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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/31733
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The LONG road to publishing a novel is nearing an end. But writing a novel is actually only the beginning; editing, formatting, compiling and marketing the novel makes the initial task of writing seem easy at times. But I am the type who enjoys the creative aspect of each stage and refuse to hire 'professionals'. I like that I am forced to learn each step instead of paying experts and learning nothing other than how to pay for their knowledge.

Book cover design is a HUGE aspect in the process of marketing and some believe it may in fact be more important to sales than the actual novel it represents:

> When the consumer is deciding whether or not to buy, design may be more important than the text. The consumer is subconsciously informed about the quality of the text by the appearance of the book, so the design is of critical importance. Consumers judge the book by its cover and by its interior design. For the book to grow legs and enjoy sustained sales, favorable reviews and word of mouth are important. For this, the text must be great. But we don’t reach this stage without first having a beautifully designed book. [http://articles.ibpa-online.org/article/look-like-pro-collection-viewpoints-critical-yet-challenging-topic-book-design/](http://articles.ibpa-online.org/article/look-like-pro-collection-viewpoints-critical-yet-challenging-topic-book-design/)[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/book-cover-design-indies\_n\_3354504.html](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/book-cover-design-indies_n_3354504.html)

There are plenty of posts that describe how simply changing the book cover design significantly increased the sales of a novel. And the blurb on the back cover is the second most important hook for a reader:

> You pick up a book because the cover or title looks interesting. The next thing you do is read the back blurb, or if you are online, you read the first excerpt which is usually the same thing. [https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/11/16/how-to-write-back-blurb-for-your-book/](https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/11/16/how-to-write-back-blurb-for-your-book/)

I found one site [http://ratebookcover.com](http://ratebookcover.com), but I am not sure if it is actually legitimate. I found a group in Goodreads that looked promising, but it was only for published books and not covers in development.

So given the importance of the cover and the lack of income from most struggling writers, is there a site where authors can get opinions on their book covers without the often predatory services of many book cover designers?

Original score: 5