It is time to restart the weekly blog! I'm picking up right where we left off for self-publishing.
I'm going to throw a lot of information and include several links that I believe are helpful. These are not affiliate links. I'm sharing to help, not get paid.
Remember the Master Checklist? If not, click the underlined bit at the end of the last sentence and check it out! Today, we are taking a closer look at exterior and interior art for self publishing.
One of the most exciting things we get to do as indie authors is pick how we want our covers designed. We retain full control of how our book appears, and we have a wide variety of options to fit any budget.
The Main Attraction: The Cover
A big part of why I chose to self publish was because I wanted to pick the cover art for my book.
Are you worried that getting a professional cover is expensive?
Here's the truth: you can spend anywhere from ten dollars for an ebook cover to over one thousand dollars for a commissioned illustration. (Check out Get Covers to see inexpensive options.)
I spent roughly two hundred dollars on my cover, including the cost for adding a third character to the cover right before publishing. I used a company called MiblArt. They have graphic designers that take stock photos and meld them together to create custom designs. They also have an illustrated option that's priced higher, as it should be.
Note regarding stock photos: I recently learned that the stock photos used in cover art have a license for 500,000 copies. If we're being honest, it is unlikely you'll reach half a million copies sold. In the event you do, you could certainly afford to get an updated cover edition. This limit is something you should be aware of, but it's not something you should worry about unless you make it BIG. (I hope you make it huge. Sell some books, baby!)
There are a lot of cover designers on social media that sell pre-made covers at different price ranges as well. There aren't any specific groups that I'll recommend at this point, but if you are in any writing groups on Facebook, type "cover designers" or something similar in the search bar, and you'll see posts from authors about designers they have used and praise.
The biggest takeaway here is that you have affordable options, and they are readily available.
Be wary of scammers and do not pay fully until you have the art in your possession. It's a good business practice to have some sort of contract at the beginning stating that you are entering a business dealing with the company. Run from any company that requests 100% payment up front.
While I have not worked with an artist for illustration, some of them may require a down-payment. That's normal. Some may require full payment. As long as you have signed paperwork with a contract between the two of you that protects both of you from scams, then feel free to figure out whatever payment plan works for you all.
Warning: avoid cash and "friends" payments on PayPal, Venmo, Facebook Pay, or other apps, because it is just too easy to be taken advantage of. Artists and businesses should accept payment with a business account because it protects everyone involved from financial issues.
A quick note about AI (artificial intelligence) generated art: I suggest avoiding it for anything that's on or in your book. I'm sure you're aware of the controversy with AI art, so I'm not going to rehash it here. My point is that you want to avoid doing something that will alienate readers and result in people leaving negative comments on social media.
Interior Art
All books have some degree of interior art, even if they don't have pictures. Section breaks and chapter headers are interior art as well. Most fiction does not contain photos or illustrations with the exception of fantasy maps. I will discuss maps in more detail below.
I intend to go into formatting options in the next blog post, but it is worth noting that formatting software often has chapter headers and section breaks that are easy to incorporate into your book.
If you want something more unique, go for it! Several authors I know purchased commissioned chapter headers that are beautiful and customized.
I designed my own chapter headers in CanvaPro. This is the video I watched on YouTube to learn how to do that. A photo of one of my chapter headers in Nirel is below.
A Special Note About Maps
IF you write fantasy that's not based on Earth, including a map is a good idea. Readers often mention that they enjoy fantasy maps.
There are a couple of options. You can hire someone to draw or design your map, or you can do it yourself.
I used Inkarnate to design my world. While it’s not fancy, I did craft a map I was proud to include in my book. There is a free version, but paying $25 annually to get the full version was so worth it. I've included a couple of full-color maps I made for my book below.
I made the maps black and white for my book. This is important, because even one full color image in your book will force the print on demand printer to use color for the entire book, and thus easily doubles the cost of your book.
This concludes our discussion on cover art and interior art for self-published authors. Do you have any question, comments, concerns? Drop them in the comments below. If I know how to help, I will.
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