get what others are suggesting about letting the pros have at it. But, how can you even tell them what you're looking for unless you make an effort yourself first.

What I do discourage, is folks running down others who are making that effort where they don't. But, I'm just cranky like that. :whistle:

K2
 
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