Does anyone read a blog?

I'm beginning to wonder if spending so much time writing blog posts for this  blog, and for guest posts, is actually worth the time and effort expended. When I have a guest on my blog I've had a satisfactory amount of hits but when I put up something less exciting I get no comments, and few visitors.
In order to drive people here I am obliged to Twitter/Facebook/comment on all my loops– which takes up another hour or so of my writing time. So each blog post can use three hours of my writing time – I can produce 3000 words in three hours if things are going well.

I belong to 5 or 6 writing loops and the general consensus is that blogging is no longer an effective way of achieving visibility for yourself and your work. So why do we still do it?
Publishers have been known to turn down debut writers because they don't have sufficient online presence. All writers are expected to have Facebook and Twitter accounts/author pages on Amazon and smash once/and all the fan page on Facebook/actively participate in several forums/put interesting pictures on pinterest/maintain an interesting and up-to-date website plus write a regular blog.
Although I try and limit the time I spend on social media I know that I write far less than I did before I got involved in indie publishing. Three years ago I was writing five books a year; now I am lucky to write one. Of course, I am also editing my backlist and publishing that on a regular basis, and this is certainly time-consuming.
I have a close friend who can write a full-length historical novel in three weeks – and often does so. This is impressive but must leave her very little time for a life outside her writing. I make sure I go out with my husband two or three times a week, see my new grandson twice a week, visit the gym twice a week, and still spend four or five hours at my desk working seven days a week.
If all this time was devoted to writing and not social media I would definitely be writing three books a year.
The big question is, has all the time devoted to blogging et cetera increased my sales?
The answer is a definite no; sales of individual ebooks have dropped dramatically in the US and even sales of my box sets are not as good as they were a few weeks ago. My two mainstream historical novels, Barbara's War and Hannah's War, are the only books that are showing an increase in sales. I believe that this is because word-of-mouth is kicking in and not because of any promotion that I have been doing.
Why do I continue to spend (waste) valuable writing time when there is no demonstrable increase in my sales? I enjoy participating in my writing loops so would not give those up – but like many other writers I  am seriously considering abandoning this blog.

 What do you think? is it better to spend as much time as possible writing the next book or continue to spend a third of my time on social media?

Why are box sets so popular?

The Duke Series Boxset One

 When someone suggested I bundle my books - or in other words - put three together and sell them as a virtual boxset, I was intrigued. I put the first three 'duke' books together, Jane Dixon-Smith did the cover and put in a table of contents - and the boxset was ready. I was astonished at the success of this venture - hundreds sold the first week - and suddenly I was earning serious money form my writing.

The Regency Series Boxset One

I think everyone loves a bargain - at £1.99 readers were getting a free book. They are more popular in the US - and my single title sales have dropped in proportion to the sales of the boxsets. As boxsets gain 70% royalty this more than compensates for the loss.

I have told all my friends about this phenomenon and all but one have experienced the same surge of sales. One week in July - the holiday weekend - I sold 1000 boxsets!! Things have settled back and I am now selling around 50 a day - I am also selling around 15  day of my mainstream historical, Barbara's War, Hannah's War and Miss Bennet & Mr Bingley.

 I just love e-books - I buy a several  a week - never paying more than £1.99 - so always know I have something to read. I don't mind if I don't like a book at that price -  I'm prepared to try something new.
However I never buy a boxset - I don't want three books by the same author one go - so can't understand their popularity.
Why do you buy them? Value for money? Or am I missing something here.

This is my latest offering -  published yesterday.

A Chance Encounter – new Regency adventure.

Jane Dixon-Smith cover.

"A Chance Encounter" was previously published by DC Thompson and Linford Romance and called both "Saved for Love" and "An Unexpected Encounter".
Although the book had been edited by DC Thomson I found a lot of missing words and so on to correct. I also rewrote some of it and got it professionally proofread. I was horrified to discover just how many things I'd missed even though I'd corrected it twice on the computer and twice as hard copy.

Linford Cover

I think it's impossible to find all the mistakes oneself - if you wrote it then you read what you expect to see and only pick up glaring errors. Many of mine - in fact most - were inverted commas reversed and missing full stops and question marks.
I use Dragon software and this often omits words and replaces 'then' for 'than' etc.
All the problems are now in the past as I've found a fantastic proof reader to make sure I never again publish a book with proofing errors.

Blurb for "A Chance Encounter".
Miss Victoria Marsh has a chance encounter in the church with a disagreeable, but handsome, soldier recuperating from a  grievous leg injury. Major Toby Highcliff believes himself to be a useless cripple, but meeting Victoria changes everything.
Will he be able to keep her safe form the evil that stalks the neighbourhood and convince her that he is the ideal man for her?

MWPN cover.

This has to be the worst Regency cover ever! There are no swords, Toby does not have long hair or a beard, and it is not set in the 17th century. At no time did a sword wielding villain chase Toby or Victoria and his horse was not a relation to a dragon! The DCT covers are now very good - which is a great relief to all who write for them.
In fact Toby and Vicotria are exactly like my lovely Jane Dixon-Smith cover. Being able to have control over all aspects of my books is why I have chosen to mainly self-publish.

I am almost half way through writing the first new story for over a year. I have such a long back list to edit and publish that this has been taking up most of my time.This is another 'duke' book and should be ready to publish late next month. Then I shall start writing the second and final part to Barbara's War - several readers have asked when this will be done so I must make it a priority. I'm hoping to publish both e-book and print in the New Year. Cricket and new grandson might make a dent in my writing time. :)

Fenella J Miller

Alison Morton - author of Inceptio.

First of all, thank you for having me as your guest today, Fenella.

 Tell us about yourself …

I’ve been a wordsmith much of my life – storyteller, playwright (aged 7!), article writer, local magazine editor and professional translator. After a bachelor’s degree in French, German and Economics in the mid-1970s, I was back ‘at school’ in 2006 to do a masters’ in history and now live in France with my husband.

 I came to novel writing in reaction to a particularly dire film; the cinematography was good, but the plot dire and narration jerky.

‘I could do better that that,’ I whispered in the darkened cinema.

‘So why don’t you?’ came my other half’s reply.

Ninety days later, I’d completed the first draft of INCEPTIO, the first in my Roma Nova thriller series.

 What are your favourite novels?

Add caption

That varies so much, but I love anything by William Boyd (Restless, Waiting for Sunrise) and Robert Harris (Fatherland, Pompeii, Lustrum), plus all of Jane Austen. Other favourite authors include Ann Patchett, Rose Tremain, Margaret Attwood, C J Sansom. I could go on forever! Basically, I like engaging characters and a cracking good story with a dose of history and a dash of romance added in.

 What can’t you live without?

Tea! I think wine would be a close second...

 What do you watch on TV?

Currently, I’m watching The Americans , a drama about undercover KGB agents in 1980s USA and Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen. I love anything Mary Beard does on Romans and most Horizon documentaries. My guilty pleasure is watching New Tricks.

 What is your favourite quote?

“There is no such thing as a free lunch.” It’s a saying supposed to date from the 1930s and was popularised in Robert Heinlein’s 1966 sci-fi novel, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Although it intrinsically means you have to pay for everything in some way, it’s motivating as it means it’s up to you to put something in and make the effort if you want to succeed.

 If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

I’ve already done that one! I live in France, just south of the Loire Valley – something my husband and I dreamed about. I’ve lived, studied and worked in France so I know the language and am familiar with, even if I don’t always understand, the way things are done here. Crossing cultures isn’t for everybody!

 And why? The usual suspects; wine, cheese, fresh, fresh food, the markets, cafés and restaurants. And the Loire Valley is the home of that alternative (often better) to champagne, the famous Crémant de Loire. Did I mention I was now on a diet? But it’s the tranquillity and the slower pace of life here, the taking time to talk to people, the friendliness and good manners. Of course, there are exceptions...

 What is it about the idea of an alternative rather than standard history that attracts you so much?  

This goes back into my own near-historical past!
An eleven year old fascinated by the mosaics in Ampurias (huge Roman site in Spain), I asked my father, “What would it be like if Roman women were in charge, instead of the men?” Maybe it was the fierce sun boiling my brain, maybe it was just a precocious kid asking a smart question. But clever man and senior ‘Roman nut’, my father replied, “What do you think it would be like?”  It bubbled away in my head for years until that fateful cinema evening.

 Alternate history is based on the idea of “what if”? What if King Harold had won the Battle of Hastings in 1066? Or if Napoleon has defeated Wellington at Waterloo? Sometimes, it could be little things such as in the film Sliding Doors, when the train door shuts and Gwyneth Paltrow’s character splits into two; one rides away to an alternative life, the other is left standing on the platform.

 In my book, the country of Roma Nova battled its way from a small colony somewhere north of Italy in the late fourth century into a high tech, financial mini-state which retained and developed Roman Republican values, but with a twist. The thriller story then takes place against this background.  Ultimately, alternate history allows your imagination to explore outside the confines of the set timeline and to introduce conflict and challenges to history in your own terms. And that’s a lot of fun!

 

Alison with her book.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Probably a hybrid, say 20% plotter and 80% pantser.
I start with imagining the main character, where she is now, what her concerns are and what problems she could have. Then I repeat this for the principal secondary ones. Next, I write thirty lines of plot points, taking the main character from the bombshell or mystery that has landed her in the first chapter to the resolution of her story. Those thirty lines will have three pivot points, a black moment, then a resolution. This sounds very stern and serious, but this is my wireframe, or blueprint. It’s only as I write and listen to the characters developing in front of my mind that I start weaving in the scenes based on these points. As the story develops and the characters interact and come alive, the plot details may well change, but I always keep in mind my original main story goal.

 How do you research for writing stories set in an alternative history timeline?

Reaching into the past means getting inside the heads of the characters, imagining what they see in their everyday world, what they smell, eat and touch. If you set your story in a different country, you can visit the places your characters would live in, smell the sea, touch the plants, walk under the hot blue sky, or freeze in a biting wind. But if you invent that country, then your task is doubled.

 You have to get the geography and history of your imagined country right as well as the social, economic and political development; this sounds dry, but every living person is a product of their local conditions.

 Luckily, I’ve breathed in history since I was a kid. I even ‘went back to school’ to take a history masters thirty years after my first degree. So I have enough of a grounding in the aspects of Roman history I want to draw on before I start the story. As I’m a ‘basher-out’, I write the basics of a complex scene, then if I need to check or investigate some aspect in deeper detail, I mark the text up in bright blue square brackets which gives me a visual signal to go back and research further.

 The key, though, is plausibility. Take a character working in law enforcement. Readers can accept cops being gentle or tough, enthusiastic, intellectual or world-weary. And whether corrupt or clean, they must act like a recognisable form of cop; they catch criminals, arrest and charge them and operate within a judicial system. Legal practicalities can differ significantly from those we know, but they must be consistent with that society while remaining plausible for the reader.

 One way to do this is to infuse, but not flood, the story with corroborative detail so that it verifies and reinforces the original setting already introduced.  Even though my book is an alternate history thriller set in the 21st century, the Roman characters still say things like 'I wouldn't be in your sandals (not shoes)when he finds out.'  And there are honey-coated biscuits (honey was important for the ancient Romans) not chocolate digestives in the squad room.

 A vital way to connect to readers when writing in an unfamiliar setting is to ensure characters display normal behaviour. Human beings of all ages and cultures have similar emotional needs, hurts and joys, often expressed differently, sometimes in an alienating or (to us) peculiar way. But a romantic relationship, whether painful, instant or intense but slow-building, binds us as human beings into a story.

 What characteristics should a hero have?

The most important characteristic of both heroes and heroines is that they engage the reader. Although the heroine Karen, narrates INCEPTIO, the hero, Conrad is a joint main character. He’s a special forces soldier, so physically he’s fit (in every way you wish to imagine that), strong, decisive and able to endure. He keeps his distance at first and tends to go by the book, unlike the rather more flexible attitude Karen adopts. But he had a rotten childhood which has made him reserved towards others. However, like the best heroes, some things knock him off balance and we see the rawness underneath. Heroes should have both strength and weakness, including a moment or two of helplessness, but I think as readers we like to see the strength prevail. A sense of humour, even if it’s a little robust, is essential.

 I like to have some visual signals to appearance – hair and eye colour, and height, plus a slight flaw, a limp, a broken nose, something that shows a bit of life experience.  Body language mirrors a hero’s inner emotions; this parallels the way we as humans act in the real world.

 What is your biggest distraction when it comes to writing?

Facebook! More accurately, the supporting promotion that all authors have to do in a fiercely competitive market. But from my readers’ comments and book groups I belong to, there seems to be a voracious appetite out there for good stories.

 What are you working on now?

I’m delighted to say that I’ve just sent the first proof amendments back to the publishing services company that prints my paperbacks and have approved the designer’s first cover proof for PERFIDITAS, book two in the Roma Nova series. It’s scheduled to come out in autumn.

 Book three, SUCCESSIO, is next on the list and re-visiting the first draft I wrote about nine months ago will fill my work time up to the end of this year.

Blurb

New York, present day, alternate reality. Karen Brown, angry and frightened after surviving a kidnap attempt, has a harsh choice – being eliminated by government enforcer Jeffery Renschman or fleeing to the mysterious Roma Nova, her dead mother’s homeland in Europe.

Founded sixteen centuries ago by Roman exiles and ruled by women, Roma Nova gives Karen safety and a ready-made family. But a shocking discovery about her new lover, the fascinating but arrogant special forces officer Conrad Tellus who rescued her in America, isolates her.

Renschman reaches into her new home and nearly kills her. Recovering, she is desperate to find out why he is hunting her so viciously. Unable to rely on anybody else, she undergoes intensive training, develops fighting skills and becomes an undercover cop. But crazy with bitterness at his past failures, Renschman sets a trap for her, knowing she has no choice but to spring it... 

Links:

You can find INCEPTIO on your local Amazon  here:

http://viewBook.at/B00BMU5OW6

You can read more about Alison, Romans, alternate history and writing here:

Blog: www.alison-morton.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor

Twitter: @alison_morton

Thank you, Alison, for that insite into your working life. I invited Alison to my blog after reading her book, Inceptio. It's one of the best books I've read this year and I know it's going to be be a best-seller.

Dianne Ascroft : Why she is an indie-author

This week I have Dianne Ascroft as a guest on my blog. Diane is an indie author and her latest book - Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves is now out. Thank you for coming Dianne.

Tell us about your latest indie book

Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves is a collection of half a dozen short stories. The ebook contains tales of outsiders who discover they belong, a humorous slice of life yarn, heart warming love stories and a tale of taming fear. In these stories the shadows are on the wall, in the heart and clouding a woman’s memories while tangible foes tramp through the physical landscape. The stories were previously printed individually in a variety of publications, including Ireland’s Own magazine, Dead Ink Books’ website, and the writing collections, Fermanagh Miscellany and Tuesdays At Charlie’s.

What made you decide to go indie?

When I was working on my novel, an historical fiction titled Hitler and Mars Bars, I entered the first chapter of the book into a contest run by a POD company and it won. The prize was a publishing package for the book. At this point I hadn’t considered whether or not to look for a traditional publisher. This win decided me – I went indie.

Do you design your own covers?

I don’t do the actual work but I submit images and my ideas to a designer and she puts it together for me. Then we tweak it until it’s the cover I want.

Do you write your own blurb etc?

Yes, I’ve written the back cover blurb and the Amazon page descriptions for all the books I’ve released. When I tried my hand at this I was surprised to discover that I enjoy the marketing side of publishing.

What are the pros and cons of going indie.

One of the most obvious pros is that the writer has total control of the writing and publishing process. There’s no need to conform to a specific genre or length to meet the publisher’s requirements and deadlines are set by the writer. Cover design and the marketing strategy are also decided by the writer.

The downside of this total control is that the writer must do the work or pay others to provide services such as editing and cover design. Doing the work yourself is time consuming and paying for services that a publisher would provide for a traditionally published writer can be expensive.

On the marketing side, most indies don’t have the contacts or mailing list that a traditional publisher has so their marketing efforts don’t reach as many potential readers.

Indies are also still battling the perception in many quarters that traditionally published books are better quality than indie published ones so marketing is a challenge.   

Many people think being an indie author involves little cost and less time than being traditionally published. Is this true?

It definitely doesn’t require less time. Since you are entirely responsible for writing and marketing your books it requires more time than if you were able to hand over much of the editing and marketing to someone else.

It also costs money to produce a good quality book: the fees for services such as editing and cover designing come out of your own pocket. There’s also the cost of marketing. Some writers don’t pay for any advertising but many use a combination of free and paid advertising. Since you set your own marketing budget you can decide how much you want to spend but you will likely invest some money in the book’s marketing.

How do you publicise your books? 

I’ve experimented with lots of ways so I’ll just mention a couple that are my mainstays. I have a website as well as Facebook and Goodreads pages. I interact with other readers and other authors on Facebook and Goodreads and I guest post and participate in blog hops. When I have something to announce I tweet about it and I use a limited about of sidebar and banner advertising on sites such as Goodreads and Kindle Users Forum.   

Do you think Twitter and Facebook really help in getting word out there?

I hope so! I’m more active on Facebook than Twitter. This is partly because I think that potential readers will be more attracted to a book when they can see its cover and read a description of it. But I tweet when I have announcements to make about my books.

Do you read any indie authors yourself?

Yes, probably more than half my reading material, fiction and non-fiction, is indie. Historical fiction is my favourite genre and during the past few months I’ve read books by Tim Hodkinson, Lorna Fergusson, Madeline Stringer, Hugh Ryan Fitzgerald, Hazel Gaynor, Patricia O’Reilly and Laura Elliot. And I shouldn’t forget to mention that I’ve read several of your books too.  

Would you accept a traditional publishing deal now?

I would still want to release some of my work independently so I would be happy to accept a traditional deal if I could be a ‘hybrid’ author. There are two main reasons for my willingness to embrace a traditional deal. Firstly, traditional publishers have the ability to reach a wider audience than I can and this exposure would help to promote all my books.  Secondly, in many readers’ minds there is still a divide between mainstream published and indie. So publishing at least one book with a traditional publisher would lend credibility to the novel as well as the rest of my writing. I did something similar when I released Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves. Most of the stories I included in this book were previously published in magazines and writing anthologies. When potential readers scan the book’s Amazon page they see this mentioned and it reassures them about the quality of the material they’ll find inside the cover. 

What advice would you give to writers thinking of going indie?

My advice isn’t new but I think it’s important. Write the best book you can and then learn about the publishing side of the business. When the manuscript is ready take your time to prepare the cover and marketing materials before you release the book. Don’t rush, no matter how excited you are about your book. It’s much better to do it right the first time and create a good impression that will last in readers’ minds. This will contribute to the success of your debut novel and pave the way for future books.

  

“Dianne Ascroft presents an engaging and authentic view of country life in these winsome, humorous and evocative stories, filled with hope and the possibilities of new beginnings. They resonate with the interdependence of a close-knit, rural community and focus on the small things in life ― the subtle day-to-day occurrences that often slip by unnoticed in the busyness of our daily routine.” Laura Elliot, author of Deceptions, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister.

BIOGRAPHY:

Dianne Ascroft is an urban Canadian who has settled on a farm in rural Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed pets. She writes both fiction and non-fiction and her articles and stories have been printed in Irish and Canadian magazines and newspapers; she has released a novel, Hitler and Mars Barsand a short story collection, Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves. Online she lurks at www.dianneascroft.wordpress.com.

Thank you, Dianne, I'm sure everyone found that insight into your writing both informative and interesting.

We all have different reasons for becoming an Indie author. For me it was the return of my back list from my traditional publishers and the arrival of KDP. I still sell to D C Thomson and Linford Romance so would be considered a 'hybrid' author as I have feet planted firmly in both indie and traditional publishing.

Fenella J Miller.

Would you want to read a 'Clean Read'?

I have joined a loop on Goodreads called Clean Read. Another writer recommended it as both she and I write, amongst other things, sweet/clean romances. A Mistress for Stansted Hall fits this category - no sex and no swearing. One of the moderators has made it clear that books don't have to be 'Inspirational' (Christian) in order to be considered an acceptable read to their members.
 Perhaps the title might be misleading as 'mistress' can mean something else - in this case it means the young lady who becomes the wife of the owner of the Hall.
However, after following some of the posts I have discovered that for a book to be considered a Clean Read by many of the members it should not include any sort of sexual activity outside marriage. This is unrealistic nowadays as many couples prefer not to marry but live together and, indeed, raise a family as well. Would some readers avoid a book labelled a Clean Read because it might be considered to be disapproving of modern relationships? My books are all historical - my 'Clean Read' books are all Regency -  where sex outside marriage was not the norm for the upper classes. Therefore I am not being unrealistic having  most of my heroines chaste until marriage.
A Clean Read book must not have any dubious moral content (not sure what they mean by that), I'm assuming no incest  or paedophilia - but it's possible  they would consider same sex relationships as 'of dubious moral content'. I don't write about same sex relationships but do read books by Patrick Gale - so would not want to be considered homophobic by being part of this group. Rather like the UKIP party - their leader is not racist in any way, but unfortunately his party does attract extreme right-wing members. However much I agreed with UKIP ( and I don't support their wish to leave the EU), I could not join a party where I might be sitting next to a Nazi or Fascist.
I'm wondering if by being a writer associated with Clean Reads I will be considered to have the same extreme views as some of the members. I prefer the name 'Sweet' read to describe my Regency romances - this tells the reader they have no four letter words and no explicit sex - but they are romantic and sometimes a few passionate embraces do take place.
What do you think? Am I right to be worried readers will think I agree with all the views of this group?
I want to let readers - who pefer their books to be without anything graphic - know several of my books fit their criteria but have no wish to be thought of as narrow-minded.
I would love to know your opinion - and if my interpretation of a Clean Read is, in fact, correct.

Jane Dixon-Smith talks about cover design.

This week I am fortunate enough to have Jane Dixon-Smith as my guest. Welcome, Jane. Thank you for agreeing to answer some questions. 

I know there are dozens of people who wish they could have been at your talk the other day. I'm hoping we can give them a taste of what you told us

Could you tell us how to find a good cover designer?

Using recommendations from other authors is the best way to find a good and reliable designer. Check how happy other authors were with the process, timescale and look extensively at a designer’s portfolio. Remember that not all book cover designers are suitable for all genres – some can design across the board, in multiple genres, successfully, but others excel in certain areas. As in many things in life, cheap is not always good, but expensive is not always necessary.

One other, very important point to make, is that a graphic designer is not the same thing as an artist or an illustrator. Many times I’ve seen or heard of people use an illustrator to ‘design’ a cover, flyer, etc. Illustration is the same as photography. They create the imagery, but the layout and composition and typography come under the umbrella of Graphic Design, and rarely will an artist, illustrator, or photographer be able to successfully and fully maximise the potential of the imagery they create in realising your cover design. Usually, and essentially, a graphic designer will work with (a) stock illustration and photography, which is readily available and royalty free – this is usually the cheaper option, and therefore most common practice when it comes to self-published authors and small press. Or (b) your designer will work together either with an illustrator or photographer that you wish to work with, or with one they have sourced and recommend.

What happens when you do find someone you can work with?

When you find a graphic designer that you think may be a good fit for your book, be clear with them about what type of cover you want and what your budget is, not least because they can then recommend whether to use affordable imagery or commission photography or illustration.

Most cover designers working with small press or self-published authors won’t read your book. Technically speaking it isn’t necessary, and the small budgets won’t allow for the time it takes. But it’s not essential. Them asking the right questions and you providing the relevant information, they will have all they need.

A designer should ask you for the following things when working with you:

Ideas and blurb from client.

A blurb and or outline to give them an idea of the story, suggestions from yourself as to elements from the book that might be used, and sample covers that are both in the genre of your book and that you like.

The last point is key. People have said to me a few times that there is either ‘nothing they like’, or that ‘there’s no books out there like mine’. Both of which are rubbish. It’s laziness and, as the author, you know your book best and it’s important to reflect where it will sit in the marketplace – this is the same information agents ask you when you submit to them. This is the most straightforward, efficient, and ultimately cost effective way to ensure you get something that both reflects the genre you’re writing in and will work in YOUR marketplace.

Could you tell us if you trade secrets about how you produce the perfect cover for your clients?

Images sourced and sent to client.

The client firstly supplies the initial brief, including blurb, rough synopsis, any ideas they have in mind, plus elements from the book which they feel symbolise or distil the story and would work well on the cover.

 From here I source images from stock libraries, including Shutterstock, istockphoto and 123RF to name but a few. Images range from around £3 - £30 per image, depending on which site you source them from, but they are royalty free and have favourable usage terms. The alternative is to commission photography or illustration, but of course this is much more expensive.

Narrowed down images from client

Narrowed down images from client.

From here the client narrows down the image, choosing those which resonate with them.

I then mock up initial visuals based on those images to fit both in the market and to the client’s taste. They have to work for both. It’s important the author loves their cover and also that it works for those browsing books.

Progression
The client from there feeds back to me, and we discuss the parts they like, which they don’t, their preferences for typefaces and so on, and from there I create a new set of visuals.

Finalising/Paperback]

Final cover design.

Once the author or publisher is happy with the front cover, I move on to designing the back cover and spine. For this of course I calculate the spine width based on overall page count, leaving space for the barcode placement by the publisher, adding blurb, and finally exporting files suitable for both print and ebook upload.

Thank you so much, Jane, but taking the time to share with us some of your expertise. I hope you can come back and answer any questions you might arise from this fascinating and informative post.