After you've edited and formatted your manuscript, you may wonder how to come up with a design for the cover, and how do produce a cover for the book. Amazon has a pretty straightforward process, but it may be important to note that Amazon only accepts PDF's for the paperback version, and JPG's for the Kindle version. When Createpace merged with Amazon, I tried to convert my Adobe Light Room file and it wouldn't convert the size. Previously Createspace would convert the size if it didn't match the book's proportions. This is no longer so.
It doesn't matter what program you use to make covers, as long as it converts to a PDF for the paperback. I prefer Photoshop myself; with a little practice, you can create some great covers. There are several to choose from; Bookcreative, Canva, and various others, but all and all for the price Iike Adobe Photoshop. For about $10 a month, you can't go wrong.
You may ask; where do I find the pictures or drawings. Some people hire artists to create covers for them, some draw them themselves, some have a private publisher do everything from editing to cover design. The choice is up to you, and there is no right or wrong way to select your designs. Just be careful that if you use free stock images from artists that they don't have their signatures on them. Anything signed by the artist is copyrighted material, and unless you plan on sending royalties to them, or have a financial arrangement with one, you need to stay away from them.
Finally, make sure your blurb, the section that describes the book in the back is as compelling as you can make it. Make sure it is free from spelling or grammatical errors, and don't make it too lengthy, two or three paragraphs will do. It also helps to get some major reviews on the back as well. Avoid using typical Amazon customers, and shoot for other authors, critics, or notable people that will strengthen your book. Along your path as an author, you will meet other authors, and you'll find many are more than willing to swap books for reviews. From my experience, the first thing people will look at after the front cover is the blurb. If it doesn't grab their attention right away, they will put the book down and walk away. Granted not everyone will like your genre, but those that do, you have to pull them in to your world or your job as an author has failed
Next time, I'll discuss some of the Marketing aspects. This is an area a lot of authors struggle with, including myself. If you're still going to my old web site for blogs, there is a link on the site that will direct you to here. At the moment, I have no domain name, but that will be coming soon. Until then, keep on writing and reading!
