Comments on: Booklife: The Tale of a Cover http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/ Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st-Century Writer Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:51:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeff VanderMeer http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Jeff VanderMeer Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:03:05 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-59 Very good point. "Privileged" is the wrong word, though, since it has other meanings. It's mostly because I have a strong visual sensibility and used to run an indie press where I worked closely with graphic designers and artists. So not only did I know some amazing people in the arts from whom I could draw for my own covers, I also knew how to present my ideas to publishers in such a way that it would be seen as useful and not obtrusive. About 95 percent of the covers of my books from indie and large publishers are either from my ideas or are from the ideas of designers that I worked with. As you can see with Booklife that's sometimes a bad thing. But in general the process goes much more smoothly. In Booklife I recommend, though, that authors butt out of the cover process unless they have the necessary background and/or communication skills to not only make good recs but also to talk about those recs in a useful way with their editor. Jeff Very good point. “Privileged” is the wrong word, though, since it has other meanings. It’s mostly because I have a strong visual sensibility and used to run an indie press where I worked closely with graphic designers and artists. So not only did I know some amazing people in the arts from whom I could draw for my own covers, I also knew how to present my ideas to publishers in such a way that it would be seen as useful and not obtrusive. About 95 percent of the covers of my books from indie and large publishers are either from my ideas or are from the ideas of designers that I worked with. As you can see with Booklife that’s sometimes a bad thing. But in general the process goes much more smoothly.

In Booklife I recommend, though, that authors butt out of the cover process unless they have the necessary background and/or communication skills to not only make good recs but also to talk about those recs in a useful way with their editor.

Jeff

]]> By: Christian http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Christian Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:40:32 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-58 Really nice. Though, I suspect you are a very privileged writer. As far as I know the majority of writers have no say whatsoever about covers. Care to comment? Really nice. Though, I suspect you are a very privileged writer. As far as I know the majority of writers have no say whatsoever about covers. Care to comment?

]]> By: PB DuPre' http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-56 PB DuPre' Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:26:53 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-56 Very cool Jeff, Thanks for sharing this post with us. I really liked reading about how John worked through the various steps it took him to create the cover. Gives me an appreciation for the work the cover artists do for books and highlights your book more. Makes me more interested in this book and your work. Very cool Jeff,

Thanks for sharing this post with us. I really liked reading about how John worked through the various steps it took him to create the cover.

Gives me an appreciation for the work the cover artists do for books and highlights your book more. Makes me more interested in this book and your work.

]]> By: Various useful webbishry at Brenda Cooper http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Various useful webbishry at Brenda Cooper Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:41:42 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-36 [...] And just so it’s not all about me, writer friend Pati Nagle pointed out a great post about building the cover design for Jeff Vandermeer’s Booklife. [...] [...] And just so it’s not all about me, writer friend Pati Nagle pointed out a great post about building the cover design for Jeff Vandermeer’s Booklife. [...]

]]> By: Dean Wesley Smith http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Dean Wesley Smith Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:59:21 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-34 Great stuff, Jeff. Thanks for sharing this. Great stuff, Jeff. Thanks for sharing this.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Jeff VanderMeer Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:19:15 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-33 Fixed now--apologies. Fixed now–apologies.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Jeff VanderMeer Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:32:04 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-32 Alas, the links to images are experiencing some issues--the source site has decided to go down periodically, so in a sec I'll be embedding the images. Thanks for your patience. Alas, the links to images are experiencing some issues–the source site has decided to go down periodically, so in a sec I’ll be embedding the images. Thanks for your patience.

]]> By: Pati Nagle http://booklifenow.com/2009/10/booklife-the-tale-of-a-cover/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Pati Nagle Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:21:38 +0000 http://booklifenow.goblindegook.net/?p=130#comment-31 Fascinating. Thanks for sharing this! Most people don't realize how much work goes into the cover design process. Fascinating. Thanks for sharing this! Most people don’t realize how much work goes into the cover design process.

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