Expectations vs. reality

[illiterwrite]

This is a question for all who've had novels published. Were you happy with the final product, visually?

I'm trying to deal with my own disappointment about various aspects of my book coming out next year. I've had very little input on layout and cover and overall look of the book, and the final product doesn't exactly match the "vision" I've carried in my head over the last couple of years. I know I need to just get over it and focus on my next book, but I can't help but feel a little down about it.

So what about you?

[Gillhoughly]

No one escapes.

I was horrified with my first cover and many since from that publisher. They just don't know how to market me. For the last 16 years readers told me "Yours was the last book on the rack because the cover was (so bad, suxed, I thought it was young adult) but once I read what was inside I was hooked!"

Cold comfort. Another writer in my genre with the same house got better covers and is making tons of sales.

Now I've got a re-release of a popular title with another house. My suave, dry humored, half-monster hero was somehow transformed into a confused-looking space monkey who looks like he's about to let one fly despite a bad case of burning, itching hemorrhoids.

To quote from Mad Magazine: Blech.

[Zolah]

Oh, God - I'm one of those disgusting, contented authors. I LOVE my cover artwork, think the font and design of the text is fabulous (especially the twiddly oak-leaves around the page numbers) and I couldn't be happier about the B-format the publisher has chosen. I suppose all these horrors are to come for me...

I do also think that a lot of writers have unrealistic expectations when it comes to how much input they'll get into the 'product' their book becomes. Because a book isn't a product to us, is it? But writers (or most of us, anyway) aren't graphic artists, font designers or marketing experts. Publishers don't just come up with ideas on the spur of the moment, and they do mostly know what they're doing. What you and I think is pretty and chic and representative is not always what has been shown to sell.

[Jamesaritchie]

I've had one novel with a horrible cover, and an even worse title. Other than this, I'be been very satisfied. I think I know a good cover when I see one, and I know I can tell a good title from a bad one, but so far, I've been very lucky.

I still have little control over covers, but I try to inisit on title control.

And in my opinion, the best cover I ever had was on a hardcover book I wrote about ten years ago. I had no input on the cover at all, never even saw the cover until shortly before publication, but the publisher did a wonderful job, and I still think it's one of the best covers I've seen anywhere, on any book.

The publisher found a period photograph from the 1880s that perfectly illustrated the contents of the book, and I loved it.

So other than teh one novel, I have no complaints.

But I never have really had a "vision" of what my books should look like. I want a cover and a title I think readers will like, but my job is to put something between the covers that readers will like.

[Maryn]

The woman who taught my first writing course taken as an adult was furious about the cover art of her first novel. It incorporated several errors in fact, including items which had not yet been invented when the book was set and a dog that may have been a German Shepard, when the heroine has a small lapdog. I thought it was ugly, with or without the errors.

Maryn, who'd love to have an ugly cover on her published novel

[illiterwrite]

See, I love my cover image/art. Love it. I think the font they used OVER that image for the title & my name is ugly and intrusive. And some of the work inside the book looks as if it was slapped together by a junior member of the production team. :( They usually send books out for layout, but this one they did internally, and it makes me wonder.

I'm going by the bound galleys, mind you. I'm hoping that the next version will be better, at least as far as the formatting inside goes. Maybe my expectations are too high, because I HAVE worked in publishing before, and in marketing/advertising. I've seen some high-end work, and I've seen work thrown together hastily.

[triceretops]

Well, I'm facing proposed changes (again), this time for two books. I've already been told to remove all brand names, companies, organizations. My Sinatra lyrics have got to go. The fantasy title will be changed. Alas, it's all part of the process and it's happened before. Either you bend with the breeze or you break. Right now I'm Gumby Man, and I'm not going to buck the tide, unless they REALLY screw up the front covers.

Tri

[icerose]

If my PA experience counts...

The cover art was atrocious, didn't fit the book at all, it was just awful, the whole experience from beginning to end. I cried, many times over. Now that I've been through that, I doubt much will phase me with a real publisher, but we'll see.

[Jamesaritchie]

Well, I'm facing proposed changes (again), this time for two books. I've already been told to remove all brand names, companies, organizations. My Sinatra lyrics have got to go. The fantasy title will be changed. Alas, it's all part of the process and it's happened before. Either you bend with the breeze or you break. Right now I'm Gumby Man, and I'm not going to buck the tide, unless they REALLY screw up the front covers.

Tri

I understand wanting the Sinatra lyrics removed, but why on earth would they ask you to remove brand names, etc.???? Your characters have to live in a world that doesn't have brand name items, real companies, or real organizations?

For me, this would not be an option, and I'd tell that publisher where to go, and how to get there by the shortest route. Though first I might ask whoever made that decision to actually read some published novels.

[BruceJ]

I've been satisfied with all aspects of my publication experience. I've had direct input to the editing, layout and cover design and they only advanced to the next phase after I formally approved/signed off on what had taken place so far. I retain the copyright, too, which is nice.

The only aspect that I'm sure would be considered a negative by this forum is that I did contribute an author's investment, which is to be refunded in full when I reach the 5,000-book sales mark. But then, that serves to keep me motivated in the marketing process, too, so I don't mind.

The thumbnail below is too small for detail, but there's a map of the ancient Middle East overlaying the cover (front and back) as a watermark. (I love maps and that was my suggestion to the graphic artist).

Anyway, for what it's worth...

[PeeDee]

My "vision" is generally in regards to the story itself. It has little to do with the cover, or the type font, or anything of the sort. So long as it's readable and doesn't actually looking terrifying, I'm pretty easy to content. While I love being impressed by a really great cover, I'm also more than willing to overlook a rotten cover. If the cover stinks, it just means I move on to looking at the back of the book and sampling the text inside that much faster.

[kwwriter]

Very happy. Wouldn't change a thing.

[Simon Woodhouse]

The cover of my novel is a bit of a cop-out on my part. Rather than keep asking the artist to make endless changes, I opted for about the fifth revision. The basic idea for the cover design was mine, and I made a rough mock up of what I wanted and sent it to the artist when she first contacted me.

If I have a second book published, I'm going to do the cover myself, even if it means buying a copy of Photoshop and learning how to use it properly.

[TLHines]

I'm going by the bound galleys, mind you. I'm hoping that the next version will be better, at least as far as the formatting inside goes. Maybe my expectations are too high, because I HAVE worked in publishing before, and in marketing/advertising. I've seen some high-end work, and I've seen work thrown together hastily.
As you say, it's likely the interior design for the final book will change from the galleys.

I figured out, early on, there was no way I could look dispassionately at covers for my books. So I get the reactions of people I trust--those who have no emotional connection to the content inside. If trusted friends and associates like it, I like it.

That said, I didn't have a whole lot of input on either of my first two covers--the publisher sent each cover and said, "Here it is. What do you think?" If I'd fallen on my sword and said I really hated a cover, I'm sure they would have taken that into consideration and changed it.

I've worked in advertising for several years also, and the one thing I've managed to learn is (yes, I've only learned one thing): my personal taste doesn't always equate with what's effective. I've had to watch a ton of work go out the door of my shop because a client loved it--even though I didn't. And, that work has been successful for clients. So if it fits the client's aesthetic, and if it sells product, I can't complain. I guess I'd have to say the same thing about book covers.

Bottom line: at some point, you have to trust your publisher knows what it's doing. And if the trust isn't there, it's time to look for another publisher.

[illiterwrite]

I've worked in advertising for several years also, and the one thing I've managed to learn is (yes, I've only learned one thing): my personal taste doesn't always equate with what's effective. ....
Bottom line: at some point, you have to trust your publisher knows what it's doing. And if the trust isn't there, it's time to look for another publisher.

I know. I guess I wanted something a little more quiet and subdued (because that's how I am), while the publisher wanted something a little showier, to grab attention.

Anyway, I'll get over it. I just wanted to know if anyone else had to fight the same kind of disappointment. :)

Thanks for all your replies!