Cover 1:
Cover 2: 
Cover 3:
So what do you think of my cover: Don't be shy.
Does it draw the eye?
Can you see it okay as a small image?
Does it make you want to read it?
I've started formatting my Indie chick lit/ soldier romance short story for Kindle, Ultimate Sacrifice. Launch date 1st August 2012 Royalty free images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Here's some e-book self-publishing information you might appreciate, for those of you who haven't yet taken the plunge.
I will need to create an account for each before I can launch my book with them, unless I chose to 'Enrol this book in KDP Select, which Cherie kindly explained means I must allow Amazon sole rights for 90 days. There are three main e-publishing websites: Smashwords.com; Amazon.com; and Barnes and Noble's Pubit
I downloaded the pdf file from the Amazon Self Publish web pages.
This tells you how to format the MS for publishing as a Kindle.
- I had written it in word with the .docx suffix and had to save it as a .doc for compatibility with Kindle .This is why it wouldn't upload my 6,000 word story as I hadn't properly formatted it.
If you have already formatted your story without checking Building your book for Kindle, then just highlight your whole story and click the 'Normal tab'. This will remove all the previous formatting for you so you can start again.- Building your book for Kindle explains about title pages, copyright information, dedications, adding a table of contents with a bookmark (to make it easy for users to find the section they want to view), indenting first lines rather than using tabs, plus other important topics listed below:
- So far I have begun designing my cover, formatted my MS, built the contents table. So I'm off to tackle the next stages in the list, including creating those all important accounts...
Here's my honest opinion, I don't really think it's as eye-catching as you want it. The couple in the middle are barely noticeable.
ReplyDeleteHere's some suggestions:
~~Make the flag cover about 80% of the book cover but lighten it (make it more transparent) so that it's a background image.
~~Make the couple black to stand out.
~~Your title and name should be seen from a far. Especially on amazon where the cover is tiny. So, make ULTIMATE stretch out over one line and SACRIFICE stretch out over the next. Make it almost touch each side. Also, you name should be centered and stretched out over the bottom.
~~I don't know what words you wrote over the picture but I can't read it.
These are just suggestions. I don't make the best covers so I'm no expert but I do buy books based on cover so it's so important.
Bless you Clarissa, I will have another go. x
ReplyDeleteI like Cover 2 much better. If you can afford to purchase a stock image without the site name across the bottom, it will make a much more professional cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol I just created a third cover.
ReplyDeleteI used free images and the condition is to show the source, though I have mentioned it on the title page so I could remove it on the cover, I guess.
Hmm, I think I like the third option best.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably not in the majority, but I like 'busy' covers :-)
I like two and three the best. Two is relatively clear, though three seems to present more of the contents of the book.
ReplyDeleteEbook covers are ticklish monsters.
ReplyDeleteIf it were me, I'd get rid of the couple all together. Is there another subtle clue you can use on the flag? Maybe there's a tear in it, or a soldier's helmet clips it on one side.
The other thing I suggest is beefing up your fonts to imply substance and weight. Larger is better.
Thanks everyone. I'm loving all your input.x
ReplyDeleteMaria, I will certainly think about these suggestions. x
I'm not at all a visual person, so I probably shouldn't even give you an opinion. But my sense is that they're all too busy. The least busy is the first one. Beyond that, I think C. Draper's comments were very good!
ReplyDeleteMadeleine Begun Kane