Writing a manuscript, fiction or non-fiction, requires time and dedication. No one can understand your struggle unless that person has walked a mile in your shoes. While the writer puts so much effort into every creation step, the reader only sees the outcome of all your hardships.
Choosing and creating a perfect book cover for your manuscript is also one of the hardships you have to face as a writer. But just as you need a professional editor who can help you avoid redundancies or errors, hiring a professional book cover designer can also benefit you as a writer.
It would help if you considered a few things before hiring a suitable book cover designer for your book.
1. Go through Your Budget
A Book Cover is the first thing that attracts your reader to the book aisle. It would be best if you made sure that the cover reflects the tone and elements of your manuscript. Of course, you will want the best possible options. However, the costs of getting a book cover designed varies from designer to designer.
If you have a limited budget for a book cover, you need to hire book cover designers after a lot of consideration. Therefore, before hiring a cover designer and starting to work with them, discuss money-related matters to save time and embarrassment.
2. Run a Background Check
It is not easy to look for a suitable cover designer for your book. As you look for options, you will realize that the internet is filled with individuals and organizations offering their services. Having to choose from so many options can get very overwhelming.
You can make this process easier by listing the available options and writing their pros and cons. This practice will lead you to shortlist your prospects effectively. Once you conclude, make sure that you check their reviews, ratings, and published work before getting them on board.
3. Share Your Ideas
Even if you are a writer just starting in the field of book writing, you should trust the knowledge you have gathered in the time you dedicated to writing, editing, and researching for your book. As the writer, trust yourself and know that no one knows your book better than you.
While hiring a book cover designer for your book, do not hold back from sharing your ideas. You may not realize it, but your knowledge can bring a lot to the table and inform the designer exactly what you are looking for.
It would help to consider a few things before sharing your thought process with a book designer.
● Genre
Is your genre fiction or nonfiction, and what kind of people will be drawn to your book? This answer defines what kind of people will look for your book when entering a bookstore.
It is important that before hiring a book designer, you consider the genre of the book and ensure its presence on your book cover to attract the right readers.
● Target Audience
Before writing your book, you may have given much thought to engaging the people who will buy and read your book. Similarly, your book cover deserves the same attention as it can have a powerful impact on whether a person will buy it.
For example, if your audience is young, you may want to consider making your cover colorful, and artsy and portray the protagonist on the cover. On the other hand, adults looking for self-help material might give priority to serious and the point books.
● Tone
You may want to consider the tone of your book and its characters before portraying it through your book cover.
You can focus on using intriguing images and darker colors if it’s a mystery book. Meanwhile, if it’s a romantic book, you can use lively colors and inspirational imagery to give the readers a heads-up about what they are about to enter.
● Elements
As a writer, you are already aware of the plot of your book, its characters, settings, and several other factors that contribute to the novelty of your work.
While hiring a book cover designer, share these elements with them to ensure they grasp what you want from their help.
4. Personal Preferences
Your manuscript has come to life with hard work and dedication contributed by you. You have to trust that no one can understand your book better.
While sharing your ideas with a book designer, ensure you do not hold back from sharing your personal preferences with the professional. This practice can give a unique touch to your book cover to stand out in an aisle filled with books.
5. Consult Your Editor
Hiring the best option in a marketplace filled with professionals can be overwhelming. While every book designer will want you to trust their expertise and like their designs, you may start feeling exhausted even before the process begins.
If you feel lost and bewildered, look around you. A helping hand is already there to help you out with this problem.
If there is someone who can understand your book in the best way besides you is your editor. You can ask your editor to help you by sharing the aspiring designers’ portfolios or sample work. This way, you will not feel overwhelmed by the pressure of doing everything alone.
6. Create Deadlines
Writing a book and editing it to perfection is the biggest milestone for a writer in writing a book. Usually, editing takes a lot of time and effort and makes you push your deadlines further and further. As a writer, you must be aware of the importance of deadlines.
Extending your deadlines due to repeated editing sessions leaves you little time to design your book cover. Make sure to discuss your deadlines with your book cover designer and tell them that you take them seriously. This practice can help you avoid any unfortunate delays.
7. Trust Your Gut
You will find a book designer who fits your budget, understands your ideas and takes deadlines seriously. It would help if you remembered that this professional is there to assist you in making a remarkable achievement.
Whether it is your editor or book cover designer, you have to be confident in not letting them boss you around. If you are uncomfortable with anything or feel that it hinders your book’s tone, own your work and express your discomfort freely.
