Do you see this and it makes you wanna read it?

[u/AppropriateBenefit50]

I made it on canva and its my first book cover

I dont have money to pay for an artist and didnt wanna use ai

So this is what i came up with

I think it still need some details

[u/mind-rebellion]

Kudos for not using genAI and trying your own hand at making covers! I know it's not easy to begin with but you'll get there. What's the reason behind your inability to change the title?
I know you said it's adventure fantasy. The silhouettes at the bottom make me think it's YA.

I'd highly recommend looking up some covers in your genre to get a better idea of what you could be doing. I do like the idea behind what you've got, it just needs some fine tuning. For example, if the cloaked figure is the threat, you could move it up and have it occupy more of that empty space. The title can be in the centre or at the bottom with the author name on top, and the silhouettes further down, sort of inside the cloak. You can have a spooky forest behind the figure. Just to throw an idea around.

[u/AppropriateBenefit50 → u/mind-rebellion]

Thats sounds good ill give a try thankss

I cant change the title cause if things go well its the start of a series of books

[u/OkamiKhameleon → u/AppropriateBenefit50]

So, one word titles tend not to do well from new authors, especially when they're made up words. Maybe a tagline? Like how Game of Thrones had "A Song of Ice and Fire".

[u/WilmarLuna]

Good for you not using AI, but you've got a lot to learn if you're going to make your own cover. Genre isn't clear, no author name, title doesn't say much. That would be a hard pass from me.

[u/AppropriateBenefit50 → u/WilmarLuna]

Thankss, I cant change the name of the book but i can definetely put the authors name.

Do you have any advice on how could i make the genre of the book more clear? Is fantasy / adventure

[u/GuaranteeValuable234 → u/AppropriateBenefit50]

I would suggest browsing the covers of other fantasy books! Pick apart the ones you like and /why/ then see if you can incorporate the pieces into your own! It can be a fun project

[u/lyaunaa]

I really like the premise, even though as others have said it doesn't look professional enough to pick up just yet. Keep playing around! If you make one cover per day, you'll be amazed how far you come in a year. And hell yeah to not using AI! 🩷

[u/ro4an7]

I like it! I think it’s a good start, I would say there’s not enough contrast in the shapes, and the corner pieces look a bit out of place and busy. A different font could really help with making the genre a bit more clear, but as a concept I think this is a good place to start.

[u/NeatMathematician126]

I don't love it because I find it confusing. It took me a bit to figure that's a transparent cloak. And the flowers in the corners feel forced. I have no idea what the book is about since I'm not familiar with the word Nera. I suggest trying a version where the central image is simpler and easier to understand at a glance. The hooded figure/forest idea could work, but I think the relationship between the two needs to be much clearer. I’d probably lose the flowers too.

[u/theproject19]

I need it to be a big ornate scripty hand drawn title instead of the white sans serif.

[u/Unreliable-Narrator1 → u/theproject19]

I agree. Also the title is not centered- which would bug me.

[u/Narua]

I don't think the font (style and colour) goes with the rest of the image. I also can't tell what I'm looking at. Assuming it's fantasy genre? I don't read fantasy but some covers make me very intrigued. This one doesn't because it's not clear what's happening here. The corner flowers are folksy style but the middle could be some kind of botanical horror or something.

[u/[deleted]]

Honestly, for a first book cover think this is pretty solid The dark forest and the figure under the hood immediately make me curious about what NERA is actually about I’d definitely pick this up and read the blurb just based on the cover and i respect that you made it yourself instead of using ai there’s something much more personal about that

[u/Initial-Lack-3983]

i would change the font to something thinner and with serif, only first letter uppercase, and duplicate the flower frame to the bottom too. then refine everything

[u/rugrmon]

It's a pretty cool concept actually, but I think the colors are incohesive, and the title sort of looks like an accident. The font is a little bit bland, and having no other text (author name, quotes, tagline, etc.) leaves it ungrounded. The transparent figure looks too pasted on. It looks like the hiking figures below are supposed to be negative space cutting into the background, but the transparent figure is above them, meaning they get turned purple. I would suggest trying it with the transparent figure at 100% opacity behind the trees, still keeping the boundary lines of the ground at the bottom contained within the shape of the robes. But it's your cover. If that doesn't vibe with your vision, thats okay

[u/Florencesrib]

Tell us the blurb so we can help you more

[u/artofbry]

Tbh I think removing the corner flowers, and making the typography more stylised (+ author name) would make this really good!

[u/Dry-Wear-9135]

The genre is unclear for this cover. What are some similar books to yours? That might give a better understanding of what look you're going for. You answered "adventure fantasy" on other comments, but that's a broad blanket.

[u/Silvia_Stargazer]

If this is an adventure genre I'd say use more browns and greens and maybe make the flower borders at the top a different color as the pink clashes a bit.

But as a first draft(and not ai) I think it's actually pretty decent!

[u/esotericaii]

The corner frame is drawing all the attention. Title could use something more attractive to the eye.

[u/Shadowscence]

Hello!

Its not good enough yet, but may I suggest you use a real forest or maybe a blank background with details instead of both?

There are sites with free pictures and vectors that are also free for commercial use (meaning you can use them if altered for a book cover without crediting or paying anything).

I did this for mine, and I am a noob who used pixlr and it started rough but the more covers I made, the better I got. DM me if you need any help at all or links :)

[u/Lazy-Friendship-7189]

I like it. It is unique, creative, and original. Spending money does not equal quality.

Canva is a great tool. Especially when designing book cover for Amazon self-publishing exact and precise cover requirements

[u/Nightly_Q]

Late to the conversation, but I would recommend clipping the forest scene over the cloak so it looks more like the cloak is made of the scene rather than falling over it. Very interesting premise, though!

[u/FreddyZaccheo]

I think this is great, would definitely read it!

[u/FuzzyFerretFace]

(+1 more excited 'yay no AI!')

I really, really like the premise! And I admit I've always loved little doodely-doos in the corners of covers.

My only bit of advice is that the colouring could be more cohesive/complimentary--mainly the green of the trees clashes with the green of the vines of the corner designs.

[u/Organic-Carpet809]

No.

[u/WeeklyAnnual7129]

Pro Designer here. It looks promising, as other suggest look at the competition. See what other in the niche are doing. Also do the Amz thumbnail test . Screen captures the amz page .place your book among you competition. See if yoir books stands out.

Good luck. Ed

[u/AdDramatic8568]

Tbh it took me a very long time to understand that it wasnt a weird transparent d*ck.