Can a writer have a say over the cover art of her book?

Wesley Kang

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Wow! Fabio has a last name! Things I never knew!. Besides, I think once you've decided to use Fabio on your cover, 'shirtless' is sort of automatic. Probably have to pay him more to cover up.

I dare you to just try to say "Fabio Lanzoni" without either concocting an over-the-top faux Italian accent or trying to make this gesture:

speak-itallian.jpg
 

aruna

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The author is generally invited to share feedback but rarely if ever casts a deciding vote, if any vote. (I think the time we got the cover art changed to depict the protagonist's racial self-identification was more because we enlisted the editor than because we squawked.)


Sometimes, it happens.
For my third book, me editor asked me if I had any ideas for the cover. It was set in India, with an INdian MC; I suggested a woman in a sari standing in water, with a temple in the background.

They brought out a hardback that was pretty grim; dark purple with a sad urchin's face on it.
Then the paperback came out, and guess what: a woman in a sari standing in water with a "temple" in the background! (The "temple" was actually the Taj Mahal, which is totally unfitting as the woman is supposed to be Hindu, but still -- they tried!)
I actually love this cover. The title and the bits on the top are embossed in shiny gold, and the water looks as if it is shining with the last rays of the sun, so it's beyond beautiful. I couldn't have asked for more myself.

a_soasto1.jpg
 
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B.D. Eyeslie

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The characetr of Lt. Harris from the 1970's TV sitcom Barney Miller was beside himself with disgust when his book Blood on the Badge got published. The cover art was a juvenille rendering of dripping blood and bullet holes with a policeman's shield covered with blood. He called the publisher and reamed him out saying "The title is hemoraging all over my name!"

I always wished that someone would actually write BOB as he called it.

"You're definitely out of the book!"
 

Wesley Kang

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Sometimes, it happens.
For my third book, me editor asked me if I had any ideas for the cover. It was set in India, with an INdian MC; I suggested a woman in a sari standing in water, with a temple in the background.

They brought out a hardback that was pretty grim; dark purple with a sad urchin's face on it.
Then the paperback came out, and guess what: a woman in a sari standing in water with a "temple" in the background! (The "temple" was actually the Taj Mahal, which is totally unfitting as the woman is supposed to be Hindu, but still -- they tried!)
I actually love this cover. The title and the bits on the top are embossed in shiny gold, and the water looks as if it is shining with the last rays of the sun, so it's beyond beautiful. I couldn't have asked for more myself.

Thank you for sharing that and sharing the beautiful cover. It's nice to know that sometimes they do listen!
 

IceCreamEmpress

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I love that cover, aruna! It's beautiful and melancholy.
 

jemacba

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i have a conference call with a few people from my publisher on monday to discuss the cover....i dont have the final say by any means, but they at least solicit my ideas..............
 

Bluestone

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Many moons ago, my small publisher came up with this cover, which I really hated. I wasn't asked, it just appeared in their "New Books and Backlist" catalogue. It looked boring, industrial and about as appealing as a boatload of machine parts bound for a factory.

So, I contacted my editor and told him I really wanted something that would entice the browser to pick it up in a store. I know it's a How To, but couldn't I have an attractive, intriguing How To cover? He was receptive, so, without any graphic design background, I started sending them mockups of my ideas. What they came up with finally, just this week in fact, was this, which I really love and am very happy with.

Evidently, you can make a difference if you care enough. I guess it just depends on who's at the other end of your entreaties.
 

firedrake

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Sometimes, it happens.
For my third book, me editor asked me if I had any ideas for the cover. It was set in India, with an INdian MC; I suggested a woman in a sari standing in water, with a temple in the background.

They brought out a hardback that was pretty grim; dark purple with a sad urchin's face on it.
Then the paperback came out, and guess what: a woman in a sari standing in water with a "temple" in the background! (The "temple" was actually the Taj Mahal, which is totally unfitting as the woman is supposed to be Hindu, but still -- they tried!)
I actually love this cover. The title and the bits on the top are embossed in shiny gold, and the water looks as if it is shining with the last rays of the sun, so it's beyond beautiful. I couldn't have asked for more myself.

a_soasto1.jpg

What a beautiful cover.
I love it.
 

SarahHobson

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This really worries me... I have a bunch of ideas for my cover (the book is paranormal romance) and I'm scared that I'll end up with the most stereotypical vampire goth or superhero woman in leather cover imaginable... I know they say "Don't judge a book by it's cover" but we all do it, and so does the consumer! Personally, I don't like reading books that have an overly romantic couple on the cover, because I feel like I'll be judged for reading it. I also can't stand covers that are
AUTHOR NAME

BOOK NAME
*a novel*
or some degree of this, because I feel like they're trying too hard (gotta make sure people can read it from the thumbnail picture, right? *facepalm*). I'm also worried that, if they choose a cover for me, it will look nothing like my characters...

I guess my question is, if I submit a cover idea (or several cover options) when contracting, is that okay or frowned on?
 

TamaraLynne

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I never thought of this. I do know that I have considered making my own artwork for my story....I hope I find someone who will take my thoughts into consideration for the cover of my book.
 

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Yep, that would be frowned upon. Unless you happen to be a prizewinning cover designer as well as a bestselling author.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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I guess my question is, if I submit a cover idea (or several cover options) when contracting, is that okay or frowned on?

At best, it will be ignored (unless you're a professional graphic designer or artist); at worst, you will look unprofessional.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Then how would I go about saying "I have a cover idea in mind" to an agent in a professional way?

Unless you are a professional artist or graphic designer, there is no professional way. Book covers are designed by people whose job it is to design them; the writer's reactions to possible ideas and sketches may or may not be taken into account when the cover is selected.

Talking about book covers to agents is a waste of your time and their time; agents aren't involved in the book cover process (unless a writer asks them for their opinion).
 

Cathy C

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As IceCreamEmpress says, an agent could care less. You can tell them, certainly, but it's up to the publisher's Sales department and Art department to determine the cover. You're quite right that the cover is very important--especially for a debut novel.

Here's what I would do in your place:

1. Look around the bookstore in the paranormal romance section.

2. Find a cover design that you DO like. It needs to be a USA Today or NYT author.

3. Find a color scheme that is different but interesting (again from a USAT or NYT author).

4. Choose a pen name that will have your book appear at EYE LEVEL on the bookshelf. That would be the second or third shelf down from the top. Trust me, this will excite the Sales department!

Once the book is accepted for publication and you're chummy with your new editor, you say something like:

"Oh, BTW, I was thinking about the cover design. I really like the design that [insert author name] had on [title of book and series]. But the colors are probably wrong for this book. The colors on [insert author name] on [title of book and series] would look great, though! Is there any chance of doing something like that?"

Obviously, Sales and Art would both love nothing more than to grab the readers of Famous Author #1 and Famous Author #2 for your debut novel. It's almost a guarantee you'll get something close to what you want. :D
 

Cyia

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This really worries me... I have a bunch of ideas for my cover (the book is paranormal romance) and I'm scared that I'll end up with the most stereotypical vampire goth or superhero woman in leather cover imaginable... I know they say "Don't judge a book by it's cover" but we all do it, and so does the consumer! Personally, I don't like reading books that have an overly romantic couple on the cover, because I feel like I'll be judged for reading it. I also can't stand covers that are
AUTHOR NAME

BOOK NAME
*a novel*
or some degree of this, because I feel like they're trying too hard (gotta make sure people can read it from the thumbnail picture, right? *facepalm*). I'm also worried that, if they choose a cover for me, it will look nothing like my characters...

I guess my question is, if I submit a cover idea (or several cover options) when contracting, is that okay or frowned on?

Here's the thing -

Your concerns? They're exactly why authors aren't the ones who design their covers with commercial publishers.

You're concerned with not being homogenous.
The marketing department is concerned with attracting genre fans who can peg your genre on sight.

You're concerned with the cover model looking like your character.
The marketing department is concerned with a look that will draw attention from across a room.

Your preferences are what you like.
The marketing department is concerned with what the majority will like.

It's no longer simply "your book the way you want it". They've got a financial stake in it, and the final product is going to be more about hedging their monetary bets than giving you your dream cover. In most cases you get some sort of "approval", but don't bet on it being enough of a say that they'll change the cover if you don't like it. Cover shoots cost serious cash.

You don't even have final say over your title; marketing does. (And they should, as they know that 62 other books are hitting shelves next month with blue-toned covers featuring half-face female protags in leather and bearing the word "dark". You don't know that.)
 

Anne Lyle

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What Cyia says. I know it's painful - I would have hated it if I'd been given a stereotypical "hooded man" cover - but your role is to supply the material between the covers. The rest is packaging, pure and simple. You don't think coffee-growers design coffee packaging, do you? Same goes for books.

What matters is that the cover puts your book into the hands of readers. Your ego comes a long, long way after that in the publisher's priorities :)
 

Terie

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In most cases you get some sort of "approval"...

This is not true at all. Even most NYT bestselling authors get no sort of approval on their covers. In some (and I wouldn't even go so far as to say 'most') cases, you get to provide some input. But approval? Nope.
 

Cathy C

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My co-author and I have "cover consultation" as a contract clause, which at least guarantees some input. But I agree there aren't a whole lot of cover approval deals. Most writers aren't visual artists on the side. But there are always exceptions. The nice thing about most publishers is they really DO want to sell the book. They want the book to have an awesome cover. If you have a great idea, I don't think it hurts to mention it. It's how we got the amazing cover on Blood Song! :D
 

Terie

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If you have a great idea, I don't think it hurts to mention it.

That's for darn sure! I know of a delightful story where a debut YA author got a copy of his proposed cover and thought it sucked big-time. Instead of the whiny e-mail he was tempted to send to his editor, he put together a rational bulleted list of why he didn't think the cover was effective. He also got a couple of teenagers from his neighbourhood to pose for some photos, and he mocked up his own idea for the cover...just as a suggestion.

Lo and behold, the publisher liked the mock-up so much better than their original that not only did they go with a design based on the mock-up, they actually hired the same two teenagers as the models for the cover!
 

SarahHobson

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Thank you, everyone, for your advice. I guess, once I get an agent, I'll discuss it with them more, but at least I have the right idea for opening a dialogue now ^_^