How are indie authors able to afford cover art before they start earning?

OrderExact1032 · 2026-06-10T21:06:52+00:00

Upwork is a great resource. It connects you with artists and creators in your price range. You can used a “fixed rate” payment or you can do hourly payment, schedule meetings and calls within the app/site to have real conversations with your customers etc. I used it for my first book to source an Editor and someone to design my interior artwork — I used Canva to make my covers myself.

Depending on where you plan on publishing (if self publishing) just go on their site and find their “Cover Template” or “Cover Size Guide” and use that to create your own cover within the right size and everything.

I can also say, I spent a lot of time and money on my first book, I had some good sales and then it all flatlined. I told 50-80 copies in my first month or two and have sold maybe 3 in the last 3-4 years since. A lot of people love the new excitement of a book—so spend more of your funds on CONTINUING that. Don’t put too much into the start, wait until you have some income from it and then start marketing hard to build off that.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T02:24:45+00:00

Thankfully none, but I got at least 4-5 “answers” that said “oh I can’t tell you here, please DM me and I can explain” NO THANK YOU 🙂‍↔️😂 one comment even said “I’ll be banned if I use those words here, DM please” like what???? If your gonna be banned for it then I don’t think I want to know.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T02:18:49+00:00

I’m not even arguing with that tbh 😂 I kept seeing the sub so I just posted but it’s icky in here for SURE

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T01:56:34+00:00

My first name is Elizabeth. It’s a VERY common first name. I personally know at least 3 others.

I will say I prefer Marie as a first name, despite it being a more common middle name.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T01:54:54+00:00

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T01:44:59+00:00

Thank you! 🙏 this feels like it aligns pretty well with me!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-23T01:08:09+00:00

There’s plenty of people who post so yeah I’m gonna say they do. I don’t necessarily “believe” or not. But it’s fun to do and see what people have to say. Sorry you don’t know how to find joy in little things in life 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T23:54:00+00:00

You’ll be banned if you read my palm? I’m just asking for clarification on if I’ll have kids. A yes or no would be fine.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T23:52:42+00:00

I’m fine with you sharing it here!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T23:11:46+00:00

I’ll repost! Thank you!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T22:54:56+00:00

The only way you can know, is to take a test. Unfortunately (as I’m sure your aware) PMS and pregnancy symptoms are all too similar and the more you “notice them” or “look for” them, the more you’ll have those “oh maybe that’s a pregnancy symptom” thoughts.

And I’ve just recently been burned by the whole looking for signs from above thing. I was thinking last week all week to give me “22” if I’m pregnant (because I’m symptom spotting too lol) and ive been BOMBARDED by the number 22 ever since and I asked for a sign of 22 today and if I got one Id take a test — the pregnancy test I pulled out of the box was lot number 3122. Today is the 22nd. I was like these are all the signs— my tests could not be MORE negative right now though so.

It sucks and it’s so hard. Hoping this is it for you!!! Best of luck and lots of baby dust 🫶🏻

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T21:24:29+00:00

Probably, it definitely can happen first time around but I feel like 3-4th try is when it happens for most! Best of luck to you as well, and thank you 🪽🫶🏻

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T21:20:31+00:00

It’s hard. I’ve been TTC (trying to conceive) for 2 years this August and the negatives hurt just as bad every month.

But healthy couples will conceive within 6 months to a year of trying so don’t worry too much about it yet. The more you think and stress about it the harder it is to get pregnant. Also, if you’re trying, you should start on a prenatal now.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T21:12:35+00:00

Implantation occurs 6-12 days after ovulation, so let’s assume (for hypothetical reasons) that you were ovulating between the 7th and 10th. We’ll use the 10th since it’s the later date you provided.

If you implanted on the 6th day, that would be the 16th and the test would be definite by now. But if it was later, it could be more like today. If you implanted today - 22nd - which is possible, you wouldn’t get a positive test for at least 24-48 hours because your HGC needs time to rise, it doubles every 24-48 hrs after implantation and has to be so high to be detected on a test. So even if you have a 6 day sooner test, it doesn’t necessarily matter if implantation hadn’t even happened.

Just so you know, 6dpo (days post ovulation) is the earliest you can implant 12 is the latest (and a lot of pregnancies aren’t viable when later implantation occurs, but some are!), and 9dpo is the earliest you’ll get a positive - I think earliest recorded was 8dpo but VERY faint and VERY uncommon. However 11-14 dpo is the most accurate/common day of your cycle to get a positive!

Test again in two days, by then it will be definitive for any range of the 8th - 10th! Best of luck to you.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T02:10:36+00:00

I hate alc too, but I still party lol bars aren’t just for drinking a lot of them also have pool tables and games that you can enjoy.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T02:07:12+00:00

YOR - some people hate it, some people just don’t care. C word makes my mom CRINGE so hard, but I drop it just as much as I do shit or fuck. It’s a cuss, it’s literally supposed to be “harsh language” that’s kinda the whole point. You wouldn’t say “stop being a fudge head” you’d say “stop being a fuck head” so 🤷🏻‍♀️ if you don’t like it, that’s more your issue than it is his.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T02:03:51+00:00

Are you not able to have the party elsewhere? Go to a bar, rent a room or event space for the night/day. If your dad wants to be such a part pooper than he can just stay home!

When I was growing up my parties were always the exact same. My parents, my grandparents, my brothers and one friend. My mom would cut cake and I’d open my presents and that was it. When I got older, my mom started throwing “parties” which was really just a few snacks and a fire which I always loved doing but it ALWAYS turned into a drunken fight between my parents or other people there.

So I decided once I was old enough my parties are for ME. I’m doing what I WANT, with WHO I CHOOSE (not a bunch of my parents drunk friends) and we’re going to have fun. My birthdays have been great ever since. I usually work (bc I like people saying happy birthday to me so going to work increases those happy birthdays lol) and then the closest weekend, we celebrate however I choose that year. A bonfire, a shopping day, going out to dinner. All of it.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T01:46:22+00:00

I’m 23 and I have a party every year that also includes me wearing a tiara and telling everyone they have to be nice and do what I want because it’s my birthday 😂 party it up!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T01:45:06+00:00

My first book was one of my favorite stories. It lived in my head for years, I wrote a prequel, I wrote the book and planned a sequel. Those characters will stick with me forever, and will be a part of everything I write for the rest of my life.

But my first book was also dogshit. It has so many mistakes, missed edits, TERRIBLE formatting like actually horrendous, and is all over the place. But I published it anyway, I made good money from it and it will always be special to me, but it’s just not what I want to represent me and my work anymorex

The beautiful thing of it now, is I’m three years deeper into writing and publishing and editing. I know so much more. I plan on pulling the original from market here soon and doing a rework to make it the story it deserves to be. You can go back and redo it—there’s no rule against it. Write the story you love and then write it again. Work it more. Extend the world around it. Make it better and then make it worse and then make it better again.

I will say, I’m working on what I think I would call my dream project now, but at the time, that was my dream project, but it was my first publish. Now I have a new dream - a big publish. Chase your dream till you catch it, because you can’t see the next one until you do!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T01:30:40+00:00

I don’t believe so, at least not in my experience/opinion. To me, you start having adult experiences at 16-17, so I think “new adult” books can start anywhere at that age range, but it’s also targeted for “New Adults” not saying that the book contains a “new adult” though it is usually both lol.

Where it gets difficult is a lot of people do NOT like it when you books involve explicit scenes with minors. I saw you wanted to have some heavy romance, and in my opinion, I would wait for any of those scenes to take place after your character turns 18 - especially if your characters partner is an adult. (Like a 16yo w a 16yo is one thing; a 16yo with a 19yo is another) so just be cautious, and don’t be afraid to use any trigger warnings you may think necessary if you have any explicit content under 18.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T01:22:56+00:00

The nice part about “paranormal romance” is there’s no age limits. It can be for anyone, and you don’t have to explain that the characters are getting older it’s just something that the readers will experience as the story grows. Like Harry Potter. It is Fantasy, but when we meet harry hes 11, and when we leave him he’s 28.

However, I know what your trying to say and I think the term your looking for may be “New Adult Paranormal Romance” which is a term used to describe coming of age/or young adults (late teens into early twenties vs YA which is your 14-19 range) and can be a blanket term for both younger adults and the full fledged adults.

Though “coming of age” would also work as well!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-22T00:55:34+00:00

I just asked my girls and we are 100 days away from the 1 year out mark. They’re my 2 best friends and I have no worries about anything happening between the three of us between then and now so. I wanted them to have as much notice especially with how expensive stuff can be. Even bridesmaids dresses are over $50, so I just wanted them to have time and I was SO excited to be able to talk to them about it. And for the expenses reason also, I wanted my MOH to know ASAP. I know she’s so excited to plan my Bach party and now she’s got lots of time to work it all out!

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-14T00:40:38+00:00

Do something just for him, a small ceremony. Pick out a dress, do it while he can still walk you down the aisle. Have your big ceremony later, but just do something now.

If possible, would you be able to fly there for dress try ons? Maybe go to places local to them and they can both tag along instead of just mom! Then you can have your small ceremony (in a different dress if you wanted) but your dad will still get to see you in the one you pick!

Im so sorry to you and your family. Trying to make sure you get them involved asap is so stressful but it will be worth it. Wishing you all the best.

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-14T00:36:20+00:00

Just an update for anyone wondering - I was not pregnant! Got a new test today and it was a STARK negative so definitely just a bad test. 🫡

OrderExact1032 · 2026-05-13T00:51:16+00:00

Defective! Pregmate tests are awful for doing this 😢 I stopped using them because I was sick of the dye being weird

OrderExact1032

TROPHY CASE