**My newest cover designed by Steven Novak from Novak Illustrations
This book will be released in the May 2015 box collection – Summer Fire!
Cover
designer is #6 in the list of careers many Indie authors take on when publishing their work.
In this instance, unless you are a genius with a
design background, I truly believe you should hire a professional.
Let’s face it, their vision of colors, styles and understanding
what works in today’s market is a whole different profession than that of a
wordsmith. (don’t-cha just love that phrase??)
what works in today’s market is a whole different profession than that of a
wordsmith. (don’t-cha just love that phrase??)
Okay – I know many of you slap a cover together and
do it fairly well. I guess, for me, it’s like going out in public with my hair kinda fixed, my makeup kinda okay and dressed kinda nice. But I could look a whole lot
better – eye-catching, stunning…. you know what I mean.
do it fairly well. I guess, for me, it’s like going out in public with my hair kinda fixed, my makeup kinda okay and dressed kinda nice. But I could look a whole lot
better – eye-catching, stunning…. you know what I mean.
Plain and simple – it takes a different set of
skills. And just because we know that we can do it ourselves, doesn’t mean we
should. I’ve seen a lot of mediocre covers and I have no doubt that the sales
are reflective of that problem.
skills. And just because we know that we can do it ourselves, doesn’t mean we
should. I’ve seen a lot of mediocre covers and I have no doubt that the sales
are reflective of that problem.
In fact, I personally know a lot of authors who did
settle for less than perfection and have since redone covers and seen a rise in
their sales.
settle for less than perfection and have since redone covers and seen a rise in
their sales.
I also know that when books were being sold off of
shelves in bookstores and other outlets, many times what grabbed my attention
long enough to have me reaching for the book was my first view of its outside.
shelves in bookstores and other outlets, many times what grabbed my attention
long enough to have me reaching for the book was my first view of its outside.
And don’t be fooled by e-books and the internet
marketing platforms. Readers still look at covers and what they see can most
certainly draw them to check further into the book’s description.
marketing platforms. Readers still look at covers and what they see can most
certainly draw them to check further into the book’s description.
And… hopefully click on that magic ‘buy’ button.
***Please follow me on my newsletter so I can keep in
touch with you.
touch with you.
I really do only write once a month or so and I’ve been told by many that they like my newsy letters. Guess it’s because I feel
like I’m writing to friends!
like I’m writing to friends!
*****
Mimi,
The exact opposite happened to me on my first cover…I went with the artist's suggestions (too busy; too confusing) but added my input and made it worse. It was a horrible cover for my first book, Eve's Amulet. The second cover I designed (after a friend gave me an image from his library). I sent it to my publisher who spruced up the fonts (I don't have a great font library), and now I've very happy with Eve's Amulet (a silhouette of a woman with an umbrella.) Death House was the same process but I didn't put out the cover until I liked it. It was all my own but an artist helped me find the image. I think the problem is that I can't properly convey what I see in my mind to the artist. I guess that's why writing a 400 page book is no problem–I have lots of time and pages to convey the whole story! I have a background in graphic arts so from now on, I'll do my own covers until I hit the "big time" in sales and can afford to do nothing but write. 🙂 I agree, that in many cases, an author is better off asking for help or paying for art work if they don't have an eye for a cover.
~Carole Avila
Hi Carole, I kinda understand what you went through. Although, I wasn't able to make my own covers, I did have picture in my mind of what I wanted them to reveal. Except, I had no idea how difficult my vision would be to accomplish. My poor cover artist tried to give me what I asked for and it was a disaster. Finally, after the first few attempts, I gave him a brief 2 line story tag described the characters, and told him to just go ahead. That cover turned out to be brilliant. From then on, I decided to take myself out of the way and just let him do his job. Best decision I ever made. Of course, I have to reiterate, I have no artsy talent at all…..:-)
Your post makes sense. I am a writer and I have some idea about design, but I want a professional to put my covers together. Plus, Su at Earthly Charms has done a fab job of branding them.