If you've gotten anywhere near the topic of ebooks or how to create them, sooner or later the question of ebook covers will surface.
In case you're wondering, yes, it's important to have an image associated with any ebook you create. Why? Simply because it takes something that might otherwise be considered nothing more than a digital file and turns it into an actual product.
Now the question is, do you pay someone else to make the ebook covers or do you create them yourself?
Paying someone who is already experienced is naturally a sound decision, but not everyone wants to spend hard earned cash for yet another aspect of ebook creation and marketing.
The only other alternative is to make your own covers. So how do you go about doing that?
One choice would be to purchase a software program that allows you to automatically create them. Basically, you choose a cover style, add text and images, and the software program produces a professional looking cover.
Of course, not everyone is prepared to plunk down the kind of money it takes to purchase quality software. And if you choose any of the cheaper software out there, the ebook covers you produce will be of such inferior quality, you wouldn't have gained much.
Let's face it. No one is going to take your ebook seriously if the cover that represents the product looks unprofessional.
So the only choice left is to make your own images from scratch. Unfortunately, there's a learning curve with regard to the actual steps involved. How difficult a learning curve? That depends on the draw program you use to create the ebook covers.
For example, one of the most popular draw programs is PhotoShop. The problem is, it's expensive AND difficult to master. Especially if you're a relative novice. Not to mention the fact that these types of programs are designed to produce high quality graphics. Creating ebook covers isn't even remotely considered.
The good news is, there are plenty of low cost and free draw programs that are capable of producing professional quality covers. And the learning curve? They range somewhere between beginner and intermediate.
Which means most anyone can create their own ebook covers without too much difficulty. But again, draw programs aren't geared toward creating them. So determining how to do that can be quite frustrating.
Unlike other graphics, ebook covers need very specific functions that will produce plausible and attractive results. For example, most draw programs allow you to create rectangles (the basic shapes involved in ebook covers). The only problem is, they don't all allow you to easily skew the rectangles so the ebook cover will have the correct perspective and dimension.
The second biggest problem is text. Although the ability to create and customize text is a basic tool that most every draw program provides, you can't always properly manipulate it. If you can only reshape text one letter at a time rather than as a whole object, you won't be able to align text to the same perspective as the cover itself. At least, not within an acceptable time frame.
Another difficulty that's specific to ebook covers is whether or not you can easily incorporate images. Finding a good image is one thing. Trying to get it to look right on cover image(perspective, sizing, background) is a whole different story.
The bottom line? Choose a draw program that has all the necessary functions but isn't so complicated that it needs a graphics design specialist to figure it out. If you can do that, it's simply a matter of building your ebook cover one piece at a time...
First, create and position the individual parts. Next, size and place design images. Now add and enhance necessary text. All that's left is to finalize the ebook cover with a few finishing touches.
As long as you practice the steps individually and then collectively, you'll be able to create the kind of images you want and need.
And once you're capable of creating your own ebook covers from scratch? You'll experience the same confidence and satisfaction that comes with mastering any formidable task. Now that's success.
Maggie Lietz
eBookHelper.com
Maggie Lietz specializes in writing, creating, and publishing ebooks. Plenty of valuable information about ebooks, online business, and Internet marketing is available on her website at Ebookhelper.com. Professional services include website and graphic design, copywriting, and ebook cover images.
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