A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT
Should authors use AI-generated book covers?
AI can produce some astonishingly good artwork, but that doesn’t mean the decision is simple. In this Wordslinger 10-Shot, I break down what authors should consider before using AI for a book cover—from Amazon’s disclosure requirements and copyright questions to reader backlash, professional design, and the alternatives available if you don’t want to go the AI route.
I’ve designed nearly all of my own book covers over more than 20 years, and I’ve watched the tools, costs, and expectations around book design change dramatically. The goal hasn’t changed, though: You need a professional cover that fits your genre and helps do the marketing work for your book.
We’ll also talk about Fiverr, 99designs, premade covers, professional designers, and some of the potential rights issues authors should watch for when hiring someone else to create their artwork.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 — Why I Know a Thing or Two About Book Covers
01:28 — Should Authors Use AI-Generated Covers?
02:28 — What Amazon KDP Requires You to Disclose
03:11 — The Ethics and Controversy Around AI
04:10 — Why Some Authors Are Turning to AI
05:11 — Reader Backlash and Other Risks
05:49 — Can You Copyright an AI-Generated Cover?
06:59 — How I Use AI in Cover Design
07:51 — Should You Actually Use an AI Cover?
08:29 — The Risks of Cheap Cover Designers
09:31 — Using 99designs
10:06 — Premade Covers from BookCovers.com
10:46 — Draft2Digital and Cover2Book
11:34 — The Most Important Thing Your Cover Has to Do
BOOK COVER RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Fiverr:
https://www.fiverr.com
99designs:
https://99designs.com
BookCovers.com:
https://bookcovers.com
Cover2Book:
https://cover2book.com
Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger
If you’re a writer trying to build a career, publish better books, reach more readers, and navigate the business of being an author, subscribe to Wordslinger. This channel is here to give you practical, experienced guidance for every stage of your writing and publishing journey.
FIND KEVIN:
Find Kevin and his books:
https://kevintumlinson.com
Join Kevin on Substack:
https://kevintumlinson.substack.com
Wordslinger Podcast home page:
https://wordslingerpodcast.com
SERVICES FOR AUTHORS:
Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWritingAid:
https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5
Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital:
https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger
Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor:
https://authoranchor.com
Should authors use AI-generated book covers? Let me know what you think in the comments—and tell me how you’re handling your own cover design.
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