Frequently Asked Questions 1. How long will it take to finish my cover? 2. How do we begin? 3. How is an eBook cover different from a print-ready cover? 4. Will I see samples of the cover as you create it? 5. What format will the final draft be? 6. Will you make my cover into a postcard format so I can have postcards printed? 7. Can you retouch my photo so that I can use it on the back cover of my book? 8. Can I send you the images I would like on my cover? 9. I have designed my cover but I need someone to put the title and author name on it; can you do this? 10. If I don't like the first draft at all, can we start from scratch and do a different design? How long will it take to finish my cover? 1. The amount of time it takes to finish a cover depends on how many authors I am working with at the time and how fussy they are. Some weeks I am working with four authors at once and other weeks, only one. Four authors at once used to be my limit, but I have learned how to be more organized. I'm a fast worker, so I may be working with up to fifteen authors at a time. If I start addressing people with the wrong names they just tell me to take a break and have a cup of tea! :) Average time to finish a cover is usually three days. How do we begin? 2. Before I begin work on your design, you will be required to make your payment of $50.00, and then you can tell me your ideas for the images you would like to see on the cover. If you would rather let me come up with an idea to begin with, you should send me a synopsis of the story and/or the first two or three chapters so I can get a feel for the content. Some authors send the entire book in a Word or PDF document and that’s okay too. (I wish I had time to read them all.) How is an eBook cover different from a print-ready cover? 3. An eBook graphic is just the front cover of the virtual book and it is 600 x 900 pixels at 72 ppi. (pixels per inch) If you print it out, the quality will be terrible, but it will be of the highest quality when viewed on a computer. Therefore, you will want to use it on the self-publishing sites, on your own web site or blog and in email advertising. A print-ready cover is the front cover, the spine and the back cover of the book and it is measured in inches at 300 dpi. (dots per inch) When you print this image out, it is the full size of the physical book and the quality is the best. However, if you try to use this image on the web, it will take up the entire screen, and then some, because the file size is huge! Since I have to create the front cover for either type of book, the base price is $50.00; then if you want it in print-ready form, I will charge $25.00 for the creation of the spine and back cover. Please tell me before I start which type of cover you need. Will I see samples of the cover as you create it? 4. Yes, typically I will put an image together and make one or two variations and then I will send them to you in an email. The size of these ‘drafts’ will be 400 x 600 pixels so that I can embed more of them into the message. The final draft will be attached instead of embedded in the message. What format will the final draft be? 5. eBook covers will be finalized in .jpg format. Print-ready covers will be finalized in .jpg and PDF if your publisher requires it. If you need a smaller size graphic to fit on a web page, just tell me the width you need and I will include it with your finalized cover. Will you make my cover into a postcard format so I can have postcards printed? 6. I will make this service available to you for an additional $20.00. You must furnish me with the exact dimensions that your printer requires. Can you retouch my photo so that I can use it on the back cover of my book? 7. Absolutely! If I am creating a full cover for you, your photo is part of the design. If you just want this done for your web site or postcard, etc. the $20.00 hourly rate applies. Can I send you the images I would like on my cover? 8. Yes, but you have to be careful of copyright issues. If you took the photo yourself, then you are the owner and can do anything you like with it, but if you found it on the web by Googling it, I’m afraid I would not be able to use it. (Sometimes, if you find an image on the web and contact the person who holds the copyright, they give permission to use it for a small fee.) There are some web sites that offer pictures in the public domain and if you get an image there, just let me know so I can make a note of it. I have designed my cover but I need someone to put the title and author name on it; can you do this? 9. Yes, if all I have to do is add the title, subtitle and author name, I will do this for the nominal fee of $10.00. If I don't like the first draft at all, can we start from scratch and do a different design? 10. Yes, I will work with you until you are satisfied with your cover design. I will create as many different designs as it takes…WITHIN REASON! I work as quickly as possible, often working nights and weekends to complete a commission. I have completed covers in as little as two hours and as many as twelve hours. Most cover designers only allow a small number of revisions; 4 – 6. I will give you 10 free revisions. Any more than that will require an additional fee of $5.00 per revision. Still more generous than most. Besides, if we can't get it done in ten, there's something wrong! ;-) Still have questions? Contact Digital Donna