*Update* Click here to view the Create Your Debut YA Cover gallery.
Usually I don’t do YA, but…
A few months back I posted the steps to Create Your Debut Fantasy Novel Cover. Now it’s time to do something for the Teens. Above is my debut YA cover. I had to modify the rules for this sort of cover to ensure the appropriate YA clichés were represented:
What will yours look like?
CREATE YOUR DEBUT YA COVER
1 – Go to “Fake Name Generator” or click http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/
The name that appears is your author name.
2 – Go to “Random Word Generator” or click http://www.websitestyle.com/parser/randomword.shtml
The word listed under “Random Verb” is your title.
3 – Go to “FlickrCC” or click http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php
Type your title into the search box. The first photo that contains a person is your cover.
4 – Use Photoshop, Picnik, or similar to put it all together. Be sure to crop and/or zoom in.
5 – Post it to your site along with this text.
100 Scope Notes 
72 comments
Comments feed for this article
July 28, 2009 at 10:06 am
My debut novel is about a drug-addicted dog-lover… or maybe the canine is the one with the chemical dependency problem? « Underage Reading
[…] My debut novel is about a drug-addicted dog-lover… or maybe the canine is the one with the chemical dependency problem? July 28, 2009 — Elizabeth Thanks to 100 Scope Notes for starting up this game. […]
July 28, 2009 at 10:07 am
tanita
Heh. Perfect cap to the coverFAIL 2009 kerfuffle. Here’s mine.
July 28, 2009 at 10:09 am
Elizabeth
Awesome! Mine’s here.
July 28, 2009 at 10:24 am
jennifer
cool idea, i made one, it’s up on my blog!
July 28, 2009 at 10:47 am
DaviMack
Fun fun FUN! here’s my attempt!
July 28, 2009 at 11:25 am
Str4y
I just couldn’t resist…
Keep
July 28, 2009 at 11:43 am
Scope Notes
Man, these are lookin’ good. I’ll be adding them all to the gallery.
July 28, 2009 at 11:48 am
Melissa (Book Nut)
I had fun with it. Thanks for the diversion!
July 28, 2009 at 11:48 am
Diana Peterfreund
Okay, I had to LOL at this, given that my debut YA, RAMPANT, actually does have:
1) a one-word title
2) a cover with a face on it.
So I did two mock-ups, one for a girl book, and one for a boy book. I am surprised how realistic these look, and I really, really want to read YANK now!
My “girl” book, REMINISCE:
http://bit.ly/e8d6R
My “boy” book, YANK:
http://bit.ly/iEksY
July 28, 2009 at 11:53 am
Scope Notes
Ha – yeah, these turned out great! Keep Yank in your back packet for future use – I can foresee a banned book in the making.
July 28, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Elizabeth
Your YANK cover is amazing. I would definitely pick it up in the store. Possibly to mock it, but still — into the reader’s hands is half the battle, right?
July 28, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Anna Jarzab
Here’s mine. Warning: it’s really creepy.
July 28, 2009 at 2:32 pm
jmlib923
My faux cover is at http://nbplteenbookblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/create-your-own-ya-book-cover/
July 28, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Shalan
Mine is really weird:
Sorry I have no clue how to link.
:)
July 28, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Alyson
A fun break
Scorn
July 28, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Abby
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun.
Here’s my book, WHISK
July 28, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Emily Ellsworth
Way awesome! Mine is here
http://emilysreadingroom.blogspot.com/2009/07/wonder-my-debut-ya-novel-cover.html
July 28, 2009 at 6:42 pm
melissa
Loved this. Mine wasn’t as cool as yours. But, still so much fun. See it here
July 28, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Holly
That was fun! Here’s mine: http://hollysredbike.blogspot.com/2009/07/elude-my-fake-ya-novel.html
July 28, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Create Your Debut YA Cover « The Reading Zone
[…] Create Your Debut YA Cover Posted on July 28, 2009 by thereadingzone Travis over at 100 Scope Notes invites us to create our own debut YA book cover. […]
July 28, 2009 at 9:03 pm
thereadingzone
Haha, too fun! Mine is here: http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/create-your-debut-ya-cover/
Sarah
July 28, 2009 at 9:51 pm
What will yours look like? | CMIS Evaluation Fiction Focus
[…] you create a cover, drop by 100 Scope Notes and let Travis know – He’s going to post a […]
July 28, 2009 at 11:41 pm
aquafortis
This is a perfect idea. I can’t resist these. Here’s mine:
http://writingya.blogspot.com/2009/07/create-your-debut-ya-cover.html
July 28, 2009 at 11:53 pm
birdseyemaple
Fun! Thanks for the idea.
http://maplesandfiddleheads.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/my-debut-ya-title/
July 29, 2009 at 12:09 am
Jennie
Fun stuff!
July 29, 2009 at 1:25 am
Dean
Fun stuff. I’m not convinced that mine will sell, though…
http://seagullboy.blogspot.com/2009/07/showcase.html
July 29, 2009 at 2:05 am
Gallery: Debut YA Covers « 100 Scope Notes
[…] 29, 2009 in Articles Huzzah to to brave souls who boldly assembled their debut YA covers. Below is a gallery of the outstandingly unfortunate results. If you give it a try, let me know and […]
July 29, 2009 at 8:57 am
Lisa Chellman
What a fun meme! Thanks! The gallery looks amazing. Most of them look as good or better than a lot of what’s on the shelf! Here’s mine.
July 29, 2009 at 9:48 am
Ink Mage
Mine is another “Pluck,” although I used a different picture and completely different style. Cool idea!
July 29, 2009 at 11:54 am
Sophie
I had fun making mine, although I didn’t realize at first you were supposed to put a person on the cover.
July 29, 2009 at 12:01 pm
KHazelrigg
Intriguing challenge. I really like the one I ended up with, although I have to say it looks too creepy for me to read.
This girl has obviously been through something incredibly traumatic. And for reasons I cannot articulate, I think there’s definitely something supernatural going on here.
July 29, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Linz
This challenge was awesome. It was fun being artsy and just having fun. I don’t have a site or blog, but this is my cover.
July 29, 2009 at 4:46 pm
C.K.
Argh, I messed up by reading the instructions too quickly and not realizing the photo had to contain a person so the result isn’t as YAish as it could’ve been. Still fun though.
http://theportableartist.hypermart.net/ck/archive403.htm
July 29, 2009 at 5:51 pm
The Vintage Reader
Oh, this was great. Presenting: Pitch.
July 29, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Boni Ashburn
Oh, this was way too fun :) Thanks Travis!
Mine’s up on my blog http://boniashburn.com/blog/
July 29, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Boni Ashburn
Hey Travis- I added a cover that my son Henry did to my own blog post (he doesn’t have a blog). If you could add it too, that would be cool :)
http://boniashburn.com/blog/
Thanks!
July 29, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Scope Notes
It has been added – very nice.
July 29, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Bridget
I found this from Alyson’s post on our Youth Services blog : ) So here’s the one that I made: http://twitpic.com/c332g. This was pretty much the most entertaining part of my day.
July 29, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Gretchen
Amazingly accurate!
http://blogwasstar.blogspot.com/2009/07/thrash.html
July 30, 2009 at 1:29 am
The Alien Onions
Hilarious and wonderful!
We’re a bit late to the party but we’ve put a couple up on our blog.
July 30, 2009 at 6:33 am
More book covers and thoughts on Liar « The YA YA YAs
[…] need a break from all the serious cover talk, you can make your own debut YA cover (instructions at 100 Scope Notes). Here’s […]
July 30, 2009 at 7:30 am
kay
I did one too, and had so much fun with it! My verb was sober!
July 30, 2009 at 7:31 am
Sober, by Hellie P. Hart « The Infinite Shelf
[…] to Melissa at Book Nut for the diversion, that was originally created by 100 scope notes Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)In Which I Create a Random AlbumCreate a Band Name […]
July 30, 2009 at 10:32 am
teacherninja
Here’s mine, thanks!
http://www.teacherninjas.com/2009/07/betray.html
July 30, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Create Your Own YA Cover! « Maplewood Community Library Teens
[…] 30, 2009 Feeling creative? Follow these instructions (courtesy of 100 Scope Notes) to create an original piece of cover art perfect for the YA […]
July 30, 2009 at 1:59 pm
margo
The gallery is amazing!! :) I love seeing how everyone did their own! I’m going to post it on my book blog where hopefully more people will see it. May I link them back to you or let you know so you can do what you will with them? My friend Sara Dragonfly Book Review did one too. I didn’t know where the comment thing was for your gallery thing so I posted here. Nice work!!!
-Margo
July 30, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Scope Notes
Link away – thanks!
July 30, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Phil
Fun! Here’s mine.
July 30, 2009 at 7:02 pm
KLHoward
This was so much fun! Thanks for this!
I have two up on my blog (I couldn’t resist).
July 30, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Create your own Debut YA Book Cover « In the Booley House
[…] | Tags: Not a Book Review | Leave a Comment I’m usually fairly resistant to memes, but this one is just too much fun to […]
July 31, 2009 at 9:46 am
Becky
Thanks for a fun activity! =) Now I want to write a book. Here’s my cover. http://libridilectio.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-debut-ya-cover.html
July 31, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Lauri
I made one!!
You can see it here:
August 1, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Arielle
This was fun :-)
My debut YA cover: http://bookatopia.blogspot.com/2009/08/create-your-debut-ya-cover.html
August 1, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Amber
Can I play too?
http://ajbreadcrumbs.blogspot.com/2009/08/debut-book-covers.html
My ‘random VERB’ was ‘afraid’, though.
??
August 1, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Amber
Oh…the ‘person’ rule. Duh. Read the instructions.
O well. It was fun anyway.
August 1, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Linz2
Awesome challenge. I had so much fun that I made 4 more!
I think, although I forgot to keep the names the same, End and Burn could be part of a series. The feel of the covers kinda makes me feel that one’s a sequel to the other.
August 4, 2009 at 11:06 am
Yank! | Litopia Daily & Litopia After Dark
[…] Create Your Debut YA Cover Related Shows:Author or Victim?The Solitude of Prime NumbersLitopia Daily 163: Sweaty Hands in the […]
August 4, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Fear Death By Water
http://exitofhumanity.blogspot.com/2009/08/bit-of-departure.html
August 5, 2009 at 2:48 am
Ivy
Great challenge!
Mine is here http://willingtoseeless.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-debut-ya-novel.html
August 7, 2009 at 2:58 pm
CYA: Children & Young Adults – Bad Book Covers Made Good
[…] 100 Scope Notes instructions: https://100scopenotes.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/create-your-debut-ya-cover/ […]
August 9, 2009 at 10:06 am
Vicki
This was so much fun!!
http://ilratb.blogspot.com/2009/08/create-your-debut-ya-novel-cover.html
August 9, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Kim
What fun! One more safe addiction . . .
http://zqueenbees.blogspot.com/2009/08/create-your-own-ya-novel-cover.html
August 19, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Create Your Debut YA Cover on Pop Candy « 100 Scope Notes
[…] VH1 talking head) Whitney Matheson to see if she would partake in creating a debut YA cover (which I posted the steps for a couple weeks back). A fan of young adult lit, I figured such an endeavor would be right up her alley. Partake she did […]
August 19, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Jen
Ha! This is amazing. Aren’t we all a sucker for YA fiction?
Here’s mine… Bluster! (with a rather English pen name too.)
http://divinest-sense.blogspot.com/2009/08/little-fun.html
Fun!
August 20, 2009 at 10:07 am
princessdeia
[…] Meme details here… […]
September 3, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Bill Bartmann
Excellent site, keep up the good work
September 4, 2009 at 1:24 am
book cover memes « Nisaba Be Praised
[…] is my debut YA book cover (from 100 Scope Notes). I didn’t follow the rules exactly because I’m incapable of following rules exactly, […]
September 9, 2009 at 11:03 am
Tiffany
My cover is at http://tiffanygholar.blogspot.com/2009/09/widget-wednesday-create-your-own-young.html and because I liked the concept so much, I have included it as my Widget Wednesday generator for this week.
November 3, 2009 at 10:23 am
Create your own book cover… «
[…] now’s your chance. You can “Create Your Debut YA Cover” and post it for the world to see over at the 100 Scope Notes blog. There is already a gallery where […]
November 8, 2009 at 4:52 pm
scrumptious
I hope it’s not too late to join the party! I just found this and your fantasy book cover and had a great time with them. I really like how you tailored the instructions for this one to generate a very YA cover.
Mine turned out pretty creepy, so check out Order, the latest in the deluge of dark, dystopian, disaster books being published for young adults!
November 9, 2009 at 1:03 am
Create Your Debut Picture Book Cover « 100 Scope Notes
[…] YA has been done. Fantasy is yesterday’s news. It’s time to do something for the kids. Above is my debut picture book cover. […]
November 9, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Coming soon to an imaginary bookseller near you… « The Rebel Angels step out at Twilight in their Traveling Pants
[…] months ago that leads you on a scavenger hunt through the internet to create your own fantasy and YA book covers. I’m a little late to the party, but I had such a great time making them (and they came out […]