Need a book cover designed? I'll do it for free.

[splok]

Not to jump on the dogpile, but here's the perspective I would take: Go to Amazon and pull 4 traditionally published covers from the best seller list in one of your genres. Show those along with one of your covers to someone and ask them which of the 5 look self-published. Once people stop picking your cover more often than the others, you're good enough to compete.

 

[mws87]

I could, but if I do that it will give my pen names away.

Dude, are you me? I say that jokingly, of course. I recently created a lot of new covers for my upcoming titles and thought "damn, I actually enjoy this." Not to mention I have over a decade's worth of experience in photoshop. Decided to do the same thing.

As far as giving pen names away, just create some "Jon Doe" authored covers with "BOOK TITLE" or "YOUR TITLE HERE" as the name. Social proof is good, but I think, with graphic design, showing you're capable can be just as effective.

 

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[Mattie]

Let me take a look at your work, I might need someone for my novel.

 

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[LifeTransformer]

Just finished designing my first horror/mystery cover, I think it looks pretty good.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Third pre-made book cover is published (still 4 pending approval). This one ALMOST made me start writing another book.

Also made this earlier which I quite like:

 

[LifeTransformer]

Update: If you have a book in either the Horror, Sci-Fi, or other more potentially challenging genres to compose a cover for, I can take your project.

No longer taking requests on: Non-Fiction, or Romance (including ero).

I've come to the point in my book cover designing progress (I've done close to 50 for titles I'm currently working on, or brainstorming), where I believe I have a skill that I can begin to use a side hustle.

The problem is, I need to build some kind of portfolio to show authors before I go down the road of getting clients.

In order to gain proof of concept, I'm offering to take on 2 clients for free.

This will allow me to see if this is something I can do, and your feedback will allow me to see if this is a service you would pay for.

All you need to do is put a quick "I'm in" message in this thread, and send me a PM about what you want designed.

What's the catch? Haddock. Seriously, your cover will be put on my portfolio website when its done, and that's about it really.

This thread should probably be in the marketplace section, but since I'm offering this for free, hopefully MJ and the fellow mods will allow me this thread to also be free? (if so, thank you very much!).

 

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[LifeTransformer]

Time for an update I believe.

First cover: @AndrewNC came to me with a rough outline of what he wanted doing, after a few revisions and some back and fourth. We ended up with these:

 

[Mattie]

If you want to send me a pm with some details on the book, I can put some proposals together for you.

Will do. In the middle of tearing it apart and rewriting it and not sure what I want on the cover yet.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Finished my first sci-fi book cover.

Don't think its the best work I've done so far, but its the first I've tried making for the genre.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think these covers are very good. I realize you are learning and doing work pro-bono is a nice way to build experience.

Kudos for you.

Unfortunately these covers just look like clip art slapped with some fonts. If I was a client I'd be disappointed because they represent something I could do in about 10 minutes.

If you are building a portfolio I'd be very careful about which covers you "advertise" as completed work. I might not be the consummate customer you're targeting, but that's my opinion. I'm in the middle of designing a cover, and based on what you've shown here, I wouldn't give the task to you, much less hire you for it. I know that sounds dickish, but as you know, we don't sugarcoat things around here. And of course, my opinion DOES NOT make a market. I am one person -- and 100 people giving you cash is much more valuable of a metric than my solitary opinion.

Anyhow, keep honing your skills and you'll get better. One day you'll look back at some of these covers and say, OMG, I'm so much better now!

Good luck.

 

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[Dazed]

Unfortunately these covers just look like clip art slapped with some fonts.

I think the problem here is that many customers are happy wth this type of work (see Andrew post earlier). In my experience many designers churn this type of stuff out regularly but as soon as they come across a discerning customer with high standards they get very perplexed and things end badly.

To the OP, I'm sure you're very talented. I know it's not your intended market but why don't you do a redesign of the Millionaire Fastlane cover and we can all see the quality of your work?

Best, Dazed

 

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[LifeTransformer]

I think the problem here is that many customers are happy wth this type of work (see Andrew post earlier). In my experience many designers churn this type of stuff out regularly but as soon as they come across a discerning customer with high standards they get very perplexed and things end badly.

To the OP, I'm sure you're very talented. I know it's not your intended market but why don't you do a redesign of the Millionaire Fastlane cover and we can all see the quality of your work?

Best, Dazed

Hmm there's an idea!

Thanks for all the messages from everyone! If your saw my first book cover design, you'd see a marked improvement hand over fist from where I first started out. They get better every time. Hopefully I'll be able to show that soon.

Did you use Word Art to make this?

Haha! It does actually look like that now you mention it.

@AndrewNC did you ever decide which book cover you're going to use on your book?

I'm working on some new stuff at the moment, will post some more images up when they're ready. I might only be 5x worse than a pro now ;-)

 

[V8Bill]

Generous offer. But could you not use the 50 covers you've already done for your portfolio? Based on your existing (substantial) experience you probably don't need to prove your concept. You won't need to show all 50, just a dozen or so would be enough.

 

[LifeTransformer]

Generous offer. But could you not use the 50 covers you've already done for your portfolio? Based on your existing (substantial) experience you probably don't need to prove your concept. You won't need to show all 50, just a dozen or so would be enough.

I could, but if I do that it will give my pen names away.

I also don't want my designs to be linked to my writing directly. If someone disagrees with one of my books, they may not like to buy my designs is what I'm thinking.

@AndrewNC has PM'd me, so there is room for 1 more.

 

[GuestUserX09]

How about a flyer/cover/landing design for a software? It's kind of like a book cover...

If so PM me, I'd like to participate

 

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[LifeTransformer]

How about a flyer/cover/landing design for a software? It's kind of like a book cover...

If so PM me, I'd like to participate

This could extend the market opportunities, so yes. Send me a PM and we'll see what happens.

NOTE: that's the 2 spots currently occupied (scale problem? or just easy to fill when free?). So The next few posts in this thread will be updates. (unless @Square1Hype doesn't PM me of course ;-) )

 

[V8Bill]

I could, but if I do that it will give my pen names away.

I also don't want my designs to be linked to my writing directly. If someone disagrees with one of my books, they may not like to buy my designs is what I'm thinking.

@AndrewNC has PM'd me, so there is room for 1 more.

That's fair enough. I'd take you up on it but my cover's good, I don't have any new projects coming up so I'll step aside and let someone who needs a new cover take the opportunity. As a photoshop addict myself, I look forward to seeing the results.

 

[LifeTransformer]

I'm interested. I have 10 book titles.
Niche is forex. Sub niche is price action, momentum trading, news trading. Swing trading. Day trading. Etc.

Let's me know.

Send me a PM with the following, and I'll get something done for you too.

Title and brief description of the book.
Genre
Author name
Desired size (I usually do 1600X2400px)
Anything else you think may be helpful for your vision of the cover.

NOTE: I can't take anymore for free at this time. (think I'm at 6 now).

 

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[AndrewNC]

I will easily pay $350 to @LifeTransformer for my next book design, and will recommend him to anybody that asks.

I wanted a simplistic design, and exactly what I want was delivered, but the best part about working together is the quick replies and constant contact on updates, which is severely lacked by other graphic designers.

100% the best freelance graphic design experience I ever had

 

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[Omni]

Offer this on fiverrr or kboards and you'll have a ton more bites

 

[LifeTransformer]

Let me take a look at your work, I might need someone for my novel.

I'm working on the website/portfolio as we speak.

If you want to send me a pm with some details on the book, I can put some proposals together for you.

 

[Selfy]

Thing is, some of us don't really want to give our pen names away. But still awesome job.

 

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[Selfy]

Into a body? That sounds interesting!

I'm not sure transposing is my thing though to be honest. But PM me the files and I'll see what I can do.

Yeah so I can use that beautiful handsome, sales-converting face in different variations without having to purchase him again.

If it's not your thing, it's ok.

 

[Vigilante]

Third pre-made book cover is published (still 4 pending approval). This one ALMOST made me start writing another book.

Also made this earlier which I quite like:

View attachment 12589

I like the Asylum one.

The other one, however, looks like a book cover for a .99 eBook on Amazon.

If you intend to make a business out of this, you're going to have to do 10x better.

I currently have an artist working on some stuff for me, and it's night and day. If you are going to make book covers, they better be the same grade as a professional publisher would make for me, or don't do it at all.

 

[Vigilante]

Not to jump on the dogpile, but here's the perspective I would take: Go to Amazon and pull 4 traditionally published covers from the best seller list in one of your genres. Show those along with one of your covers to someone and ask them which of the 5 look self-published. Once people stop picking your cover more often than the others, you're good enough to compete.

gold

 

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[LifeTransformer]

I don't think this actually got posted in the thread, but between our PM's, me and @AndrewNC ended up with another option (in 3 different colors) that looked like this:



I'm not saying it's perfect, but I think it's a bit nearer something a mainstream publisher might put out there. Could that be improved on? Most certainly.

 

[AndrewNC]

Hmm there's an idea!

Thanks for all the messages from everyone! If your saw my first book cover design, you'd see a marked improvement hand over fist from where I first started out. They get better every time. Hopefully I'll be able to show that soon.



Haha! It does actually look like that now you mention it.

@AndrewNC did you ever decide which book cover you're going to use on your book?

I'm working on some new stuff at the moment, will post some more images up when they're ready. I might only be 5x worse than a pro now ;-)

Going with that light color one!

 

[LifeTransformer]

Going with that light color one!

Cool!

I'll post an update on this venture tomorrow if I get time.

 

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[LifeTransformer]

Okay, looks like we've ended up with 4 takers, so I can't do any more at the moment. (If @Square1Hype PMs me)

Dude, are you me? I say that jokingly, of course. I recently created a lot of new covers for my upcoming titles and thought "damn, I actually enjoy this." Not to mention I have over a decade's worth of experience in photoshop. Decided to do the same thing.

As far as giving pen names away, just create some "Jon Doe" authored covers with "BOOK TITLE" or "YOUR TITLE HERE" as the name. Social proof is good, but I think, with graphic design, showing you're capable can be just as effective.

Haha! Yeah exactly the same here lol.

Good point on the John Doe covers, I will do that when I build the website I think to add to the portfolio.

 

[David Al]

I've come to the point in my book cover designing progress (I've done close to 50 for titles I'm currently working on, or brainstorming), where I believe I have a skill that I can begin to use a side hustle.

The problem is, I need to build some kind of portfolio to show authors before I go down the road of getting clients.

In order to gain proof of concept, I'm offering to take on 2 clients for free.

This will allow me to see if this is something I can do, and your feedback will allow me to see if this is a service you would pay for.

All you need to do is put a quick "I'm in" message in this thread, and send me a PM about what you want designed.

What's the catch? Haddock. Seriously, your cover will be put on my portfolio website when its done, and that's about it really.

This thread should probably be in the marketplace section, but since I'm offering this for free, hopefully MJ and the fellow mods will allow me this thread to also be free? (if so, thank you very much!).

I'm interested. I have 10 book titles.
Niche is forex. Sub niche is price action, momentum trading, news trading. Swing trading. Day trading. Etc.

Let's me know.