Next week I'll be releasing a dark fantasy novella titled
The Quintessence of Absence, a reprint that originally appeared in
Black Gate magazine. Set in an alternative 18th century Germany, it deals with a struggle between good magic and the darkest regions of the occult.
I decided to try designing my own cover for a change and used the free template software at
Copysafe. Here are some I've come up with. Which do you like?
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| Cover #1 |
The templates are a bit rigid. For example, I can't center this byline. But hey, it's free!
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| Cover #2 |
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| Cover #3 |
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| Cover #4 |
So which one do you prefer, numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4? (Oh, and those white boundaries are a product of blogger. They won't be on the actual covers)
I like the third one best.
ReplyDeleteExcept I need to fix that spacing problem between the subhead and the byline!
DeleteI actually like the third one the least. That color scheme will make the cover all but illegible at thumbnail sizes.
DeleteI would focus on the cover art, the title, and your name, and nothing else. I wouldn't say "a dark fantasy novella" on the cover, and I'd also skip the "by".
ReplyDeleteDoes it give you the option of putting your name above the artwork in larger letters?
Also, how long is it? I'd avoid using "novella" anywhere in the description, and if you have to, just use the term "short novel". Amazon et al can give at least estimated word counts, which I think is more than sufficient.
Also, assuming you're pubbing through Amazon first, have you tried using their beta cover design feature? I think it can come up with some decent-looking versions of what you've got here, but with more options.
ReplyDeleteYou've got an email heading your way about this! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the first one best.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
I don't think your name stands out enough when included with the subtitle in italics. In a different font, the name is more evident. I find the colour distracts, as does the genre header 'dark fantasy'. (Of course, it depends on what type of effect you want- historical/mystical or dark fantasy.)
Cover 4 for me, just seems to 'pop' off the screen.
ReplyDeleteI like the first one, but you should do a transparant red color wash on the image. that would give it the pop you need.
ReplyDelete