Hey everyone! I'm new here (second post actually) and perhaps this is too obscure a question to attempt just yet, but then I thought, 'what do I have to lose?' I should probably give some context for the title question. I'm in the process of writing my first book, which is the first installment (self-contained) in an epic science fiction series and although I've been writing throughout my life - waxing and waning at times - I've never seriously committed to publication or a career as an author until recently. As someone with a strong professional background in the visual arts field that possesses artistic and technical proficiency in digital mediums I've been considering whether or not I should develop supplemental material alongside my novel. I don't think I'd actually be interested in the cover art, which requires a completely different set of illustrative skills, but I would be interested in chapter headed graphics, maps, compositions, and the like. I imagine finding a talented artist isn't the primary obstacle that publishers have to consider on this matter however. It's probably printing and ink costs. I have no intention of providing anywhere near the amount of material you'd expect to see in something like a graphic novel but I think it could be a nice value-add and help set the work apart to have a few key images and maps either between parts or chapters. I also have an interesting aesthetic approach that I've been experimenting with that I think would be a good compromise between judicious high resolution ink usage and negative space to minimize the ink footprint, hopefully lowering cost. However, even with all of this taken into consideration is having this additional visual material in the novel something any publisher would consider, especially for a debut author? I know it's up to me to prove I have something worthwhile - that I'm worth the risk and investment. I'm banking on the probability that I'm an outlier and although that's not generally advisable I'm pretty confident that I have something special and I've had the benefit of being able to gauge my own metrics against other professionals for decades. I'm familiar with many works of some of the most successful and prolific authors at the moment and I've worked alongside many talented writers and artists in entertainment. If anything, my evaluation of the field and my experience has given me more confidence that I have a truly landscape-changing story to tell. Assuming that I'm not just full of cow droppings and I have something truly remarkable to offer publishers is it conceivable that there would be consideration for additional printing expenses? Alternatively, I see the more plausible scenario being one where I provide most of this supplemental material on the book's website. I personally find the idea of inline images and maps more appealing but acknowledge it may not be the best value proposition from a publisher perspective. If I go the website/online route, what would the expected relationship with the publisher be in this regard? Also, I'm really not an arrogant asshole. I can definitely see this post coming across as such. I've just had decades of comparing and evaluating my work with reference to proven successes and failures and know where it stands (obviously I'm making a big assumption on execution ). Words are cheap though and it's up to me to deliver on this. I'm here because although I have a high level of confidence in the content and message of my work I know my actual writing skills have near infinite room for improvement and there's much to learn from those who are on a similar path or have taken the road before. Any and all insights are welcome. Thanks!
