Nothing matches the feeling of finally completing your manuscript and seeing your novel move toward the next stages of publishing. It is one of those times when feeling proud of yourself is inevitable. You should take your time to cherish this achievement.
Now that you have completed your manuscript, one of the biggest steps is to find the right book cover designer. After all, the cover you choose for your book can play a vital role in making or breaking its image. The importance of a book cover calls for a professional’s help.
Here are some of the tips you need to hire a professional book cover designer.
1. Research Thoroughly
Whether you want to hire a book cover designer in the UK or a copy editor in NYC, the first step to finding your right match is to conduct thorough research. You cannot expect good things to come to you unless you strive for them.Â
Good things happen to those who work for them. Researching your options to find a book cover designer who fits your vision can take a lot of time and energy. However, all the hard work and dedication can feel worth it when you find the ideal match for your needs.
Once you gather a few professional options for your book cover designer, compare their pros and cons side by side to select the best option.
2. Review Their Portfolio
Once you shortlist the options for cover designers, you will likely find yourself conflicted between a few options. One cover designer may not offer a complete package, and every professional may have at least one limitation.
In such circumstances, the best thing you can do is to review the portfolio of your potential book cover designers. It takes just a few minutes for you to review a portfolio and see whether the designer in question will be able to help you bring your vision to life.
Make sure that the samples attached to your writers’ portfolios match the tone and genre of your novel. Otherwise, bringing your vision to reality can become a bigger challenge than necessary.
3. Check Reviews and Testimonials
Another great way of figuring out whether a book cover designer is worth working with or not is by gauging their reputation in the industry. You do not have to find the answer to every question by experimenting yourself. It is a better idea to learn from the experiences of others.
Reviews and testimonials are the words of professionals who have already worked with the book cover designer you are considering hiring. These words can tell you about the designer’s reputation and the experience other authors have had working with them.
Instead of taking a cover designer’s word for how reliable they really are, read their reviews to form your own judgment. Your judgment, along with your gut feeling, can help you make the right decision.
4. Discuss Your Budget
As you get closer to finalizing the ideal book cover designer for your novel, you will have to make a more challenging decision than the previous one. The next step is to determine the budget you want to dedicate to creating a great book cover.
Of course, every author wants their book to have the best cover to attract more readers. However, your affordability range can play a crucial role in determining how experienced and well-known your book cover designer will be.Â
Make sure that you prepare your budget for hiring a book cover designer as soon as possible. Making such important decisions early on can save you from spending energy on pursuing book cover designers who may fall out of your budget. Â
5. Seek Effective Communication Skills
Writers and editors are not the only professionals in the process of writing and publishing a book who need to communicate effectively. A book cover designer must also have effective communication skills to discuss their ideas and vision with you.
Although there is no problem with book cover designers working quietly in the corner and minding their business, they must be good at the minimal communication they partake in.Â
In addition, remember to find a professional who is good at sharing ideas and open to yours. They must have an open mind and accept feedback during the design process to ensure smooth collaboration.
6. Understand the Design Process
Every book cover designer has a different process. This process is best discussed before you hire a book cover designer so that miscommunication can be avoided in the later stages. It is best to have these matters sorted for a smooth and hassle-free working relationship.
It is best to discuss with your potential book cover designer regarding their process. From concept development to final delivery, ask them how they usually proceed step by step to meet the needs of their clients.
At this stage, it is very important to ensure it aligns with your expectations or that you are ready to make some compromises to hire a book cover designer.
7. Clarify Ownership Rights
A book cover design is a combination of a creative designer and a contributing book author. So, who do you think gets the ownership rights of the artwork? If you have not thought about licensing and rights yet, you may want to start now.
It can be a tough decision to make, as both parties’ efforts are involved. However, clarifying these factors right in the beginning can save you a lot of hassle and avoid future legal disputes over the cover design.
You can clarify ownership rights and licensing terms in your contract to be acknowledged by both parties involved.
8. Request Mockups
Book cover designers are professionals who understand the importance of finding the right match for any author before starting to work together. Of course, they do not want to trust just anyone with their work.
You can feel free to request the potential book cover designers to share mockups or previews of the cover design. These mockups can help you visualize how your book cover design will look. From there on, you can suggest any necessary adjustments to meet your vision.
