All Indie Publishing has a great interview with Joel Friedlander on book cover design. Anything with Joel is a must read for indie publishers. In this interview, the point which punching the air shouting “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” was
If an author sees the design of their book as a personal expression of their values, or an indication of their creativity, they will run into trouble with a designer who is, in essence, attempting to create a consumer product package for the book. These two approaches just don’t blend well.
Joel perfectly captures the need to understand indie publishing as a business, not artistic expression, and the need to find the balance between developing and hiring expertise.
There’s no question writing is at least part art. When you decide to publish, though, you’re firmly in the business world. Your art may be the bulk of the product, but no one will get to it if they don’t get past the cover. Your cover isn’t your story, it’s the ad which helps sell your story.
How much of your writing time have you spent researching cover design? It took you a long time to learn to write a great book. Your cover may be smaller than your manuscript, but if you slap it together like spackle in your bathroom, you aren’t giving your art the launch it needs to reach your readers.
