Online Community for Authors

Your book cover design is one of your most important marketing tools. It's as important as your title. The cost to produce a professional cover ranges from free (calling in a favor from a friend) to $5,000. How much you should spend depends on the goals you have for your book, not your budget. I know this sounds harsh, but if you want to get into bookstores or other distribution channels, you might need to get a new credit card to pay for a professional design.

With a little up-front research, you should be able to get a professional design for under $1,000. The best advice is to go to Barnes & Noble and buy the one book in your genre that you would buy. The one that appeals to you the most. Then take this book to a professional graphic designer and tell them to design a similar book for you. Both the cover design AND the inside pages.

I was once advised by a professor that the wrong time to express my fashion creativity was not when going to a job interview. A dark grey suit, a white tie and a conservative tie is the way to dress, this wise professor told me. The same applies to a book. This isn't saying your designers cannot be creative. You want a design to "pop," but you also want your design to look like a book that belongs on the bookshelf next to the book you just bought because it appealed to you.

You also want to avoid using a friend, unless this option fits your promotional plan. The reason is that you will most likely not like the first few proposals. You need to be critical and you don't want to lose a friend over the design of your book.

Research several design firms that have designed book covers. Ask the designer if any of their designs have been selected by bookstores or publishers. Ask for references and get price quotes.

Remember, as a self-publishing author, you are running a business and you need to select the designer that will give you the best chance for success for the best price you can find.

To find out more about book cover designs, you can visit our author forums and see what Kareen Ross, a professional book cover designer, has to say on the topic.