Matching the Book and Cover

It bothers most readers when the cover for a book doesn't match the descriptions in it. Indie authors have a wonderful opportunity to remedy this. Have the cover designed before the book is finished and write or revise the content to match the cover. This is the best way to make sure they match.

It is easier doing it this way than the other way around because good images for the cover are often hard to find, especially with historical novels. I've even done a little of this with my traditional publisher. When the graphic designer had the cover ready while I was doing some revisions, I changed the description of Faith in Through the Wilderness to match the proposed cover.

There are only four of the thirty books I've published so far where I wasn't able to do this, but I had a great graphic designer who actually read the manuscripts and found images to enhance and go with the story. And in one of them (Uprooted by War), I actually found the image to help her when she was having difficulty finding a handsome Civil War soldier.

I love book covers, as most authors and readers do. However, I am happier when the cover does match the contents. What about you?

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