Thank you for your interest in our cover design services! Here is a run-down of how we do things here at Blue Water Books.
FOR PREMADE COVERS:
We sometimes offer premade covers for sale from our newsletter or Facebook group. Once a premade cover is purchased, it is removed from inventory and never sold again. Your cover will remain uniquely yours!
A few things to remember:
Alterations to premade covers are limited to text fields ONLY. Any changes to colors, fonts, etc. will require a consultation PRIOR to purchase and possibly an appointment. If there is a premade cover you love for which you would like to change more than just the title and author name, please contact us.
There will be NO REFUNDS on premade covers, and no transfers allowed (meaning, if you purchase a premade cover and then decide not to use it, you cannot resell it to another author and request that we change the info for them).
FOR CUSTOM COVER DESIGN APPOINTMENTS:
New Client Deposit If you are a new client, a deposit of $50 is due at the time of booking. If you keep your appointment as scheduled, the money will be applied to your initial invoice. If you cancel your appointment, the deposit is forfeit and you will be required to make another deposit if you choose to book again in the future. New clients are allowed one opportunity to reschedule their initial appointment, after which the appointment must be kept or the deposit is forfeit.
Initial Consultation Most projects begin with an initial consultation. The consultation is an informal, back-and-forth conversation about your project. It begins when you first contact our designer and ends when the actual design process begins. We'll discuss ideas and specific requests, as well as gather basic information about your project. Consultations are conducted via email between the client and designer.
Please note: Rush fees are nonrefundable and due at the time of booking.
Partial Payment Due A week before your scheduled appointment, an invoice for the full amount of the cost of the project will be sent; however, only half the amount is due before our designer begins work. You will be able to make a partial payment for half the total cost, or any amount up to the total cost of the project. Payment is due in full prior to any graphic design services listed on our "Other Services" page.
Our designer has download privileges to several stock photo sites, but if you request a specific image for which we do not have access, or if a specialty image is needed (such as those for certain historical covers), you will be responsible for any license fees required. This will be included in the initial invoice, or sent as a separate invoice later.
The Design Process Taking into consideration any requests or ideas discussed during the consultation, our designer will begin work on your project. An initial concept will be sent for you to consider. If it is approved, we will then continue the design process to adjust the details to your liking.
If the initial concept is not to your satisfaction, a second consult will follow, where we will discuss what you like and do not like about the cover submitted. An additional cover will be designed and sent for your approval. If one of the two covers is then chosen, we will continue the design process to adjust the details to your liking. However, if neither are to your satisfaction, we will assume that we are not able to create the cover you desire and suggest you seek another designer. We hope that you will consider our services for future projects. We will keep the 50% deposit paid before work was begun, but will refund any additional amount paid.
Finalizing the Design Once a design is decided upon, we will secure any licenses needed and work with you to make adjustments requested. Three rounds of revisions are included in the cost of a custom design. If additional revisions are requested, they will incur an hourly fee billed by the quarter hour, with a minimum amount billed of one hour. The hourly rate is currently $40.
Once the design is complete, you will be sent the final, finished files as either a .jpeg (ebook) or .pdf (print). 3D images are sent as both a .png (no background) and as a .jpeg (white background). Once the files have been sent, the remainder of your invoice is due. A reminder will be sent if it has not already been paid in full. Please note: Final payment is due when any of the final cover files are sent. For example, if you are sent the final ebook cover but are awaiting formatting for the final print cover, the remaining balance is due upon receipt of the ebook cover.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What if I have a specific image I want to use? If you have purchased the commercial license for a particular image you would like to use, you are free to send it to our designer to be used in the overall design. The total cost of the project remains the same. Additionally, if you request a specific image for which you have not purchased a license but which cannot be found on the sites we contract with, you will be responsible for any license fees required.
What if I need adjustments later on? If your final cover requires redesigning due to any mistake on our part, we will be happy to correct the design free of charge. However, if you request any other minor adjustments after the final files have been sent, there will be a charge. For small text changes (reworded back cover copy, changing the title, adding a tagline, etc.) the charge is $10. For any changes requiring adjustment to the size of the cover, the charge is $25. For other changes, please contact our designer for an estimate. Payment is required before changes will be made.
What if I only need a front cover for an ebook now, but later I need a full wrap? If you begin the design process with us for an ebook cover and later would like a full wrap, an invoice will be sent for the difference in cost. The difference will be determined by the current cost of a full wrap design, minus the cost you paid for the front cover. Payment in full will be required before we begin work on your project.
How far out are you booked? We build our schedule in three month increments and are consistently booked 3-6 months in advance. Our designer fills her schedule with regular appointments as much as possible. A limited number of rush appointments may be available sooner for a nonrefundable $40 rush fee, due at the time of booking. A small number of last-minute appointments are also held each month for established clients only, and only for the same month in which they are requested. Last-minute appointments incur an expedited rush fee of $60. Contact us at the beginning of the month if you are interested in one of these spots.
What if I need a paperback for more than one distributor? Each distributor has a different set of guidelines and templates for their paperback files. A paperback design includes the paperback file for one distributor, usually KDP or Ingram Spark. If you need files for another distributor, there is a $25 charge per additional wrap.
What if I have other questions? Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have other questions or concerns.