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Book Cover Design BasicsFind out more about our services and how we work with writers.
What does a book cover designer do?A book cover designers work closely with authors to create the artwork for their books. Designers usually use multiple tools and techniques to produce a book cover that attracts attention and ultimately helps sell the book. A key skills is communications because they have to understand what the author has in mind, what the story is about and who the target audience is. How does your design service work?To get started you’ll need to contact us with your book’s detailed synopsis, your ideas, key themes, and preferred style. Also, it’s helpful to see examples of covers you like or that convey the tone you’re looking for.Some authors have specific ideas for their covers, and others just leave everything to us. Once we have all the information we need, we’ll develop a first draft and work closely with you until you’re happy with the cover.How long does it take to design a book cover?It usually takes 10-12 working days, but for more complex projects (e.g. illustrations) it may take up to 20 working days.What is the average cost of book cover design?Generally speaking a cover based on stock images and photo manipulation will cost between £250 - £500. Book covers based on illustrations can cost any from £550 - £1200 depending on the complexity of the artwork. However, each project is unique so we don’t have a set pricing. Wehave ‘from’ pricesto give you some guidance, but it’s best to contact us with your details. We’ll then get back to you with an accurate price.My book isn't quite ready yet, can you still design a cover?Yes, we can work on the design and you don’t have to wait until you’ve finished writing. We can tweak the cover when you have the final page count, size and format.Who will own the rights of my cover once it’s ready?The rights ofillustrations created for book covers are subject to the artist’s terms. This includes a crediting us and them in the book. Also, generally speaking, illustrations created solely for e-book publishing are cheaper and licensed only for digital publishing. Should the author decide to publish paperbacks, we may need to charge additional fee for the license.Book covers based on stock photos don’t require additional licensing fees as long as the photos have been purchased with the right license and permission from the photographer (which we already do).What stock images do you use?We buy licensed stock images from websites such as ShutterStock and iStockPhoto. All photos used in our covers are paid for and licensed for commercial use, so you don’t have to worry about royalties and crediting photographers.Do I have to pay extra for stock images?No. The cost of the photos is factored in the price of the project.I see you offer illustrations. What are they?We have very talented digital art illustrators. Bespoke illustrations are sometimes best for authors who want to show off a specific scene, or character, from their book.Give us a shoutif you have any questions.What files will I get?All design files we send you will be ready for print and online digital publishing - you'll just need to hit 'upload'! We deliver publish-ready PDFs, PNG, JPEGs and when needed - source PSD or AI files.Can I use my own photo in the book cover design?Yes, we can even touch the photo a little bit if it needs enhancing. If you’ve seen a design element you like, we can recreate it for your book cover.Can I buy an ebook cover now and later get one for print?Yes, we’ll design the spine, back cover and format it for print when you're ready. Can you redesign my old book cover?Yes, we’ve worked with many authors who’ve needed our service after getting published.Iwant to add quotes and endorsem*nts in the cover but I don't have them yet. Can you add them later? Yes, absolutely. We can design the cover and add them when you have them. Your portfolio doesn’t include an example cover of my book’s genre? Can you still design a cover for me?Over the past three years we’ve designed lots ofdifferent covers, from biographies to sci-fi and epic fantasy. If you’re unsure whether we can do it, just drop us an email and we can discuss.Do you take a deposit or do I have to pay all upfront?To get started, we require a 50% deposit, with the rest due when we finish the design.What if I don’t like my cover?We always do our best, hence why we offer unlimited revisions. You’ll be involved with the project from day one, so you know how we progress and know what we design. But, if all options have been considered, and you’re still not satisfied, we will refund your deposit.Can you design additional graphics to promote my book on social media?Yes, we can design images for Twitter, Facebook etc. We can also create 3D mockups of your book which will show it in its glory.I need three (or more) book covers, can I get a discount?Most likely, yes. Just get in touch so we can discuss.How to credit the book cover designer?You can simply add "Book cover design by Book Beaver" in the copyrights or acknowledgements pages. Alternatively, you can add that line to the back cover. We're flexible.
