I believe we’re in agreement that people do judge books by their covers. A crappy one’s not going to catch a potential purchaser’s eye, much less make a sale—unless the name on it is recognizable and has a solid following.
A vibrant, eye-catching cover is a must. Do you pay someone to do it? A good cover designer doesn’t have to cost much; there are definitely some out there. You only need do your due diligence. Ask around. Get feedback.
Or maybe you do it yourself first, to get a feel for it—to acquire a creative [critical] eye, as it were—before you shell out a few $ to a professional.
. . . Or maybe you do it yourself, period. A lot have—and successfully. The cover for Odd Woman Out on Wattpad was designed by yours truly. It was super simple to do with Canva and, quite frankly, I really like it (that I’ve seen it on another novel is quite beside the point).
Go to a few book cover design sites—many are free—and nose around. Play a little. Create a cover for the fun of it or a current project. Design one that fits your genre and style. Tweak it until you get it “just right”.
Elements to consider re your cover:
- format (do you go with conventional or do you customize?)
- genre or subject matter
- artwork and photos (stock items or your own, or a combination?)
- font and text
- layout, and
- colors/filters.
The great thing about designing your own cover, particularly if you use “free” software, is that you can put the money you saved toward promotion and marketing/ads.
There are several amazing sites out there, too many to list in one post. Nor do I want it to appear that I’m endorsing one over the other. (There’s one, though, that caught my eye and I have to go back. If I’m as impressed as I believe I’ll be, I may share that one with you in another post.)
In the meanwhile, snoop around. Google “best e-book cover designers”, “free e-book covers”, “professional book covers”, and so forth. Sure, it will take time, but consider it a viable investment in your future [sales].
The Writer's Grab-Bag 
Excellent post. I know an author with 2 published books who has done his own covers, and I really like both. It can definitely work out. For me, I have…. what’s the word for less than zero???… ability to design anything decent so I rely on the publisher to handle that piece. I just look for it to match the tone of the book. I’m going through it now with the launch of my first novel and seeing reactions to the cover alone, then the match of the cover and the story. I always wonder how can someone who hasn’t read the novel truly figure out all the elements, but you’ve brought up great points here. Thanks for the informative and intelligent read.
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Thanks kindly. Those in the business have developed an eye for what works and what doesn’t, just as we do in our niches. That’s apparent with your publisher. You’ve got an awesome cover – perfect for the storyline/plot! 🙂
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