8 Things Cover Designers Wish Authors Knew

We want your book to succeed almost as much as you do. Every author hopes their newest release will be The One–the unanticipated, runaway success that changes everything and catapults their career to Hugh Howey levels. Chances are, their designer is hoping for...

Cover Art: How to Not Get Ripped Off (Or Sued)

  A little while ago, a designer friend posted to a private Facebook group I’m a part of with an image of a cover painting recently commissioned by an indie author. The painting bore a striking resemblance to another painting done years ago by a rather well-known...

On the Care and Feeding of Cover Designers

I’ve written quite a lot of words on how authors can find a reputable cover designer that will fit their needs, so I thought I’d mention a couple of things on what to do when you’ve found “the one”. Here’s how to conduct yourself...

Before You Hire an Illustrator

Commissioning cover art is probably one of the most intimidating parts of publishing a book, because most writers aren’t artists. They don’t know the process, the industry, or the potential pitfalls in hiring and working with an artist… at least until they’ve fallen...
Why Your Cover and Blurb Suck

Why Your Cover and Blurb Suck

Okay. I admit… the title of this post is a little click-baity–but one thing I’ve learned in my 9 years of book cover design is that authors have a lot of trouble recognizing what will make a good cover/blurb for their story. This even affects authors who...