It's the first Wednesday of the month so it's time for the Insecure Writers Support Group!
Thant to the awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG, Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!
And here's this month's question:If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?
I've been really lucky with my covers. I'm with a small press and they have a really wonderful cover designer who is very collaborative and somehow manages to create the perfect covers for my books. She doesn't always get it right the first time, but is so open to suggestions and feedback that I have never been disappointed by a final cover yet.
The process (in case anyone is interested) is that I get sent a proof of the design, and can then give feedback. The first two covers I was sent (for An Unstill Life and Stumped) I was pretty happy with as they were. I think I asked to remove a tagline from Stumped, and maybe to amplify the colors a bit on An Unstill Life to better showcase the MC's synesthesia.
I wasn't initially thrilled with the covers I was sent for The Sidewalk's Regrets or Chasing the Taillights - one looked like it should be on an historical novel, maybe a ghost story, and the other looked like a rom com. But I made my concerns known, and sent a selection of covers for books like mine for the designer to reference so she got an idea of the look and feel I thought was right for my book. And the second attempts at both these covers were perfect.
I know some authors who have been really unhappy with their covers, so I feel very lucky that I have had such a positive experience with all of mine. Even with my first publisher who closed their business and reverted the rights to my book back to me. In fact, the gorgeous covers I get are part of the reason I keep publishing with this small press. I know I'd never manage to do anything as good by myself!
What have your cover experiences been like? Positive or not?
The good thing about smaller presses is that they'll actually listen to what the author wants!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome that you have a publisher that allows you to have a lot of input into your covers.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you've been able to have so much input into your cover art. It's nice to feel like you're involved in the process. I know not every author gets that.
ReplyDeleteYou do have lovely covers for your books.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely that you've had such a positive experience with covers, Kate. Your covers are great. Have a happy and creative February.
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