by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Working with a cover designer can be a great experience. When I was traditionally published, this was part of the process that I never really got to be part of. The most involved I ever got was when I was shown the cover for approval.
As a self-published author, I really get the opportunity to discuss elements I’d like to see on my covers. I get the chance to develop new series cover ideas. And I get to make changes, if I need to.
A Tip for Making the Process Less Time-Consuming:
My cover designer is Karri Klawiter and she does a great job getting my cozy mystery covers just the way I want them. But she’s very busy (her business books up many months in advance) so I want to make sure I don’t waste her time or mine. I use a sort of email template to remind me of all the different components I need to include for her to be able to start work on the project. Since there are a lot of moving parts, it definitely helps for me to list them prior to reaching out.
In case it helps you to organize your thoughts and what you need from your designer, you can find my template here.
Here are a few important things to remember:
Do a little shopping around before you choose a designer. Find covers of books in your genre that you like and see if the author has thanked the cover designer on their site or in their acknowledgments (they certainly should have). Diana Urban at BookBub wrote a post listing 12 questions to ask when hiring a designer.
We need to know what, legally, we can do with the images designers create. The post “Do You Know Who Owns Your Book Cover” from attorney Helen Sedwick on the Book Designer site may be helpful.
Be accessible and responsive. This is another way to get the process finished faster. Check your emails frequently on your cover design day so you can respond to any questions.
If your designer is busy, remember to go ahead and get on his or her calendar again.
Since designers are freelancers, it’s important to pay promptly.
These are my tips for collaborating with a designer. Do you have any to add to the list?
Tips for Collaborating With a Cover Designer: Share on XPhoto on Visualhunt
OK, the timing of this post is spooky, Elizabeth! I’ve just been working with the extremely talented artist who did the cover for my new novella! And now I’m working with someone who’s helping me get the sizing, etc., of the cover right for the specifications I need. You are so right about needing to be available, needing to respect their time, and so on. I’d also add that it’s important to be as clear as you can about what you’re looking for in a cover. Communication matters. ‘I want something light-colored’ isn’t going to be helpful to the designer, and you’ll spend a lot of needless time going back and forth. I’ve found it’s best to go in with some clear ideas, and the designer can always let you know if one thing or another isn’t a good fit, if that makes sense.
I love the new cover, Margot! And an excellent tip regarding the importance of communication. We won’t get the cover we want unless we’ve very upfront at the start.
A template is certainly a good idea.
I don’t have a ton of input into my covers, but my publisher’s illustrator has done a great job with them.
It’s really easy to forget all the bits and pieces unless I go off a template. Then there’s more needless emailing back and forth, ha.
Your book covers are great!
This article is so useful. I thought that traditional publishers might give the writer some input to their cover design. I didn’t know this. I love that you said to respect the designer’s time.
T.
It was lucky I liked the trad-covers so much, ha!
Hope you have a good week, Teresa!
Certainly find someone who creates original artwork and doesn’t use stock art. Nothing worse than seeing your cover images on another book. I remember seeing this image of a couple running down a tunnel on THREE different books, two of them from publishers.
So true about stock art!
Hi Elizabeth – I so agree … everything we do – it’s better to be prepared, so we save everyone time. Also doing our research, if necessary, as you’ve given us those links here … thanks – cheers Hilary
Being prepared can be quite a time-saver!
Great tips! When I first started collaborating with my cover designer, I found covers I loved, covers I hated (both within my genre) and shared those with her. She took it from there.
We’re now working on a new tone for series 2 and it’s fun!
Adding covers you hated to the email is a great idea!
I love working with my designer. I tell her what I think I want. She gives it back plus one or more she thinks I might like. Hers are always better than what I thought I wanted. So I know never try to do my own :)
Isn’t it great to be able to hand over design responsibilities to someone else?
I’d say be open to their ideas, too. They’re the visual creatives, so going in with our own ideas is great, but the best covers will probably have ideas from both parties in them. Also, have everything in writing, from your rights to timeframes to costs.
Great additions to this list, Shannon, thank you!