The Best-Kept Secret in Book Cover Design
Effortlessly Create Book Covers that Sell, With DIY Templates & Tutorials
Get your book noticed with our stunning, easy-to-use book design templates. Transform your book from Blah to Wow, and say goodbye to cover design struggles forever... even if you have no design skills.
Just pick a template and change the text
It couldn't be easier to create a cover you love, that's perfect for your book.
PS - this site is going through a major redesign, so it might be wonky.
Download Now for Free
Click the button below and you'll get instant access to these cover design templates. You can edit them with our free online cover creator, change the images and texts, and save as a print-ready file.
A Complete Publishing Solution
Avoid sketchy vanity presses that overcharge for services, or expensive designers who take too long to get back to you with small changes. We've got everything you need to take control of your publishing.
Succeed Faster with a bundle of resources
Most authors invest too much in their first book, before realizing the mistakes they've made that are killing book sales. Paying a professional won't always make your book successful, and there are things you absolutely have to learn if you really want to make it as a full-time writer.
Our tools will help you...
Ok, but what is this site exactly?
I started this site to share a package of DIY book design templates I built in MS Word, which isn't great for graphic design, but does allow authors more control to design their own covers without any fancy design software. There's a free package you can sign up for, and over 100 premium book cover templates available.
Some of the stuff you'll find here...
New Templates + Cover Creator
For a decade I've been trying to build an online cover design creator, and I just finished the latest, newest version I'm excited about. This means I can (finally) make really professional covers in a variety of genres, with advanced features like text effects and blended layers, for that amazing depth and quality you see in bestselling book design.
3D Mockups
We've also got the most popular 3D book cover mockup tool on the internet. All our tools are free to support indie authors, and you can signup for some valuable bonuses to help you get to the next level of your writing career.
We do have a big batch of exclusive, premium book cover design templates that are a bit more advanced (and better looking) but we won't share that with you yet. We want to make sure you have fun playing with the free resources we've built for you.
TESTIMONIALS
We've been quietly helping authors for years. It's your turn to level up.
Derek has been designing amazing, professional covers for my own books for the last three years, and I can recommend his design skills highly. He has now taken those skills and turned them into an easy-to-use set of templates and guides so authors can design their own DIY covers for a reasonable price. Plus there are some brilliant bonuses that will help authors even more.
Joanna Penn
thecreativepenn.com
Derek really is the go-to guy on book cover designs. I was extremely excited when I heard he had made his own system and after checking it out, he didn't disappoint. This is clearly the best complete package on book designs I have ever come across.
Dave Chesson
Kindlepreneur.com
The customizable templates and clear instructions enable DIY authors to create an unending supply of gorgeous book covers. I'm really impressed both with the templates themselves, and how using them makes me feel like a rockstar designer, even though I've had absolutely no formal training. I'm saving a ton of money on cover design and am not beholden to anyone else's schedule.
Alyssa Archer
writership.com
Insider Secrets that Sell Books
I've spoken about cover design at dozens of publishing conferences around the world, from Ecuador to London. Grab my best tips in this free video series (people with less experience are charging hundreds for book design courses. I'll give you instant access, and a bunch of templates).
We've got you covered
Cover Design Secrets
Sign up now for a free starter package of templates and the full video series on book design, and I'll send you a *ton* of bonuses you can use to help launch your own bestseller.
"More time for writing"
"Thanks to Derek Murphy's Cover Design Secrets, not only did I save a thousand dollars (maybe more) and precious time that I could otherwise devote to writing, but I have a deeper understanding of what it takes to create an effective book cover that will sell lots of books!"- Adam Henig
"Your tutorials are amazing"
Thank you, I truly appreciate all the valuable resources you have provided. I look forward to challenging the learning curve. Thanks again! - Geri Dolinsky
"Mandatory Reading"
This should be mandatory reading for any writer on the verge of publishing. More than just the do's and dont's of effective covers, (details that catch a reader's eye and COMPEL them to buy), Derek explains WHY these choices should be made and gives examples! - Dianne Greenlay
"Do NOT decide on a book cover until you have read this book! I cannot believe you get all of this information for free."
A few things you'll learn...
➽ 3 Foolproof Layouts for Any Genre
➽ 8 Cover Design Secrets Readers Can't Resist
➽ 60 Fonts You Should Never Use
➽ 7 Design Strategies for a Perfect Cover
➽ The Best Free Online Graphic Software
➽ 300+ Recommended Fonts for Every Genre
➽ 5 Book Cover Myths Most Authors Believe
➽ The Simple Tweak that Tripled my Book Sales
➽ How to Find the Best Art and Photos (that NOBODY else is using!)
"I've been going to your website for a while now so I could learn how to design my own covers. I don't have any education on the subject so everything I've learned is through online searches, watching a lot of Youtube videos, and simply asking other people questions. I can't afford to pay for anything so I'm a one-person shop lol. I finally downloaded the templates you made for covers and formatting. Thank you for everything you have done for us Indie Authors! I look forward to learning more!" - A.R. Grosjean
Bonus 01
Publishing can be complicated (and expensive!) But it doesn't have to be. I've got a short guide to self-publishing on a budget. It's on Amazon, but if you want a free copy, just let me know where to send it.
Bonus 02
Once you've uploaded your files and launched your book (yeah!) marketing can feel like a chore. But chances are, you're going about it all wrong. Book Marketing is Dead has nearly 500 reviews (it's free), but it's a bit dated. I have some new strategies that work.
TESTIMONIALS
Results You Can Trust
Following Derek Murphy's cover tutorial is akin to peeking over the shoulder of a design master. I could hardly believe that it was possible to create a cover myself. I am not a graphic designer - far from it - but in the end, I felt that I had created a cover that was workable. Give Derek's tutorial a try. At the very least, it can help you see what's important in cover design."
C.K. MacLeod
techtoolsforwriters.com
Derek Murphy is simply the best in the cover design world. I'm a co-founder of a publishing company and recently hired a new cover designer. The first "training" I did was to take him directly to Derek's portfolio to show him what I thought to be the gold standard of cover design. To be able to get a lot of Derek's secret sauce with his DIY book cover templates is a no-brainer. Do it!"
Matt Stone
archangelink.com
Many great, self-published books languish in obscurity simply because of poor packaging. The savvy author understands the necessity of a stellar cover, but often lacks the skills or the funds to create it. Derek offers an excellent opportunity for authors to design a cover at a DIY price, but with professional design results."
Kimberley Grabas
yourwriterplatform.com
"I LOOOOOOOVE YOU! I just made a sample cover and it looks great! You just saved me thousands of dollars! You are the best!"
Lina Jay
"Awesome!! I was able to follow the directions and actually create something that looks good."
Michelle Dennis Evans
"I needed an affordable solution for my first piece of short fiction. Imagine my excitement of these world-class book cover design templates by an uber talented cover designer - with an easy to use guide, and tons of indie author extras, so I can design as many DIY covers (ebook and print) as I want. You won't find a better book cover design solution."
Krystalle Kittons
"YOU are my new best friend! Just finished the book design templates and am so glad I found you and it! In the process of going through it all I decided to change my title. What a treasure chest of honest tips. Keep up the great work!"
Kathy Tauber
"Found it incredibly helpful. You’ve put together an amazing resource. The videos and the pdfs are in depth and step by step, and seeing both the work in progress and the finished product makes it very easy to picture what I can do with it. Brilliant stuff!"
Liv Honeywell
"I was just looking for something easier to use and came across this. What a blessing! I've used most of these Word tools before, but never considered using it in this capacity. Duh. Thank you so much."
Sue Fairchild
Learn How to Design a Book Cover that Sells in the Next 30 Minutes...
Derek Murphy
Just a guy, standing in front of an author, trying to give them the best possible cover, so more readers can enjoy their story. 3 million views, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestseller. Featured in Oprah Magazine and CNN. Want to learn how? Sign up for all my secrets...
Join now for free
These templates are completely free for a limited time only. Enroll today and get instant access to the book design tutorials and free sample package of book cover templates. You'll be glad you did.
COVER DESIGN
TUTORIALS (soon!)
WRITING TIPS
PUBLISHING
TERMS
