Tag: Book cover

Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Is it wrong to use AI for book covers? Here’s why the answer isn’t simple

Mandy Webster

If you’ve spent time in publishing spaces lately, you’ve probably seen the heated arguments over AI-generated book covers—and the moral panic that sometimes comes with them. The core of the opposition sounds reasonable: artists deserve to be paid. Many AI image generators are trained on existing artwork without permission. Some argue that using AI is stealing from creatives and eroding the value of real human labor. In this view, choosing an AI cover over hiring a professional designer is not just a budget decision—it’s an ethical failure.

To be considered a new, copyrightable work, a derivative work must be substantially different from the original and reflect the artist’s own creative input. Where should we draw the line when the “artist” is AI? Should accessibility be a consideration?

It’s also true that AI doesn’t yet create perfect, consistent, or always-usable art. Many covers made with AI look slick on a screen but fall apart in print. Designers bring not just visual skill but marketing savvy, genre expertise, and an understanding of composition that a prompt can’t replicate.

And yet, the conversation around AI art often lacks nuance.

Continue reading “Is it wrong to use AI for book covers? Here’s why the answer isn’t simple” →
Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Book cover design for independent publishers: making your book stand out

Mandy Webster

They say not to judge a book by its cover—but when it comes to indie publishing, readers absolutely do. Your book cover is often the first—and sometimes only—chance to grab someone’s attention, so it needs to make an impact. Whether you’re working on a shoestring budget or ready to invest in professional help, understanding your options for book cover design is crucial. In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of designing your own cover, hiring a designer, or trading services to create a cover that does your story justice.

In this series, we’ve reviewed the planning, writing, evaluating, and revising steps of the novel writing process. Now it’s time to publish your novel!

DIY book cover design

Designing your own book cover can be a cost-effective solution, but it requires a solid understanding of design principles. Many publishing platforms offer cover generators, but these tools are often limited and produce generic-looking covers. I used them for my first couple of books, but I quickly realized that I wanted to represent my work more professionally. If you choose to design your own cover, keep these key factors in mind:

Continue reading “Book cover design for independent publishers: making your book stand out” →
Publishing

How much does it cost to self-publish a novel?

Mandy Webster

createspace, print on demand
CreateSpace (an Amazon company) is just one option for print-on-demand services.

I recently decided I would like to self-publish my current novel project and have been considering all of the hard work that will go into such an endeavor. For example, I am an excellent editor. However, if I want readers to spend their hard-earned money on my product, then I need to hire someone to come along behind me and clean up any errors I might miss. Who knows why it is easier to spot mistakes in someone else’s work than in your own, but it is. So an editor I must hire.

I will probably need to hire a few other people as well. I could probably figure out how to format my own book. But again, I want it done right. If I can find someone to do it properly, I will likely save my readers a great deal of irritation on the back end. One thing I have no confidence that I will ever be able to do is design a captivating book cover. The sad fact is, readers often judge books by their covers. Yes, I need to hire a professional book cover designer. Continue reading “How much does it cost to self-publish a novel?” →