My DIY Book Cover Was Awful — Here’s How I Fixed It For $0
The specific tools, tricks and software I used to make a pro-looking book cover without spending a dollar
It is possible to create a great book cover without hiring a professional, free-software or dropping piles of cash.
One of the first “rules” we come across when looking to self-publish is that writers should never design their own covers. There are lots of good reasons for this, I can’t deny that, yet there are also a bunch of good reasons why a writer might decide to do it themselves.
For a start, some people like creative control over all elements of their art. I’m one of those people. Another reason is money. Good, professionally made covers are expensive. This isn’t a bad thing. Great cover designers are skilled creatives.
Yet, self-publishing a book can cost a writer thousands, and so a creative itch, combined with a desire to minimize spending, often leads to DIY, self-made covers.
You can see above that my first attempt was not good. Below, I will detail exactly how I took that initial design and turned it into the final product which, I hope you agree, is of a much higher standard.
I’ll be using lots of examples from my own design journey throughout, so you can get an idea of the various iterations the…
