He needs to go clothes shopping BEFORE hitting the, um, “coffee” shops! 🙂
Axolotl
9 years ago
Looking at the amazon page of the book, it appears it’s actually a photograph of the author. I think going it alone in publishing can only work so far, and doing one’s own modelling for cover images is probably crossing that line.
I love the fact that everyone has an opinion whether valid or not.
Lets look at a couple of things.
Author is the Model
Zero copyright infrigement
Why
Because some people who make covers do not make sure all the images used on a cover can be used without violating a copyright. Using your own photos makes sure you have the rights.
Does this cover need work , yes it does.
Are any of you actually authors?
Do you have tons of spare cash to waste on covers and other essentials needed to produce a book?
In the world of Indie , there are no BOOK DEALS with big publishers so you do what you can afford.
Instead of saying how bad something is , why not give some suggestions on how to fix the problem.
1. Just because something has zero copyright infringement, doesn’t mean it’s any good. If you think about it, the greater likelihood is, it isn’t–otherwise, you’d find infringers aplenty.
2. It’s good that you know that the cover needs work.
3. No *competent* and professional cover designer will ignore ensuring that the images that they use are properly-licensed. Only those Fiverrs and that ilk will ignore the need for proper licensing and for clearing copyrights.
4. There are a large number of free or nearly-free cover design resources for those folks who can’t afford to use a more-expensive cover designer. Derek Murphy’s DIY Book Covers has free, affordable ($89) and hand-holding rates. If you do a little work, you can use his free resources to GREATLY improve your cover work. I’m not a designer, and I’ve used it several times, as a “crash-test-dummy” for my book clients, to be sure that I wasn’t telling them to use a resource that wasn’t easy to use. It is, and you can use it to make very good covers.
5. MOST of the people who post here are authors, cover designers, or in the business (publishing).
6. If you want constructive criticism, submit your cover designs, ideas, concept drawings, etc., to CoverCritics.com –see the link at the top of this website homepage. You’ll get lots of helpful critiquing. This isn’t the site for that. I’m sure that if you want this cover critiqued, Nathan would be happy to hear from you and put the cover–this or a different one–up there.
7. I have at least two clients (we’re not a cover design firm) that have had covers listed here that went on to redesign them to good effect, and, in fact, one of them was smart enough to submit his/her reworked cover to CoverCritics.com, for feedback, because s/he said that s/he wanted a FABULOUS cover. Getting a cover right is just like doing rewrites on your novel, or submitting your book to your writing or critique group. Sometimes, you get feedback and you don’t like–but it makes the work better.
Good luck to you. Hope that this has been helpful to you.
First off .. Not my book
Two
Cover designers are a dime a dozen so no as a buyer you may not know if copyrights have been cleared.
I have designed a few hundred covers over the last few years and no matter what , the customer seems to be right , no matter what is suggested.
For all Images that I use , it can take up to 30 days to confirm copyright and all legalities. Just because you bought it , doesn’t mean you can use it.
I do believe that a cover should convey the intent of a book and that cover does not and because of that, the sales from what I know are slow even though the writing is very well done.
In publishing
The cover makes them read the blurb.
The blurb makes them buy the book.
The first chapter keeps them reading.
The last chapter sells the next book.
Not every cover is going to be great but my way of thinking has always been to suggest a way to improve it and not just call it shit.
Nathan
Never suggested that covers are a waste.
Some raw numbers that most authors do not consider.
Average for a professional cover design
100 to 3000 dollars
Editing and proofreading
300 to 2000
Marketing services
5000 to 10,000 ( best sell a lot to cover that cost )
Average sales for a first time Indie author ( general genres )
200 to 500 a year
So designing covers is a lot like writing lots and lots of practice.
I totally agree that cover designs should be tested long before you hit that publish button on Amazon or elsewhere
![cover[1]](https://lousybookcovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/cover172-500x739.jpg)
So where’s Bertram?
MWHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Good one, that.
I admit, this one gobsmacks me. I mean…is this comedy? Erotica, god forbid? Why are those bicycles distorted? WHAT???
Ew!!
Thanks for putting that into my head. Where’s the bleach?
I can’t unsee that. Or unthink that’s Bertram. Or unimagine the steamy sweat. When you find the brain bleach, Bruce, pass it over.
There’s only a little bit left…
Dang, I just looked at it again! Sorry, all used up now.
Heck, I don’t even understand what he’s wearing. The purple shirt seems somehow to be on the outside.
It’s a Collar Dickey.
Like this: https://www.etsy.com/listing/227375014/igotcollared-dickey-dicky-dickie-fake?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_low-accessories-scarves_and_wraps-collars_and_bibs&utm_custom1=15920219-3db2-f469-e3b9-0000781de24d&kpid=227375014&gclid=Cj0KEQjwy7qrBRC4lp7_hM3dgIoBEiQA72pCnpkRGCPzQaPilPxLfwSYGeb6To7zX_fdodOyweHm1YoaAkXt8P8HAQ
It’s under a vest. The clashing colors make it an optical illusion.
A romance so famous, it’s known simply as Bertrude.
OMG – that’s HILARIOUS!!!
He needs to go clothes shopping BEFORE hitting the, um, “coffee” shops! 🙂
Looking at the amazon page of the book, it appears it’s actually a photograph of the author. I think going it alone in publishing can only work so far, and doing one’s own modelling for cover images is probably crossing that line.
“Going it alone” as an Amsterdam sex tourist would seem needlessly expensive, and kind of sad – I mean can’t you go it alone at home?
This must be for the “meat sweats” fetishists. Please, God, don’t let that be a thing.
Too late!
If it didn’t already exist, it does now!
I love the fact that everyone has an opinion whether valid or not.
Lets look at a couple of things.
Author is the Model
Zero copyright infrigement
Why
Because some people who make covers do not make sure all the images used on a cover can be used without violating a copyright. Using your own photos makes sure you have the rights.
Does this cover need work , yes it does.
Are any of you actually authors?
Do you have tons of spare cash to waste on covers and other essentials needed to produce a book?
In the world of Indie , there are no BOOK DEALS with big publishers so you do what you can afford.
Instead of saying how bad something is , why not give some suggestions on how to fix the problem.
To answer your questions:
1) Yes, some of us ARE authors.
2) If you think that covers are a “waste,” you are setting yourself up for definite failure.
3) Why not seek suggestions from others BEFORE you publish?
James:
1. Just because something has zero copyright infringement, doesn’t mean it’s any good. If you think about it, the greater likelihood is, it isn’t–otherwise, you’d find infringers aplenty.
2. It’s good that you know that the cover needs work.
3. No *competent* and professional cover designer will ignore ensuring that the images that they use are properly-licensed. Only those Fiverrs and that ilk will ignore the need for proper licensing and for clearing copyrights.
4. There are a large number of free or nearly-free cover design resources for those folks who can’t afford to use a more-expensive cover designer. Derek Murphy’s DIY Book Covers has free, affordable ($89) and hand-holding rates. If you do a little work, you can use his free resources to GREATLY improve your cover work. I’m not a designer, and I’ve used it several times, as a “crash-test-dummy” for my book clients, to be sure that I wasn’t telling them to use a resource that wasn’t easy to use. It is, and you can use it to make very good covers.
5. MOST of the people who post here are authors, cover designers, or in the business (publishing).
6. If you want constructive criticism, submit your cover designs, ideas, concept drawings, etc., to CoverCritics.com –see the link at the top of this website homepage. You’ll get lots of helpful critiquing. This isn’t the site for that. I’m sure that if you want this cover critiqued, Nathan would be happy to hear from you and put the cover–this or a different one–up there.
7. I have at least two clients (we’re not a cover design firm) that have had covers listed here that went on to redesign them to good effect, and, in fact, one of them was smart enough to submit his/her reworked cover to CoverCritics.com, for feedback, because s/he said that s/he wanted a FABULOUS cover. Getting a cover right is just like doing rewrites on your novel, or submitting your book to your writing or critique group. Sometimes, you get feedback and you don’t like–but it makes the work better.
Good luck to you. Hope that this has been helpful to you.
First off .. Not my book
Two
Cover designers are a dime a dozen so no as a buyer you may not know if copyrights have been cleared.
I have designed a few hundred covers over the last few years and no matter what , the customer seems to be right , no matter what is suggested.
For all Images that I use , it can take up to 30 days to confirm copyright and all legalities. Just because you bought it , doesn’t mean you can use it.
I do believe that a cover should convey the intent of a book and that cover does not and because of that, the sales from what I know are slow even though the writing is very well done.
In publishing
The cover makes them read the blurb.
The blurb makes them buy the book.
The first chapter keeps them reading.
The last chapter sells the next book.
Not every cover is going to be great but my way of thinking has always been to suggest a way to improve it and not just call it shit.
Nathan
Never suggested that covers are a waste.
Some raw numbers that most authors do not consider.
Average for a professional cover design
100 to 3000 dollars
Editing and proofreading
300 to 2000
Marketing services
5000 to 10,000 ( best sell a lot to cover that cost )
Average sales for a first time Indie author ( general genres )
200 to 500 a year
So designing covers is a lot like writing lots and lots of practice.
I totally agree that cover designs should be tested long before you hit that publish button on Amazon or elsewhere