Some writers have what it takes to design their own covers. I don’t. I don’t have the patience to get the details exactly right. I get impatient when the tools I want aren’t right there (or right where I think they should be). I’m not a cover artist.
An author friend of mine designs her own covers. She designs great covers that totally work for her genre. Don’t believe me, check out Kameron Claire’s work right here. Be prepared for some great, steamy romance.
You looked, right? They’re perfect covers for her genre. And she makes them herself!
It’s not like I haven’t tried.
I’ve tried making my own covers. I’ve used Canva Pro and Pixabay and Amazon’s Cover Creator. None of it provided me the look I wanted. Or at least, a look I was happy with. I’m not a cover artist.
The stories I write stay on the lighter side–thrillers and fantasies with a fun voice, quick-witted characters, and a humorous bent. So, I look to the cover art of the greats in the field like Janet Evanovich and Carl Hiaasen. Look at these covers. They’re simple, yet elegant, whimsical, and promise that the story inside is going to be a fun ride. And that’s what I want my book covers to say.
It can come down to who you know.
I got lucky with A Night to Remember because friend and author Laura Beard Hayden saw my prototype and said she could do better. Fifteen minutes later, she delivered the cover I (and hopefully you) love. She’s awesome. Check her out.
Bottom line, I’m quitting cover art. It’s not my skill set. Instead of committing hours/days to building a cover myself, I can be writing. Many of my friends are good at design. I’ll hire one of them. Many writer friends have had great success hiring artists through Fiverr and 100 Covers and other sites. I’ll check them out. Sometimes the best thing you can do to move forward is quit the thing holding you back.
