I’ve been coming to grips with what to do with BookCoverModels.com and I’ve finally come to decision that the company will close.

I’m closing the business because it’s time for me to focus on my own writing again and put the energy I was juggling to do with, say, the 40 To Go web Series. It’s almost impossible to do a service for others and still get anything done for yourself.

Since 2009, I suppose I did a little bit soul searching and stayed away from writing for the while. During that time, I found artwork as a nice outlet. One thing led to another and BookCoverModels.com was made to keep me close to the industry in some capacity.

In the end, though the company did phenomenally well (paid off a lot of bills and even found a lot of people copying my methods for their own businesses), it was time to get back to where I originally started and have much more control of how things get done.

My biggest complaints with working this business was I never felt the average customer appreciated the amount of work and price I put into a cover and expected changes on the fly or multiple changes. While my business model was to help the customer keep prices low, many customers took that as a free-for-all to get anything they wanted.

The one customer that sealed my decision to close shop was one who thought they weren’t going to pay for a cover over $85 when the work they wanted was clearly $250 or more elsewhere with all the detail they wanted. Then she wanted me to save a particular art style just for her … but likely not willing to pay for that exclusive use.

At that point, I was done and I hope they find just as quality art at that price anywhere else. Doubt it.

Then there were the straight IDIOTS who didn’t know what the fuck they wanted. These are authors who admittedly said they haven’t an artists eye whatsoever, but they feel they have enough to keep making changes and finer details that they weren’t willing to pay for.

By the time I was done with doing book covers for others, I came to the conclusion the only way to get quality customers is to have a quality price. Apparently, a low price of $85-$100 draws low-ball customers that can be really REALLY ghetto. I had one customer … no, actually two … who were just straight up crazy. Wanting incredibly detailed changes that only someone from the projects would ask for. Seriously!

I find the better customers who knew exactly what they wanted paid for $200 or more in services.

In the end, my best customer, Sharon Brisco, was the most consistent and regular. Maybe too regular. I loved doing artwork, but she wanted book covers so fast, the quality was decreasing and I wanted to get deeper into skin tones and perfecting lighting. You can’t do that with two or more book covers a month.

I had a lot of great ideas I wanted to explore with BCM, but I know my limits and in the end, performing a service-type for people who don’t know what they want is not worth it the aggravation. The best part is I’ve TOTALLY become adapt at making my own covers.

Which is just in time with a full 2012 battle plan of novels coming out to fulfill my fan base that was on hold since the first book.

For those that were great working with, Thanks for your business. I greatly appreciate it and I wish you all the best.

Butta' by Corey Aaron Burkes