Why I Rebranded My Book Covers – And What I Learnt From It

When I first published The Utopia Conspiracy, I honestly thought it would be a standalone. It was more of a creative experiment than a long-term plan – something I did because I love storytelling and had an idea I needed to get out of my head and onto the page. But then something funny happened. The characters wouldn’t let me go. The world I created kept expanding, and before I knew it, I had enough content (and unanswered questions!) to fuel three more books. So suddenly, I wasn’t just publishing a book – I was building a series.

And that’s where cover design became a whole new beast.

The Original Cover – Great Concept, Poor Execution

I had this brilliant image in my head for the original cover: a group of supposedly dead celebrities enjoying a drink together in a hidden island bar. It was quirky, mysterious, and right out of a scene from the book. I imagined it as the back cover image, and for the front, I wanted a drawn image of the island – something that hinted at mystery and adventure. Since I’m not an artist, I worked with a talented illustrator I found on Fiverr called Catherine Highton, based in Madrid. She really brought my ideas to life, and Rob Jones helped me pull everything together into a final design.

These were my original designs

The problem? I didn’t do enough research into what actually works in my genre. Once I published to Amazon and started browsing other thrillers and conspiracy novels, I realised my cover didn’t stand out. In fact, it looked a bit underwhelming next to the competition. That was a tough pill to swallow.

Time for a Change – Rebranding for Consistency

When I was nearing completion of my second book The Utopia Treaty, I decided I needed to rethink things. I looked at other successful authors in my genre and noticed a clear trend: consistency. Same title fonts, similar layouts, and slight variations between each book in a series. Their covers screamed, I’m part of something bigger. That’s what I wanted.

I came up with a new concept – silhouettes of my key characters overlooking a tropical island, which is a focal point in the series. I used AI (yes, ChatGPT helped!) to generate an initial mock-up that really helped me visualise it. It wasn’t perfect – moving titles, adjusting blends, and getting the exact alignment were difficult – but it gave me something tangible to hand to a professional designer.

This was my AI generated cover

Working with GetCovers

After doing some research, I found GetCovers – their pricing was reasonable, and the reviews looked solid. I chose their Premium package for $35, which included:

• A print-ready eBook and paperback cover

• Back and spine design

• Source files

• Unlimited revisions

• A 3D mockup

• Up to 5 licensed stock images

• A marketing bundle (social banners, reveal images, etc.)

• 5-day turnaround with 1-day delivery available

I sent them the AI image, a description of what I wanted, and the blurb for the back. Martha, my project manager, was lovely to deal with – polite, patient, and always responsive. They hit the deadline, and the first draft was great. I ran it past friends and family, gathered feedback, and requested a fair few tweaks. No complaints from their side, and the final result really impressed me.

New cover for the Utopia Conspiracy

With that success under my belt, I contracted them again to design the second book in the series, The Utopia Treaty. This time, I wanted to keep the same base layout but with subtle changes in imagery and colour. I did end up exceeding the 5 included stock images and purchased 2 extras for around $10 – money well spent, in my opinion. I also received social media banners and a release image and a mockup, which looked fantastic. The total cost for both books came in at just over £65

Lessons Learned – My Advice to Other Authors

If you’re reading this and are considering your first (or next) book cover, or if you are rebranding your book or series here’s what I’d suggest:

• Don’t rush it. It’s tempting to get your book out into the world as quickly as you can, but take time to get your cover right. It’s the first impression readers will get. Plus it’s more difficult to then change your cover everywhere such as on Facebook posts etc that you may have created with an older version of your cover.

• Study your genre. Go on Amazon, look at bestsellers in your category, and see what’s working. The goal isn’t to copy – it’s to align with expectations.

• Use AI as a starting point. Tools like ChatGPT can help you create a concept or visual brief to pass on to a designer.

• Invest in a professional. Even if you’re on a budget, services like GetCovers offer real value and can elevate your book’s appearance. However check their reviews first!

• Iterate, iterate, iterate. Keep tweaking until you’re 100% happy. It’s your book – it deserves to shine.

I hope sharing my cover journey helps you in yours. If want to share your own cover evolution, I’d love to hear about it!