One of the biggest challenges facing authors is getting good cover artwork. It’s essential – even for e-books – and the hard fact is that a good cover that inspires the imagination, or catches the eye, or does something emotional, really will help sell. It also establishes an at-a-glance tone for the quality of the product.
I’ve been lucky. I publish with a couple of international houses, who can afford to hire professional designers. The cover for my recent Guns and Utu was particularly good, as is the artwork I’ve seen for this year’s follow-on (more about that anon).
But what about self-published authors, or e-books produced to budget? It’s easy enough to sit down yourself with Photoshop or GIMP and some stock photos. Trouble is, everyone’s doing it, writers’ artistic skills are pretty variable (I have none, myself, for instance) – and the last thing you want is top-notch text with an uncertain cover that shouts ‘amateur’
It’s possible to simply bite the bullet and accept that it’s going to cost to get proper artwork. But that can be expensive, and you also have to find an artist whose ideas are in tune with yours. Otherwise the exercise can be expensive, frustrating, and more expensive if you get what I mean. Artists charge for changes.
In that sense,I’ve been lucky again – that talent’s available in my own circles – my sister is a professional artist, and illustrated a kids’ book I wrote for a mainstream publisher a few years back. She doesn’t live in New Zealand, making the production an interesting exercise in international emailing. But she knew what I had in mind. Her website’s here. I’ve also got other contacts in the field, and I’ve even commissioned covers from them before which I’ve sent in to my publishers for use. But I’ve only done it when I have a contract and where the publisher has requested my input. Most contracts hand the entire authority (and expense and risk) of the cover over to the publisher.
The answer to that one will, of course, differ with every individual. What do you think? Have you had any experiences with covers – the frustrations, joys of triumphs of them? Do share!
Copyright © Matthew Wright 2012
Matthew Wright 
I was a trained illustrator (back in the day) and hope to have the opportunity create my own….
LikeLike
It’s true that there does seem to be some pretty amateur looking covers out there! Luckily, my brother-out-law is a finished artist and illustrator, so he has kindly offered to design the cover for my book. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with!
He did make the comment that other authors he has spoken to say that they get more response if the cover is designed to look like a bestseller – the quirky and left field covers don’t seem to get as much attention, which is a shame.
LikeLike
I think he’s absolutely right. Commercialising the book takes a lot of thought in all respects – including that cover!
LikeLike
I’m a long way from this but this is something that even now I think about..so much so that I have a close family remember… great illustrator and graphic artist that will create something great for me… I think it helps that she also designed for Scholastic Publishing too! LOL!
Great post!
LikeLike
Thank you. That professional experience really counts & it’s a huge advantage for us non-illustrator types to have it right there in the immediate family circle.
LikeLike
Interesting article. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you – and good luck for your book.
LikeLike
You’re welcome and thank you. He’s made several changes since I posted that cover pic. I’ll post the new one when he’s done. 🙂
LikeLike