Like I said before, publishers are just as interested in having your book do well as you are. They want money, too. A good publisher should have an idea about what types of covers work and which don't. Also, something you should consider is the rising popularity of ebooks. With an ebook, the spine doesn't matter. Given their explosive popularity just within the past year, I'd say that spine-centric design considerations are probably going to diminish. Designing a cover that looks good in thumbnail will be the more important skill. I'm quite certain I never said that authors shouldn't learn as much about the business as possible. If you do decide to self-publish (which will probably be your best option, as finding a publisher who will hand over creative control to a newbie author is sort of a pie-in-the-sky dream), you'll need to know about the business. What I'm saying is that if you choose to be traditionally published, you are making a trade-off. In exchange for total creative control, you receive free editing, free professional cover design, marketing, print distribution, etc. And no, you're not really taking a financial risk in that you are not spending any money to see that book published. Even if you never earn out your advance, you're still not spending your own money to publish the book. I'm just telling you the reality, as someone who has been published. It can be disheartening or disappointing, as a newbie, to realize that signing with a publisher means up giving up total control. When I landed my first publishing contract, self-publishing wasn't a viable option. It is now. If having control is that important to you, that's probably what you'll need to do. If you can find major success as a self-published author, it's possible you could be offered a traditional contract, and at that point, you'd actually have some bargaining power. But the reality is that there are thousands and thousands of new authors trying to get their books published every day, and generally, publishers aren't inclined to negotiate things like creative control with someone who is unproven. Just a fact of life. In any event, good luck.
Not sure where I said I would be taking creative control ? Merely I know that a lot of publishers put out questionairres about covers to the author and the more specific the author is the less disappointed they seem to be with the cover. Whether the publisher decides to pay attention is another matter. I do know a black cover stands out less - a simple photographic cover works best as an ebook cover etc. My book is an asset - if they take it and it doesn't do anything that is a gamble I am taking. I have friends that have done well with their books also have a few who have been shafted. Unless I like the deal I would rather walk away. Just because I am a debut author doesn't mean I haven't dealt with publishers before.
I can offer a unique point of view on this subject as I almost (5 months away, YAY!) have a degree in Design. Yes publishers like to have the control of having a professional artist or designer design the cover art for a novel that they are investing in to try and sell. However most writers have not studied graphic design and drafting either. Personally if i get a book published through a publisher someday (looking into self publishing too) I'd like to have input on the cover art, as it is what I do as a profession. Whether or not I actually get input remains to be seen, but I like to think I'll be able to have a say in it, of not design it myself. But most publishers do not let writers design it themselves because writers are not designers. This makes sense to me at least.
As a designer myself I'd agree. BUT at the end of the day it depends on how hard you fight for it. I intend to design my own cover, but as a designer I know to listen to other people input also and make something commercial as well as attractive. As long as you can argue your reasons, I doubt a publisher would say no. There is a book called 'THE HOBBIT' (I'm sure most of you have heard of it) and the author designed his own cover... a pencil drawing of a dragon.
Exactly! That's why I'm going to insist my first novel be published on parchment, with monks having hand-written it! Hey, it's worked in the past, right?!
They do, but in that case some aren't doing a good job. I've seen some beyond mediocre covers that made me run as far away from the book as possible. I'm sure that wasn't intent. If someone is e.g. a professional artist or has an eye for design, I don't see why they can't at least make suggestions. If I ever self publish, I have cover art I can use (unless the artist asks for it back... things happen).
Last Autumn I went to a talk given by Benita Brown (a local author) at my local library. The book I bought was published by a well known publisher in 2003 - it lists three of her earlier books - being that she was (plugging) talking about her latest books she must have had 7 or 8 books published - so she has a track record. One of the things she spoke about was, book covers. Picking up a book she did not particular like the cover of, she said, for all she did not like it she had no say in the matter. Her publishers (for some reason - I believe it is a style theme they are going with at this time) wanted a picture of two characters on the top of the cover of their books and she had option but, to go along with it. Whether we like it or not! that's the way it seems to be.
I think it was mentioned before, but I'm pretty sure a reasonable publisher will allow the writer to make suggestions, of course. However, I still think that the publisher is more willing to trust someone they know and have paid to do the job, rather than the author themselves. Or at the least they'll probably know them better than the author. I would suspect that the reason some covers might not look very seemly is because they are made in such a way that they attract the audience they are (supposedly) supposed to attract, perhaps even the niche audience. If I like reading cheesy romance novels, I'll look for something that looks like a cheesy romance novel, rather than risk it with something else, for instance. It's better marketing strategy than doing something interesting and unique, because the thing is, people might not like or be attracted to the interesting and unique, and there goes the profit - if you do something that is standard and can be easily recognized, particularly by fans of the genre and what not, it's less of a risk and the book will make more money. That's how I see it, at least, for better or worse.
Okay for example, (and i know this wouldnt happen im just being extreme to get my point across.) i envision my world i write it and pass it on to a publisher, now this is a speculative fiction book so anything goes, right? however in this story the grass is green, the trees are (in general) green and water is.....see through? The publisher comes back to me and says we love the book we want to publish. now comes the problem, the artist who is hired to do the cover work decides the grass should be blue the trees should be purple and the water should look like mercury. in one fell swoop that artist has destroyed the world i have spent years creating. i don't think its vanity that makes me want to do my own cover, just accuracy. i don't mean i would like to DO the artwork myself, just want them to need my approval before they ship something completely......inaccurate. its my little world iv created, i want people to see and love it there as much as i do.
I'm a Johnny-Come-Lately when comes to really making an effort to write but I've done freelance graphic design for about 12 years. It's a side thing but I have a word of mouth deal going so I get work here and there (a little more often that I think I would considering I don't even try for it...). In all, I do CD package design, DVD and poster (small production movies) stuff and a good chunk of free work for charity events...and I did one book jacket. Thing is, for a graphic design, I don't know that I see myself in the league of those I admire. What I do; I make what the artist/client has created into a sale-able item. Good en mass design is going to make the target market want to grab it. Something that is eye-catching and explains the contents. I have had exactly one client that had a sense for effective design. Even for him, he knew that having a concept was good but letting the professional do the work is still the best way to go. People come to me because I can do something they can't. So, to the point of the thread; unless you can divorce yourself from your written work and understand what the public wants, you are probably going to make a design that is self serving and not public serving.
Today at least, the publishers seem to make the covers more story related. If there is a scene with characters as the cover, it will be recognizable characters from the novel. If the cover is more symbolic and depicts a symbol, it will be related to story somehow. I'll use the cover of Dune as an example of the latter. It's a bird's eye view of a desert with two tiny people walking on it. Doesn't tell you much, but after reading the book, it makes perfect sense. I remember when I was in high school I bought a fantasy novel. I don't remember the name of it, but the cover showed a picture of a viking wielding an axe. There were no vikings or people using axes in the story at all. Covers have gotten better since then.
So, do you refuse your work is ever sent to a professional editor because you're afraid they'll arbitrarily turn all your human character's into flying, talking wiener dogs? That's why these arguments are a big ridiculous. They're based on some assumption that the writer has to protect against the incompetent publisher who is going to work against the vision and direction of their book, when in fact these people are paid (a lot, usually) and trained to work WITH the vision and direction of a book. It doesn't always happen, and finding balance and compromises are things a writer will have to learn to navigate. But all these 'omg, what if they do the worst case scenario' sort of examples are not only a bit much, but I believe having such an attitude is detrimental to an authors success. I mean, I dare any of you to add something akin to these perspectives into your queries and see how far you get. The second an agent gets wind of the fact you're either someone who thinks 'I must protect my artistic vision against the incompetent publishing companies' or maybe even especially thinking in such worst-case-scenario black-and-white terms raises a ton of red flags. Most agents, editors, and publishers are going to do everything they can to represent the book in the best way possible, both for sales and to stay true to the artistic vision. That's their job, and even hinting at an attitude that you're already on the defense from the get-go, may often be enough reason for the agent to drop you and just move on. Sure, maybe it sucks for the writers, but these days it's more competitive than ever, and be assured there is a writer in line behind you that's probably just as talented, just as marketable. Writers can't get away with being entitled, self-centered little snow flakes these days, who get their way because of their vast genius. The market is over-run with talent, and if any in the process even gets a hint that you're going to be a pita to work with or have a terrible attitude, that matters now more than ever, as they can and often do just move on to somebody else.
If I ever get around to getting my book finished and if I manage to find an established publisher willing to take me on and publish it then I would put my trust in them and give them carte blanche control of it.
So writers should just role over and take it? i thought i was quite obvious that i was being extreme in the example. 99.9% of publishers would never do such a terrible thing to peoples work but that means that 1 in 1000 authors still get a terrible cover. I'm not a spoiled brat, and i more than realize that compromises must be made, especially in the face of greater expertise. HOWEVER i would rather spend an addition five years trying to sell my work rather than let it go out with a cover that completely compromises the story and although Ellipse says that things have got better I'm sure there are still publishers out there that just aren't as competent. I really have nothing against publishers, if i have come across that way, in anyway, i apologize. It just feels like leaving a job when its so close to completion. Perhaps I'm just reacting to this more personally than i should.
If you write a play and it is going to be performed - You hand your manuscript (your baby) over to the director and leave it with him. It is up to him how he interprets it. Trust in the professionals they are just as interested in making the book a success as you are. (and being that they have invested capitol in it, they may be more keen)
I just want to remind everyone that when you find an agent and are signing contracts, you're kind of expected to act like a professional at that point. That means working with other professionals and at times letting them do their job. No, it doesn't mean rolling over and not caring about the product your manuscript will become. Professionals work WITH each other, and in such a relationship as between agent and writer, especially, where both are dependent on one another, working together is of paramount importance. If you go into the relationship with a chip already on your shoulder, how long do you think you're going to last? It's the sort of self-centered impetuous "I'm the writer" sort of attitude that has always been met with eye rolls at best, and flat out refusal of professionals to work with such a person at worst. Would you want to go into a business relationship with this sort of person? Imagine if you needed landscaping and one of the first impressions you got was of the person saying how they're an artist and if you can't appreciate that and are going to try to dictate their vision then they'll just go somewhere. Regardless of their talent, you're probably not going to want to work with them. The default assumption, because it's not only healthy, but true, is that an agent and publisher and all the professionals involved with act like professionals, respect your input, appreciate not only the business relationships, but also be passionate about the project as well. But, going into such a relationship with an attitude and worry they're out to screw over your artistic vision and the expectation you need to get your defenses up early is all a recipe for failure. And when such a partnership fails, guess who's going to be the one hurting? As rough as the industry is these days, it's still not the agent or editor or publisher whose dreams and jobs are at stake. And the only next worst thing you can do is then have the response that you're the writer, and you'll show them and they'll be sorry. If that was your thought process, please re-read what I just wrote, as it may save your [potential] career. It's not to say there aren't bad apples in the professional world. There are, of course, and likewise to all this, when you're looking for an agent you should keep in mind all the same things, that it's a working relationship (relationship!) and you need to mesh with the person and be on board with their vision just as much as they are yours. Talk about what levels of cooperation they're looking for, and let it be known you're eager to work on all aspects of the task if called. If it seems like the agent or publisher isn't going to work well with your expectations, then professionally and courteously feel free to move on to find someone that does. Basically, don't be naive, but also don't be defensive before there's a reason to be.
