Cover shop

More tips

Hi, again! Thank you, by the way, for continuing to read. You make me happy :)

Tip #5: Use Canva... or Picsart... or nothing

Okay, please ignore the last part.

I use Picsart to edit the picture, like making it the right size, or giving it a nice filter, or making it fit and making the background larger. I use Canva mainly for the fonts (although most of them are premium, ugh), I use it for good pictures, and I use it to choose the right color for my text.

These two apps / websites have helped me a lot in my book cover making journey *sniffs*. They were always there for me when I needed them *grabs tissue and blows loudly till your ears die*

If you need tutorials on making a cover using Picsart, please read this book:

https://www.wattpad.com/420803072-cover-tutorials-apps-images?utm_source=web&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share_reading

This book has helped me to reach where I am. Thank you @LittleZari for making such a good book. It's called Cover tutorials.

Tip #6: Be professional... even if you, ahem, aren't

This is, I think, the MOST important tip for me! Your cover HAS to look professional. Your cover can not look 'DIY'. And that's a mistake most writers do.

No offense to all the writers out there (in advance).

I see a lot of covers where they blend two pictures together, or cut out a persons body and stick it onto some random background. I'm telling you now: it does not look okay.

I assume that the reason writers do this is to look like they are good at editing pictures and they have skills . . .

MY DARLING, SHOWING OFF SKILLS WON'T GIVE YOU READS!!!

Okay, Rose, calm down.

You can only do all that stuff when you know what you're doing.

This is really important, guys. Your cover needs to look like it was made by some famous designer who is really rich and knows his stuff. And the easiest way to look professional?

Be simple.

If you edit too much, it's going to show. And it's going to look a little messy. If you just find the perfect picture, the perfect font, and the perfect colors, and put them together correctly, then voila. You get your professional book cover.

You will know it's perfect when your critic voice doesn't say anything.

We all have that one voice in our heads, that always criticizes our actions, and sometimes it makes us wanna pull it out and throw it into an endless pit. Our gut instincts are usually right. They'll tell us if it is a good cover or not. Even the slightest doubt should warn you that your cover isn't good enough.

Keep calm, and be simple.

"Make it simple, but significant." — Don Draper, fictional character on Mad Men

Tip #7: Take a step back and admire or disrelish your baby (cover)... and make a new one

Once you are done making your cover, take a step back and look at your creation. You may like it, or not. If you're not sure, you can check with the tips I gave you to see if it is a good cover.

Remember when I said brainstorm multiple ideas? Now is the time to start on the other idea. This is optional; if you really love the first cover you made, you can use it. But it's recommended to make a second or even third cover, so you can compare with the first one and see which of your creations is the best. You can also ask your readers which one they love the most.

Remember, your gut feelings are very important. If you don't like it, it's very likely that other people won't like it, too. Ask your friends or family if it is a good cover or not. A common trick I use is to ask my friend if the cover is nice, but I'll be pretending that it is someone else's cover so that she can be brutally honest and won't have to worry about my feelings (a year back when I did this, my friend told me that the cover was really bad. I was so sad but thankful that I knew the truth now. When she found out that it was actually my cover, she started saying it wasn't too bad, but I never bought it. LOL.)

Tip #8: Practise, practise, practise

Practise makes perfect, as they say.

Ew, I sound like my annoying teacher.

Seriously, though. When I first started making covers, it was terrible, believe me. I used to be angry at these cover tutorials for saying my type of covers were bad. I thought they were good. Now, I know that they weren't. Many, many covers later, here I am, giving tips. This can be you, too. You can even be better. Just keep on making covers, even if you don't have a book. Just create a story idea and make a book cover for it. Just for practise.

Your cover may not be perfect after this, but one day, you'll feel so great that you'll ask J. K. Rowling to hire you as her graphic designer.

This brings us to the end of my tip-giving (I'm not sure if that's a word.) The end *sniffs*

I enjoyed this, guys. Making covers is fun and therapeutic for me. I'm sorry once again if I stepped on anyone's toes. I hope my tips helped. I have many more things I can share with you all, but these are just the basics and essentials. If you have any questions, PLEASE ask. I'm begging you again. Please ask. Feel very free to ask.

I hope I wasn't too mean and I wish you the very best in your cover making!

Always remember:

"It's through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good." —Paula Scher, graphic designer and painter

"I strive for two things in design: simplicity and clarity. Great design is born of those two things." —Lindo Leader, graphic designer and creator of the FedEx logo

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." —Maya Angelou, author, poet, civil rights activist

"Have no fear of perfection -- you'll never reach it." —Salvador Dali, artist

(Okay, I literally don't know what the last quote even means.)

Until the next chapter, stay safe.