This week we pull a fantastic episode from the archives. Graphic Designer Daria Brennan comes to the Round Table to help us understand how to approach and work with a designer, what makes a book cover outstanding, market considerations, and so much more.
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Can an author do their own cover? What is it like to work with a professional cover designer? And how should you start the process? Explore market and genre conventions, as well as some tricky pitfalls of wanting a person on your cover. We even talk about how hard it was to find the houses for Alida’s covers!
What we talked about:
Writers doing their own book covers, good idea or bad idea? (2:58)
The difference between markets in different countries. (5:25)
The difference in resources between writers and designers, and why authors should think twice about designing their own covers. (7:35)
We ask how do you work with a writers vision as a designer? (9:38)
We ask Daria what is your process for working with an author? (11:47)
We talk about genre conventions and how people are portrayed on covers. Are people on covers a good thing? And what to be aware of when looking for that perfect person to portray your character. (14:25)
What kind of preparation should an author come to a designer with? (19:20)
The importance of your books mood when it comes to cover design. (20:52)
The preparation Daria takes before starting a new design. (22:21)
The trials and tribulations of Alida’s The Murder in Skoghall House. (22:54)
