Book Cover Art for Indie Authors

When I decided to end my novel contract with my small publisher, I lost my cover art for my Born of Shadows Book Series. One of the things that I've heard repeatedly on writing podcast (and know as a reader) is how important awesome cover art is for a novel's success. The challenge of course is finding an affordable book cover artist when you're an indie author without a big budget. Initially I found a designer that allows you to choose your own cover image and then she adds the font and formatting for $150, which is a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, I realized that this cost didn't include a paperback option, which is important to me because I love having paperback copies of my published novels. I found another artist who offers a great deal for beautiful cover art when you're doing a book series and ultimately went with her. She's been great to work with - intuitive, on time and mos of all creates a beautiful cover design.

If you're looking for affordable cover art, my advice is that you reach out to the designers. Tell them what you have in mind and what your budget is. Like most things, making a connection changes the conversation. Many designers have flexible pricing and can offer less expensive custom options if that's what you need. I posted a few of the designers that I checked out - including the one who designed my cover - below.

Do you want to recommend a book cover designer? Leave their information in the notes and we'll add them to the list. Also feel free to share your own book cover art.

• Cover Quill - Rena is the designer at Cover Quill and she created my new cover for Ula: Born of Shadows Book 1 (I love it)
• Beetiful Book Covers - This designer offers a custom e-book option for $150.
• The Book Cover Zone - I have not worked with this designer, but I saw some great pre-made covers on their site. 

Ula: Born of Shadows Book 1
JR Erickson