Designing your own Book Cover: the Cheap Way

When it comes down to it, self-publishing can cost an author a good bit of money. We know that hiring an editor can be avoided, but sometimes it can be needed. We know that self-publishing entails personal marketing to avoid hiring an expert.

But what about illustrations? Book covers? Interior design?

All of the nitty gritty bits that actually make up a book. How do we get all of those done while on a tight budget? 

Designing your Book Cover

As I started my work on The Halls of Valhalla, ideas brewed within me about how the cover should look by the time it was finished. As authors, we all have a million different ideas constantly soaring through our heads, and very specific pieces that need to put in place. A book cover is one of the most important things about creating a book. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, everyone who reads judges a book by its cover. Even you, I bet, reading this now can smile and say, “I do do that.”

I’ll be the first to admit it! 

Book covers are what capture the eye, it’s what gets a reader wanting to go towards it in the first place. Places like Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million would be no fun if all the book covers were turned around, or hidden from our eyes. We want to see pieces of the story on the cover, little snippets that can give us an idea of what lies inside. The cover is the lead in to reading the back cover, where the goodness really starts to take hold. 

As the writing stages come to a close, and it is time to begin designing a book cover, take your time, and make a list of things you want to see on it. Be fully aware that most of the things you note down probably won’t end up on the cover. Remember: there’s only so much you can do without getting carried away, and the last thing you want is a cluttered cover. Think of symbols and moments that are powerful in your book, something that is referenced throughout the entire plot, or maybe even an item that is considered pivotal to the story’s progression. 

When you’re ready to begin designing, there are a multitude of free resources just waiting to be picked up by you! 

Two designing softwares that I use the most are Kittl and Canva. Most people know exactly what Canva is! Geared towards companies, Canva is a designing website that includes templates for social media posts, flyers/posters, and videomaking. Not only that, but it is a great tool for cooperative work as well. While it does have a premium subscription, the free version has a lot to offer just on it’s own! 

The second software that I used to design my entire book cover is Kittl. Before getting into the design of The Halls of Valhalla, I had never heard of this online software. It wasn’t until I went on Youtube and started watching people design book covers for inspiration that I saw it. Like Canva, it has a lot of templates for social media purposes, but also for book cover design. It has a series of clipart and free-to-use commercial images that you can use to build a book cover. This site also has a premium version that I have used for a while now! When you use something so much, you can notice a difference when upgrading! 

Kittl also has a series of tutorial videos that dive specifically into book cover illustration that helped me down the path of creating The Halls of Valhalla cover. Never be afraid to watch videos and do your due diligent research! In the end, it can only help you be more prepared. 

Thanks for tuning in! See you soon :)