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Finding the Perfect Cover is no Walk in the Park

After posting a poll in several reader groups asking what they looked for on a romance novel cover, I got to thinking about what the authors went through when choosing and designing their covers. Fortunately, there were several authors in the groups that responded to the polls and I reached out to some of them for insight on their choices to go with exclusive model photos for their most recently published or soon to be published books. In true Awesome Indie Author fashion, Janice Whiteaker (JW), Brittney Sahin (BS), and Anna Blakely (AB) all agreed to answer my questions and gave me permission to share them with my equally awesome readers. Enjoy!


Q: Why did you choose to go with an exclusive photo for your next book?

JW: I generally prefer stock, but I was struggling to find stock images that were right for the cover and subgenre.

BS: I usually check both stock and model images and search until one stands out to me - who can best match my muse (even faceless).

AB: I look at my decision to go with exclusive images as an investment. I have purchased exclusive images for each book in two of my three new series debuting this fall (one will be in KU, and one will be wide). My hope is by using images no other author will have, I’ll catch the eye of new-to-me readers.

 

Q: Did you choose the model specifically, or did you contact a photographer (or agency) and let them choose for you/ help you choose?

JW: I belong to a number of photographers’ groups and saw a post featuring photos from a shoot with a model who fit what I needed. From there I went to his website and went through the available images of that particular model to see if there were any that fit what I was looking for. I found two that would work for future covers and reached out from there.

BS: Photographer is my first choice. If they aren’t working with one then I go direct.

AB: I chose the model specifically based off my characters’ physical attributes. I found images that fit what I ‘see’ when I imagine those characters.

 

Q: If the photographer or agency chose for you, what criteria did they use?

JW: I am too controlling to do this. I like to see my options and go from there.

BS: I always choose :)

 

Q: Would you do it again?

JW: I’ll have to. I’ve used most of the good stock images, lol. I will still continue to look for stock first, but if I can’t find it then I’ll look at exclusive.

BS: Yes :)

AB: I’ll most likely use exclusive images again. The photographers I chose were wonderful to work with and very supportive, and the experience as a whole was enjoyable.

 

Q: What was the hardest part of choosing the photo you're using?

JW: The man in the photo is leaning against a cement wall, which didn’t fit my subgenre, so I had to reach out to my cover designer to make sure she could replace that wall with something else.

BS: Always finding the best fit for the plot and muse

AB: For me—and probably every other romance author out there—I’d say the hardest part about choosing a cover image is finding one that fits every aspect of what I have in mind for my characters. I can’t tell you the number of hours I’ve spent trying to find the ‘perfect’ model. I’ll find the right guy, but his expression is off. The model’s build and look is perfect, but the pose or clothing doesn’t fit what’s in my head. The whole process can seem endless and daunting at times, but it’s almost like picking out a wedding dress. You know you’ve found ‘the one’ when you see it.

 

Q: What was the best part of the experience?

JW: Photographers are generally excited when you choose their covers, so it’s usually a pretty positive experience.

BS: In regard to working with a model directly - having all creative input and getting multiple shots to choose from and use.

AB: The best part of the experience was getting to work with the photographers and their staff. I chose to go with Wander Aguiar Photography and CJC Photography, and I’m so happy I did. For my Wander images, I worked with Andrey, and I worked directly with Christopher John for his images. Both Andrey and Christopher were incredibly helpful (and patient!) throughout the entire process, answering every question I had quickly and thoroughly.

 

Q: Was there a downside to the experience?

JW: The cost. I’ve found there’s no difference in sales on books with exclusive photos vs. books with stock photos, so it’s a big expense that doesn’t translate into more income.

BS: It’s expensive

AB: For me, there wasn’t really a downside to the process. Once I’d chosen the images, the rest went very smoothly.

 

Q: What advice would you give other authors considering the process of using an exclusive cover photo?

JW: If cost is a factor then go for stock. Spend the time to hunt through what’s available. Don’t feel like an exclusive will bring you more sales, because from my experience it won’t. A lot of authors worry about using a photo that’s been on covers before, but a good cover designer can make an image look unique for a lot less than shelling out for an exclusive of a dude who’s also on a bunch of covers.

BS: As mentioned above it is very expensive, which is why when starting out I mostly used stock images. Personally, I am happy with waiting until this point in my career to begin using exclusive. But exclusive does not always mean the book does better. I have recovered books with exclusive models with stock and the new covers outperformed the old.

AB: My advice would be to take your time, research the photographer and even the models. Be absolutely sure the images you choose are the ones you want to use. Exclusivity comes at a price, and it can get pretty steep. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Like I said before, Andrey and Christopher were both more than willing to walk me through the process and were happy to help in any way they could.

 

Q: What do you wish the models/ photographers/ agencies knew about the process from an author's standpoint?

JW: Backgrounds can be limiting. A good pose in good lighting on a neutral background is awesome and gives us lots of options to work with. And give us some more clothed options. Amazon is funny about nipples and if we can’t advertise then we can’t sell.

BS: I think they are pretty on point already:)

AB: I guess I’d say I wish/hope the models/photographers understand that, for us authors, these aren’t just pictures we need to slap on a cover and call it a day. Our stories are our babies. A product of our hard work, long hours, and dedication to our readers. So please be patient with us.



Ok, so that was pretty cool. Still fangirling a bit over the fact that they took the time to answer my questions. Janice, Brittney, and Anna are all amazing writers and I am extremely grateful that they dedicated their time to my curiosity. Funny thing about that last question: Brittney Sahin also mentioned Amazon’s nipple issue in a comment on the poll in her group. I hadn’t even thought of that, and considering that most of the stock photos I’ve seen are shirtless men, it’s a pretty big consideration when choosing that perfect cover.


I would be remiss in not providing links to these awesome writers and the photographers mentioned, so please check them out, follow and like them, and let me know what you think of their books, photos, etc.



Janice Whiteaker



Janice also writes as Jemma Westbrook



Brittney Sahin:



Anna Blakely



Wander Aguiar



Christopher John




 
 
 

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