Judging a Book By Its Cover
Podcast Episode 39 Summarized by Stephanie Oswald, Ph.D.
You know you’ve judged a book by its cover. Maybe not every time you’ve browsed, or picked up a book, but it’s happened. It’s human nature. The emphasis on making a good first impression wouldn’t exist if you didn’t pass judgment based on someone’s appearance, so it’s only natural this happens with books.
You may remember our recent podcast about Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez. It’s a good example of a book where the cover makes you think it’s a sweet summer romance at the beach, and when you read it, that’s not exactly what you’ll experience.
In this week’s episode, the first in a two part series, Elizabeth interviews Mariska Maas (@rubreart) about cover design. Elizabeth connected with Mariska on Instagram about book design, especially for writers who are interested in self-publishing, and so this week the emphasis is on cover design and next week will be about formatting the inside of your book.
Mariska, who lives in the Netherlands, has been in the book design industry for a long time. As a fellow bookworm, she discovered the publishing industry as her avenue to connect her art and books. Mariska has her own company now where she helps indie authors create book covers that bring them the same recognition as they would receive from a traditional publisher.
If you approach Mariska for your book design, the first step is to respond to a series of questions to provide as much detail as possible. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for her to make sure the cover displays important elements of your book and aligns with current industry standards for your genre. You need to have a good idea of what you want for your book because that allows for the best possible cover art.
All of Mariska’s cover art is illustration, no photos, because it’s easier to align with current trends and it’s her expertise. If you were to decide to walk through the cover design process with Mariska, you would receive mock ups and have the opportunity to request changes and express your opinion about what you like and don’t like. What’s great about Mariska’s process is she wants you, as the author, to be happy with the outcome and she helps guide you to make sure you get the cover you want and that will be noticed in bookstores and online.
Your book cover is your best marketing tool. Mariska recommends connecting with a book cover designer as soon as you have a clear idea about the book you’re writing. A lot of artists can get booked way in advance, so if you wait, you might not get the cover in the time frame you expect. So, start shopping around now, even if your manuscript isn’t ready. Peak your readers’ curiosity with the cover art, so when it becomes available, the cover is recognizable and readers will want to pick it up.
It’s important to note that if you’re hoping to be traditionally published, there’s a very slim chance you’ll get to use a cover you have someone design for you because publishing houses often have a direction they prefer to go based on how they design their books in house.
As an indie author, when you self-publish, having a book cover can add an element of excitement to your book writing process because you start to see your book come to life. When you see the cover, it’s the start of visualizing your book being complete and ready for readers.
Your cover helps sell your book. You have 7 seconds to appeal to a reader. Even if your book is amazing, if the cover doesn’t connect with readers, you won’t sell books.
If you’re listening to this podcast within 3 months of it’s launch date, so that would be up until November 25, 2024, Mariska is being incredibly generous to our audience by offering a 5% discount with the code IWC5 on the interest form you complete.
You’ll want to jump on this opportunity as soon as possible because she’s already booking authors into 2025.
It’s an investment in your writing to take the leap and hire a cover designer. Listen to the podcast episode to learn more, you’ll be glad you did.
