This might sound obvious but it was almost the worst mistake I could have made. And I was very close to making it over and over again. Taking the cover design of my novels into my own hands.
What the hell do I know about cover design?
Nothing. I mean, I’ve looked at covers my whole life. Mostly covers to issues of Amazing Spider-Man laid across my bed for the best cover of the year competitions with my sister. (The good old days.) I know what I like when it comes to covers.
Does that make me an expert?
Hmmm. NO. Not even close. So when it came to putting together the cover for Signs of Portents why on earth would I think I could do it on my own? I spent a hefty sum getting the manuscript just the way I wanted it. Multiple revisions. Great editing.
Do potential readers see the interior of your novel first? Again, NO. They see the cover.
First impressions and all that…
Covers sell. It really is that simple. No matter what people believe, if that cover doesn’t pop then few will look to the book description for a second chance to win them over. Hell, if that cover is pitch perfect for your audience they probably won’t even read the description.
Just ask my wife and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. She couldn’t tell me anything about the books she bought on a whim other than how pretty the covers were.
Professional or Amateur? Your choice.
Cover design is about more than whipping something together in your basement on the cheap. To believe that your words will win out over your substandard graphic design abilities is dangerous thinking.
To your bottom line.
Cover design is about telling the story behind your novel in a single image. What kind of book it is, who the target audience will be, everything wrapped in a nice package someone can see in their browser or passing by on a shelf at their local bookstore.
It has to pull the reader in. It has to connect to a reader. In seconds. Literally seconds. Every additional moment spent on a cover is another chance to pull them to the back cover blurb or, HOPEFULLY, to add it to their cart.
Choosing to go it alone to save some money on your production budget is a risky move. One that tends to lend credence to the belief that self-publishing is the land of amateurs – something no one in this business needs.
Things never thought of until they show up in front of you.
There is more involved in putting together a book cover than throwing an image and picking a kick ass font. Especially when a series of novels is part of the deal.
- Consistency – Do they have the same look and feel? Do they follow a pattern? If one doesn’t it should break away from the rest for a reason, hopefully one to do with the story.
- Branding – Your cover carries your name. It carries the image of who you are to the world. It should say something about the book but also about its author.
I know my books would never have felt complete or ready to share with the world without having my covers done professionally. Kit Foster Design made the book real for me. That image of Nathaniel Evans’ eyes haunted me for days.
And yes, my initial sketch and original attempts to handle it all myself had that image in mind for the cover. In my version, the black tower at the heart of the city was center with the eyes of Evans looming overhead. It looked so creepy in my head.
On paper?
It looked like a giant clown face with the black tower acting like a nose and the city a giant shit eating grin. Not very ominous at all.
I stopped trying to make my own covers after that. (You’re welcome.)
Thanks for reading.
