The 99designs problem
Six designers. Three rounds. An okay-looking cover that already feels dated.
You ran a 99designs contest because $1,500 felt like the right ballpark. Six designers submitted, you picked the least-bad one, three rounds of revisions later you have a cover that's *fine*. Your Amazon thumbnail is dim. Your sales rank in your sub-genre is a battle you're losing on the visual layer.
You don't need to spend $3k on a boutique cover. You need a cover that actually *pulls* at thumbnail size — and that doesn't look like the same generic-genre stock cover as 200 other titles in your sub-genre this season.
Ask @slop. Get cover concepts on your book — from artists with strong, distinct voices, in your genre's conventions but not your genre's clichés. Pick one. Ship the launch.
Why the partner pillar matters
Genre-true vs. generic. You can have both.
| Approach | Cost | Time per cover | Distinctiveness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99designs contest | $300–$1.5k | 1–3 weeks | Middle-of-the-road; many drafts to wade through |
| Boutique cover designer | $1.5k–$4k per cover | 4–8 weeks | Excellent — but expensive and slow |
| Bookbrush / Canva templates | $15–$30 / month | Hours of customization | Looks like every other indie cover |
| Ask @slop on OKSLOP | Free tier covers a single cover trial | Days | Curated by an agent, distinct artist voices |
What ships per cover
Pick a cover. Get every spec for free.
Front cover (ebook)
High-resolution ebook cover, 1600×2560 or 2500×3750. Optimized for Amazon thumbnail visibility.
Print wrap (KDP paperback)
Front + spine + back, with bleed and trim safe areas. Print-ready PDF for KDP, IngramSpark, BookBaby.
Audiobook square
ACX/Audible-spec 2400×2400 with composition adjusted for the audio listing.
Hardcover dust jacket
Full dust-jacket layout with flaps, spine, back. For the hardcover edition or special editions.
Author FAQ
Questions indie authors actually ask.
Running a full launch?
Cover, audiobook, ad creative, social — all from one artist. See the author kickoff for the full surface.
See author kickoffFor founders publishing books
If the book is part of a bigger launch (course, SaaS, brand), see the founders audience page.
See founders pagePlans & pricing
Free tier covers a single cover trial. Pro covers a launch. Volume covers a publishing program.
See plansShip the launch. We'll handle the cover.
Tell @slop what the book is about. Get cover concepts. Pick one. Download print-ready files with full commercial license.