We all know that having a professionally designed book cover can make all the difference when it comes to sales. A professional cover will indicate to the reader that you are a proper writer, that you have taken pride and care over your novel, and will be more eye-catching and intriguing to them, motivating them to buy.
However, some authors fret over the cost of book cover design, and this can put them off seeking out the help of a professional. So let’s investigate exactly how much a book cover design is going to set you back and what’s included in the price.
What to do before developing your book cover
You should have already made two decisions before trying to develop and design your book cover, so one you should have a good idea of what covers look like in your genre because romance covers look so much different than science fiction covers and also take a look at the font styles because those are different as well.
So you should decide on what cover format you might need, and this depends on what format you plan to publish your book in. So do you plan to publish your book as an ebook or imprint or both?
And I would say there are about four main cover formats you need to consider when looking at making your book cover, and these include ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook; besides deciding on a book cover format, you might want to consider getting a 3D mock-up as well.
3D mockup
Oh, wait, what’s 3D Mockup? Its also known as a 3D rendering, 3D image, or marketing design. A 3D mock-up of your book means that you have an image of your cover as if it was a book already, and many authors use this 3D mockup for their online promotional materials.
So which format you choose is totally up to you. Some authors only choose to sell their book as an e-book, and many others will go to the next step and get the paperback cover too. Just note that getting more than just the EPO cover starts adding to the costs when you hire someone to do your cover.
So with that in mind, there are three ways you could have your cover design. Either hire someone, buy a premade cover, or you do it yourself. So let’s look at that first choice.
Hire a designer
The first way to design your cover is by hiring a designer. So how do you pick one? Well, check out your favorite books, look at what’s being published now, find the covers you like. Then check the copyright page or the acknowledgments.
Most authors, especially self-published authors, will think of their designer, and then you can go look them up.
Understanding the cost
Sometimes these price differences between these designers do arise from whether or not the designer uses stock images or if he or she creates their own artwork, either as digital painting or illustration. So what does it mean if a designer uses stock images? Well, this is something worth knowing because many designers use stock images.
These come from an online photo depository from which you have to purchase a license in order to use the image for commercial purposes. Note that you are going to want to check whether or not you have to pay for that license.
The majority of designers will not use stock images, but some of them do. So what does it mean for you if your designer uses stock images? Well, the Pro is that it actually helps to keep prices a little bit lower than designers who digitally paint or illustrate their covers. But the con is you might see that saved image on someone else’s book design.
It could be something small like a distant castle, or it could be the main character who is large front and center in your book.
Of course, there is no precise figure for the cost of a book cover, as projects vary greatly as to the amount that designers charge. Cost can basically scale up or down depending on how much time designers spend working on it.
So if it is a simple cover with stock photography, this will naturally cost less than a uniquely designed cover with lots of intricate artwork.
What do you get for your money?
Designer’s attention – By hiring a professional book cover designer. You are paying for studio time where the designer will listen to your ideas and get to know what your book is about and what genre it was written in.
Licensed images
They will then choose professional licensed stock photos and graphics to make the cover book designers need to purchase the graphics, so they will include this when costing up your cover design. Images usually cost around $5 to $10. You might think about trying to source images yourself for your book cover.
While there are lots of free images available online, they may only be for personal rather than commercial use or may require attribution, which you obviously won’t be able to give on your cover if you use them and don’t credit the photographer, you can get in a lot of trouble.
Commercial fonts
The cover designer will also have access to commercial fonts, which they can use to create a title for your book hands. Add the blurb at the back and your author name. Book designers usually have a large library of already purchased commercial fonts to choose from.
However, if they do think a new font that they haven’t already but would be a perfect fit for your book, they may well up the price of the cover. But they should always discuss this with you first.
A professional book cover designer should always explain exactly what is included in their costing before you agree to choose them. They should be happy to send you a full breakdown of what would be included in the fee and the total cost of the project. But cover designers who tried to add on lots of extras as the project develops are not reputable and should be avoided.
You can also discuss with your cover designer whether the costs include any amends. That is, if you don’t like the design or how some feedback or tweaks will allow these changes to be made for free, or will cost extra, being clear about everything from the outset will ensure that you are both on the same page. Moreover, you can also find the best romance book cover designers here.
Reasons why you should pay for a professional book cover design
Books are charged by the covers, and a professional design will massively increase the chances of you selling more books. You know that your book cover will work if you decide to sell printed copies of your book, and then they will use the latest technology and software to produce the best possible version. Your cover will be unique, genre-specific, and something to be proud of.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the article. These are some of the factors that can help you gauge the cost of hiring a book cover designer and exactly what you are paying for. I hope this guide was helpful and until next time.
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