Let’s face it, your cover is probably not the worst book cover in history. There are plenty of places to find that online.
You can still get your book cover all wrong, even if it looks right. That’s why it’s important to not DIY your book covers.
I’ve done it. You’ve probably done it. We’ve all done it to save a little money. The problem is people will judge a book by its cover…EVERY TIME.
I’m very much a proponent of doing things yourself. That’s why it’s called SELF-publishing, but covers are one of the most affordable aspects of the process to outsource and you should let the pros handle it.
Think about it…
You walk into the bookstore. You’re in the market for a new book, but you’re not sure what you want yet. You head to the genre of your choice. What catches your eye first?
The cover, right?
See how that works? Don’t skimp on your book cover!
Table of Contents
A Subscriber Gets a Custom Cover from Miblart
While Miblart is a sponsor of my YouTube channel, I found them, they didn’t find me. Still, there will be people who will say I only sing their praises because I’m getting paid.
I get it. It’s a fair argument. Money creates bias even though I think their cover designs are pretty freaking awesome!
So, how could I remove this bias?
Recently, we hooked up a subscriber with an illustrated book cover design by Miblart. I thought if I could get one of you to experience Miblart on the house, then my audience could ignore my position and get honest feedback from an author just like yourselves.
On a recent YouTube video, I gave viewers the opportunity to win an illustrated book cover design from Miblart.
This seems like a good time to mention that opportunities like this arise from time-to-time on my YouTube channel. Subscribe and follow along to make sure you don’t miss them! Turn notifications to all, these offers are always time-sensitive!
A week after the video mention, we drew one random winner, and it was subscriber and author Dave Holland.
Every day thousands of hopeful authors just like you publish their work only to see it languish in obscurity. It seems like everything they do to breathe life into their sales dashboard returns nothing but fat zeros.
Enter the experienced graphic design experts at Miblart.
Miblart has an array of services for independent authors at affordable prices.
You might be wondering…how is this different from the book cover options I use and promote for Book Rescue which are much cheaper than this?
Fair question, and I definitely want to address this.
Those options are very hands on. The designers will need you to do your due diligence and provide them with links to stock images and a detailed brief. There is also a limit on revisions, so if you don’t like the design, there’s only so much recourse before you have to purchase a whole new design.
With Miblart, the approach is more personal. While you have creative control and input, you’re not expected to provide assets or really have much more than an idea. After all, you’re working with a graphic designer and part of their job is starting from scratch.
So yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but you won’t end up on any “worst book cover in history” lists, so there’s that! Also, if you use the coupon code DALE10, you get 10% off your order! 10%!
What to Expect from Miblart
It takes about 2 weeks to complete an illustrated book cover design. They start from scratch and create custom art based on your request.
With our winner, Dave Holland, it took a little over a month because there was a lot of back-and-forth dialogue between Dave and Miblart.
That’s normal. There’s always a little give and take when you work with a cover designer.
Working with Miblart on an illustrated book cover has 4 main phases:
- They take details like your genre, main character, and synopsis to create an atmosphere and mood for your cover design.
- The designer provides you with a black and white sketch to ensure they’ve captured your vision.
- They add color, layout, and typography to the design to flesh it out.
- Work out the details to breathe life into your concept.
Visit their site. Everything is explained and laid out well. You’ll know exactly what each service includes and how much it will cost. Oh, and you pay only if you’re satisfied with their work.
What Does Dave Think?
In his own words:
I couldn’t be happier. I had a vision in my head for the cover, and as it grew, so did my idea for the visuals. The cover is exactly that, expansive and eye-catching, kind of moody, and a hint of humor with the ship.
I suppose you’d like to see it?
Here’s the eBook:
Here’s the print version:
Definitely NOT the Worst Book Cover in History!
Yours won’t be either because now you know you should invest in a nice cover and that it’s affordable! Don’t forget, you can get 10% off with the coupon code DALE10!
If you get a cover, I’d love to hear from you in the comments! What are your honest thoughts?