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Designing a Cover is something I have enjoyed for years. My hope is that the insights I've learned I can pass onto you so that you, too, can enjoy and be an effective and inspired Cover Designer.
Before my books are written, or it could be just after I've finished a few chapters, I am eager to have the cover created. Often, I see something in my mind, but it could be just one in a series of different covers. For example, with a "book" I'd shared with so many before it was officially written, and after several (really horrible and ugly covers), the "unofficial" book that gave me faith to believe God for my own marriage. Trust GOD to Restore Your Parents’ Marriage From a Daughter Who’s Been There!
In the end, the picture of my parents, together for the sake of my children (so they'd have grandparents together), said it all.
Nevertheless, the majority of our pictures we purchased from iStock. And since, over the years, the picture we choose to start with is later changed, and improved, we have learned to work with a picture first before we commit and purchase it. *But be very careful that you have a solid plan whereby you DO purchase it or it's stealing, theft. Not being right with God is really my motivation, and it should be yours too; however, recently we had to deal with an organization that was attempting to fine us for not purchasing. It took a lot of back and forth (and should you ever run into this situation, please comment below so we can elaborate on the process He led us to take to resolve the issue.
Needless to say, we reconfigured our purchase process by creating a collaboration folder called "purchased." We faithfully put any picture we're working with in this folder, and each month our Treasurer checks to see if it has been used or if we ultimately didn't use it. Once again, if you are interested in learning more, we could have a full lesson regarding purchasing pictures with all we've learned over the years.
Front cover
Our front cover is 6 x 9 inches, which is the size used on Amazon, KEP. As I mentioned, the cover inspires me, but also, it's used to begin building the Book Course by posting Chapter Lessons while it’s being written. If you've taken my FREE Aspiring Author Seminar, there's nothing more helpful to move you forward in your desire to be an author, or in my case, finish a book, than committing to a chapter a week or each month. This is how the Abundant Life Series was written and how I'm currently working through the Wise Man Warrior book—we added it to a monthly Wise Family Series. To be honest, after I committed, I questioned if it was His plan or mine, when He supernaturally led me to write and convert several chapters in two days (but this is more suitable for Aspiring Authors.
Selecting the Ideal Picture to Purchase
Ideally, choosing a horizontal picture with the right side being the strong dominant focus because it will end up shown on the front cover. A couple of examples of this are Homeschooling for Him, Leah Jacob's restoration journey. Favorite place to close my eyes?
Font placement and size and style. Key is dark background, white font, light background, black font. Pull from colors in the picture or inspiration from title.
Back cover duplicate, hazy and light of the front cover unless it was horizontally generated.
Back cover top left corner picture of the author. Size 5 x 5 square? Right side, testimonies, drawn from the comments when posting each chapter lesson. The best and a variety of countries range of word count.
Back cover under author. Combine foreword and about the author.
See if this google Genesis can create a AI test.