Step-by-step guides on cover design tools, typography, color theory, and finding the right freelance designer — all written for authors on a real budget.
Start With the BasicsYou don't need a $500 designer or professional software. Learn which free tools work, what every cover needs, and the common mistakes that make cheap covers look cheap.
Read the guide →Free tools, practical steps, and the core principles that separate a cover readers trust from one they scroll past.
Read more →A curated list of Google Fonts and open-license typefaces that look professional on any cover, sorted by genre.
Read more →A full walkthrough from blank canvas to export-ready file, using only Canva's free tier.
Read more →What blue signals versus red, why thrillers go dark, and how to choose a palette that fits your genre's reader expectations.
Read more →Rates, revision policies, red flags, and how to write a brief that gets you the cover you actually imagined.
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