Premade covers are what they sound like — a design created without a specific book in mind, where the title and author name can be changed for whoever purchases it. 

Benefits of Premade Covers

• You know what you’re getting from the very start
• They are cheaper than custom work
• The designer is the expert in what makes a cover marketable, and with premades, they have full control 

Custom covers are commissioned work created specifically for you, the author. The design will be specific to your story and characters. 

Benefits of Custom Covers

• If your story doesn’t fit with generic premade concepts, custom covers are the way to go!
• Covers are created and revised to your specifications

At The Illustrated Page Book Design, I provide both custom and premade book cover designs. If you’re interested in premade covers, you can check out my online store. If you’re interested in custom work, please browse my available packages and send me an email through my contact form with what you’re interested in and your timeline. I will let you know what my availability is.

Regardless of whether you chose to go with a premade or custom cover, here’s the most important thing to remember:

A cover design is a marketing tool first, a piece of artwork second.

When deciding what you want in a cover design, remember that whether it meets your specific vision or matches the exact details of your story is less important than how well it sells your book. What expectations does the cover create in the reader? Is it effectively conveying genre and tone? Keep these questions in mind as you consider your cover.