Pros and Cons of Premade Book Covers

Book cover designers are privileged to create art for a variety of unique, imaginative worlds. But at the same time, they’re limited by the vision and requirements of the authors. The artists get flooded with ideas they can’t fully manifest.  So, from time to time, it’s nice to lift a lid and let the creativity of the designers pour freely. It breathes a new life into cover artistry and helps designers improve, experiment, and flex their creative muscles. That’s how premade book covers are made. 

As a self-published author, you may wonder what’s in it for me? How can I benefit from a premade cover, and what can I potentially lose? 

To help you answer these questions, here are the pros and cons of premade book covers.

Premade Book Cover Pros 

Premade book covers have the following pros: 

1. They’re already done 

Premade covers are in front of you. No need to wait and worry whether the final result will satisfy your taste. You see what you buy, and it’s wonderful. 

2. They’re cheaper 

The price of the illustrated premade cover is lower to target a wider audience and compete with custom designs. As a result, they’re a great choice for self-published authors with tight budgets. You get high quality for the lower price — a great way to save some money for book editing or marketing. 

3. They fit the canons of the genre 

Genre-friendliness and impeccable execution are essential to a book cover’s success. An experienced designer knows it well. They also want their cover to sell, and help the writer to sell more books. So, the quality premade cover fits the genre and industry standards like a glove. 

4. They are diverse and different 

As far as designers can try out their ideas and novel approaches, premade book covers come in a variety of different styles and often with unique, catchy art. 

5. They provide a lot of options

With premade book covers, you have an unlimited supply of options. Not sure what you want? Not a problem, check all of them and you’ll likely find the one that wins your heart. The only limit you have is time. 

6.They Help You Write 

 Derek Murphy — a writer, artist, coach, and entrepreneur — wrote 

“I’ve developed a bit of an addiction to buying premade covers because if I can get something amazing for $250 or so, I’ll buy it and write the book later.”

Sometimes an amazing piece of art is born, and you can grab it as soon as possible even if you don’t have a book yet. Gorgeous visuals can be a prime inspiration for further writing.  

7. They can help decide on a cover 

Have you ever stumbled upon a story idea absolutely randomly? You take a walk in a park, your eyes and thoughts wander, and then it strikes you — an idea you’ve been waiting for. You go home and start writing. 

That’s how premade covers work for some writers. You don’t know what you want to see on the cover of your book yet. And then, you stumble upon a random premade cover and realize that it’s what you want. 

No need for analysis, research, brainstorming, cumbersome revisions — the ideal cover already exists. 

Premade Book Cover Cons

Premade book covers have the following cons:

1. They are not too specific 

If you have a vision for your book cover in mind, it’s difficult to find a premade cover that will completely satisfy it. A premade cover is a compromise between your idea and an artist’s vision. But, it’s often worth it. 

2. They are luck-dependent  

Considering the previous point, often your catch depends on luck. You may not find what you want today, but in the month’s time, the cover of your dream will appear. 

3. They require some digging  

Finding a proper cover will take some time, especially if the catalog of your preferred designer is big. The time spent well isn’t wasted though. Besides, picking a premade book cover doesn’t take as long as waiting for a custom design. 

4. They’re addictive 

It’s easy to spend too much money if you get into that shopping craze of buying everything you like. You go to the shop, glance at all the gorgeous art, then a blur, and an hour later you have 4 premade covers on your hands. 

5. They’re difficult for series 

If you’re writing a series and aim for premade book covers, it may be tough to find designs that go together well. Sometimes, designers will create a few premade covers intended for a series, but that’s a rare case. 

If you found the cover you like, you can contact the company or designer who made the premade cover and negotiate a custom series book cover design. 

Conclusion

Though they have their share of disadvantages, premade book covers are a perfect choice for writers who want to save money and don’t want to wait days or weeks for a custom design. If you’re down to browsing some beautiful art that can potentially become your book’s cover, check out our catalog.