The Hunt for the Right Book Cover
So much rides on the right book cover. Most of us have heard the expression: You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. True enough, but if it’s appealing you’ll likely pick it up and read what’s on the back. And if you like what’s on the back, you’ll open the book and read the first paragraph. The author’s way with words may then entice you to buy the book or borrow it from the library. It’s what every writer wants.
Finding the Right Cover is not an Easy Task
For the past six months, I’ve been exploring ideas for a book cover that would portray the genre and emotional tone of my third novel, SUNFLOWERS UNDER FIRE, a family saga set in western Russia (today’s Ukraine) 1915-1929. I wanted a cover that invited the reader in and spoke of a simple home and family, their joys and sorrows in war-torn Ukraine, and of course, sunflowers.
Deciding on a book cover is not an easy task as any author will tell you. A traditionally published author relies on their publisher to come up with a cover that will suit their work. If you`re an indie author like myself, the task is up to you. Thankfully today, because of the growing number of self-published books, there are many book cover designers to choose from. Each one will provide a cover—usually a couple of options—for a price.
First I looked at novels that were similar in scope—stories about individuals and their families during wartime or political upheaval. I admired the covers of The Nightingale, Do Not Say We Have Nothing, All The Light We Cannot See, Warlight, and A Fine Balance. These are beautiful literary novels with beautiful covers.
Each cover of the above mentioned novels was attractive and fitting the current trend of less is more.
The Search for a Book Cover Designer
Initially, I contacted Jun Ares , the Filipino book cover designer who produced the covers of my first two novels. I sent him a photo of a Ukrainian farmhouse and my story synopsis. Unfortunately, the cover idea he sent back was boring. At that point, I didn’t know that I had failed to communicate clearly what I wanted.
Frustrated, I decided to try someone else, a book cover designer whose sample book covers I admired. She was also Canadian and lived only a few hours away from me. She agreed to come up with some ideas (for a higher price than Ares). In the end, I didn’t like them either. I lamented about the dollars wasted but I wasn’t about to select some illustration that poorly represented my story.
After scouring other book cover design sites, even the ones that advertised 10,000 ready-made book covers, I realized I would either have to pay big bucks to get a suitable cover or come up with some ideas myself which I could then communicate to a designer I could afford.
And so I searched various stock photo sites to see if there were any images I could use. I Googled: Ukrainian woman, peasant, Ukrainian farmhouse, sunflowers. I found many pretty shots but nothing that provided all the elements I was looking for.
My Design Attempts
One of the members of my writers’ critique group suggested I paint something myself. Since I`ve done some artwork, I embraced the idea. I drew a rudimentary farmhouse with sunflowers in the yard and collaged a family photo. Then I burnt the edges of the composition to communicate the idea that destruction played a role in the story. My design—a combination of a family photo and a painted background—represented what I wanted but it looked amateurish.
I then stumbled upon a Ukrainian folk artist, Maria Prymachenko, whose paintings moved me in another direction. Here is one of her pieces.
My attempts to get permission to use one of Maria Prymachenko’s works were initially ignored. So I tried to imitate her style and came up with an image I liked, but it wasn’t right either. It seemed more suitable for a children`s book than for a historical fiction for adults.
Back to the drawing board. I contacted Jun Ares once more. This time, I was clearer about what I envisioned and sent him copies of my attempts.
Ares came up with a cover that worked except for a few small elements. Initially, the house wasn’t a Ukrainian peasant’s house and the detail around the title was pretty generic. I sent him a photo of the kind of house I wanted and examples of Ukrainian embroidery to put around the title. I also suggested a bit of smoke in the distance behind the house to give a hint of the trouble beyond.
It was a very satisfying experience working with this designer.
Cover Reveal of SUNFLOWERS UNDER FIRE
How about you? If you’re a writer, what has been your experience with finding a book cover you like?
And if you’re a reader, how does the book’s cover affect your impulse to pick it up?
I love it, Diana! You kept going until you found just what you wanted and conveyed it to the designer. This cover would make me want to pick it up and check it out. It looks simple but seems to convey a complicated story. The field of sunflowers in the background seem appropriate. I look forward to reading i! Congratulations!
Jo, thank you so much for your vote of confidence. It’s so difficult to be objective when you care so much.
Your persistence has definitely paid off. This is a terrific cover with lots of elements that hint at the story within. Congrats!
Thank you, Jo-Anne! You know what it’s like. I love the new covers of your series. It takes a while to get what you want but it‘s worth it in the end.
You were persistent. As you should have been. And the final product is just what you envisioned. I never thought about people who designed book covers for a living. Very enlightning.
Clearissa, thank you for your comments. Yes, thankfully, there are lots of book cover designers to choose from. I feel very fortunate to have developed a good working relationship with mine.
I really enjoyed your post on finding a book cover. I didn’t realize how much work was involved in let alone writing a novel itself. I’m sure endless hours were spent in finding something you liked to give credit to your work. You’re no slouch. You’re a go getter. Good girl!
Joyce, we come from a line of strong women. Our baba was no slouch, as readers will find out. I can’t tell you what an honour it’s been to delve into her history. We shared a bedroom until I was fifteen but she never spoke about the old country to me. Thank God my mom did. Still, as you know, I had to research a hell of a lot and use my imagination to re-create those times, places and characters to do justice to the story. In the end, it’s fiction as there’s just too much that I wouldn’t be able to prove. Thanks for your comments. xo
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