How to get a book cover
Part 16 of becoming an independent author
As promised I’m going to discuss book covers and the various ways I’ve managed to get them over the last 2 years.
Go via an agency and hire one of their illustrators (£££)
Go direct to artists/designers (££)
Use a contest-site like 99 Designs (£)
Use a pre-made template on a site like this (£)
Made your own on Canva or Photoshop (free but with the cost of the software)
I’m sure there are other ways to do it, too - this is not exhaustive - but a good starting point to get the discussion going and give you lots of options if/when you come to do it.
1. Go via an agency and hire one of their illustrators (£££)
For my first book, Ghosts of Mars, and my third, Astra FireStar (as well as my next 3 books in the Eva Knight series - tbr in 2025 I imagine), I went with an agented illustrator, Jen Jamieson, who drew these two beauties, and I was extremely happy with the process and the results. Professional from the start, with a contract, happy to make changes and take suggestions and it felt like the right call for my MG books.
The only drawback is the extra cost - not to the illustrator, I may add, but you have to pay the agency a cut and pay VAT etc, too. So it ends up being about 30% more than you’d pay the illustrator directly going via an agency.
If professionalism is what you value, with a solid contract and the certainty that brings, and you’re okay paying a little extra, this is perhaps the way to go - it may not suit those on a small or no budget.
2. Go direct to artists/designers (££)
While I actually got in touch with Jen initially, we ended up going via her agency. But many freelancers don’t have an agent, and many are incredibly talented, all the same.
Getting in touch with cover illustrators/designers directly could be a way to cut out that extra 30% cost that comes with agency and VAT fees.
For my first YA novel, The Nameless, I was looking around for a great YA cover designer and messaged a few directly. One of them got back to me, keen to do the job I specified, and I was able to get Tom Sanderson, designer of covers for people like Philip Pullman, James Patterson, and Dan Brown.
I paid what I expected I would pay for someone of his experience and calibre and what I received was a cover to match. He was a real pleasure to work with, brainstorming on ideas and presenting me with multiple options at every stage. I will happily work with him again on the sequels in this series, and perhaps some of my adult work when it’s published.
The drawback is that paying someone that good is not the cheapest option, but you get what you pay for here. Someone who knows the genre expectations and what’s already on the shelves out there, and will make sure your novel looks just as good as any other out there.
3. Use a contest-site like 99 Designs (£)
Recently I decided to experiment with how I got my next cover. I was very happy with the people I’d worked with before, but I wanted to explore a cheaper option that might still deliver a good result.
I watched a writing friend using it and getting a cracking cover, so I decided to take the plunger myself - you know I love to explore and experiment and find alternative pathways in this whole industry.
99 Designs is essentially a contest for cover designers to put up a quick draft of their idea for your cover, based on your initial specifications and guidance, and you narrow down to those you like best, before finally settling on a favourite.
At each stage, you can give feedback and ask for further revisions/changes, and I quite liked the idea of the process. In the end, I got a great cover for my YA Fantasy, Storm Rising, at a much cheaper price than usual (less than half the cost of my other covers).
You can also ask for specific exclusions like no AI, for example, which is great to have as an option for those, like me, uncomfortable with the use of AI in place of human art.
The part I was uncomfortable with in this process was the thought of unpaid labour from the cover designers that aren’t chosen. Although everyone knows the deal going in, it doesn’t make it any better. For that reason, I am not 100% sure if I would do it again.
For me, paying more money and having my conscience and ethics intact is more important than saving a few £.
4. Use a pre-made template (£)
You can, of course, go even cheaper, and get a pre-made template on a site like this.
The prices range, depending on what the cover designer decides, but you can get some very cheap ones (you usually get what you pay for!) where you simply pass on your details - title, author name, blurb etc and they add those to the already made template, and it’s good to go.
Good if you’re in a hurry or a budget, or you see something on the site that’s perfect for your novel. And there is a huge range.
Not for me, personally, as I like to have at least some input into the production of the cover, but if you’re okay with not, this could work.
5. Made your own on Canva or Photoshop (free-ish!)
So, this is just my personal opinion, but unless you’re REALLY good as a designer, I am not sure I can massively advocate this option.
Of course, it’s free (beyond paying for the Canva or PS monthly subscription), and it gives you full creative power on the cover, but at what cost?
If you can pull it off, it’s a great money-saver, but if you can’t, and most people can’t, I genuinely believe a sub-standard cover costs you more money in the long run in lost sales than it would cost to get a professionally-made cover.
All just my opinion, but self-publishing is a business and very few business succeed when there’s no initial investment into them - your books are the same.
I hope you found all of this helpful if you’re looking at getting a cover for your self-published novel in the future.
I know so many of my friends, traditionally published or not yet, who are looking to at least be hybrid and do some self-publishing, who are looking at the process now.
Covers are just one of many things to consider, and cost, when doing it yourself, but it’s in my top 2 of priorities.
Other writing news
I hope you’ll afford me a moment of self-indulgence at the end of the newsletter today to mention a couple of personal writing things.
Firstly, The Nameless has made the final of the BBNYA. That’s my 2nd year in a row of making the final 15 from hundreds of entries, so I’m delighted about that.
I spend so much time trying to tear myself and my confidence down, it's nice to get an external pick-me-up that also helps in almost every facet of my writing. You’ll have noticed my recent burst of actually - this kind of thing totally fuels it!
Secondly, we’re in the pre-order phase of my next YA, a fantasy called Storm Rising. Super editor/agent/author Kesia Lupo is just finishing an edit on it right now and I hope that will make it much stronger before release! You can really help me out by doing a few things, if you’re able:
Add it on Goodreads
Following me on Amazon
Joining my launch team as an ARC reader (or interview me etc)
Following me on Tiktok, Instagram or Threads - I am trying to grow my following on all 3 platforms right now as my poor Twitter is not what it once was!
And lastly, if you could share this newsletter, that always helps! I try to share as much valuable experience and information as I can for Indie Authors, and always appreciate the support many of you give me in return!
It was lovely to see my Indie Author pal, Sally Doherty releasing her new book with Collins Big Cat recently, featuring characters disabilities and long-term conditions.
As many of you know, Sally is a constant advocate for better representation of this in books and it’s a delight to see her book (first on left) coming out!
I always talk about the value of writing friends, as often the IRL people in your life doesn’t understand this thing, and Sally has been brilliant to me over the last year, taking time and energy for me when she has to be so careful about that.
If you’re a lonely writer out there, do find some writing friends - they can help you out of really dark places and be there for you when you want to celebrate the high moments, too!
Lastly, and well done if you’re still with me, but I am looking at launching a few new things in the new year, including potentially a self-publishing course, or mentoring group, a self-publishing guide book, and maybe even an indie publishing house, where I help other authors publish their books, with high royalties and no up-front costs.
Some are more advanced in terms of their production and planning than others, and maybe won’t all come to fruition (not sure I’d be able to manage all!) but wondering what would help you writers out there the most!
So that’s it for this edition! Thanks for staying with me - may the Force be with you!
