N.R. Wick's Blog, page 7
December 13, 2012
12 Authors of Christmas - Jen McConnel
To celebrate the coming Christmas holiday, I've joined together with 11 other authors for a fantastic event we've dubbed the 12 Authors of Christmas. This event is a great way to learn about new and talented authors.Each day for the next 12 days, I will present a different author and showcase their books. Don't forget to check these authors out!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Jen McConnel
The Burning of Isobel Key
When Lou travels to Scotland, she’s a mess. She’s twenty-six, unemployed, and unsure of herself. It doesn’t help that she’s traveling with Tammy, her best friend, who is everything Lou is not.At first, the trip pushes Lou towards the brink of depression, but then she meets Brian, a handsome local tour guide. When Brian tells the tourists about the countless witches burned in Scotland, Lou starts to listen. And when she discovers information about Isobel Key, one of the victims of the seventeenth century, Lou finds renewed purpose.
She sets out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but she isn’t prepared for the knowledge that waits for her. Lou must face her demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.
November 4, 2012
Picture Evil is Free on Kobo
Picture Evil is now available for FREE on Kobo! I'm currently trying to get it free on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but they are quite slow in picking up that it's free. If you want to be helpful, report the lower price to Amazon. If you would like a free copy for Kindle or Nook, email me and I'll send you a copy!
Picture Evil is a Young Adult short story from the collection called Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology.
Danny "Chug" Reynolds is overweight, going through junk food withdrawals, and dealing with his father’s death when he finds an old family photo album. Hidden in the back of the gut-wrenching family pictures, he finds a series of mysterious, unidentifiable images. Danny collects them and pieces them together to solve their puzzle. Can he live with their dark and disturbing truth or will the photos plague his mind until he loses it?
Picture Evil is a Young Adult short story from the collection called Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology.Danny "Chug" Reynolds is overweight, going through junk food withdrawals, and dealing with his father’s death when he finds an old family photo album. Hidden in the back of the gut-wrenching family pictures, he finds a series of mysterious, unidentifiable images. Danny collects them and pieces them together to solve their puzzle. Can he live with their dark and disturbing truth or will the photos plague his mind until he loses it?
October 29, 2012
Bewitching eBook Deals for Halloween (or Samhain!)
If you love awesome deals on ebooks and love books about witches, then check out this promotion for Samhain/Halloween. We've got over 45 books discounted for the holiday. The blog where you can find all of these great finds on Witchy eBooks.
And if this wasn't a sweet enough deal, we're even having a contest to celebrate. The prizes include TWO $45 gift cards to Amazon.com! How neat is that? If you'd like to enter the giveaway, you can do so on the Witchy eBooks Giveaway page.
From the press release: More than thirty horror authors announced today that they are coming together this Halloween to offer book lovers a bewitching deal on almost fifty witch-themed ebooks on October 30, 31, and November 1, 2012. Bargain hunting readers will find that a spell has been cast, magically lowering sale prices, which will range from free to $2.99 with the majority of ebooks being sold for 99 cents. The complete list of participating authors as well as their books and short stories featuring witches, warlocks, and other seasonally appropriate creatures is available at WitchyEbooks.Blogspot.com and includes links to the ebooks on retail sites.
Although their ebooks share a similar witchy theme, the cauldron-stirring group of authors has approached the subject many different ways, from frightening to fun and from historical to hysterical. Some authors crossed genres, mixing romantic comedy with their witchcraft while others stuck to traditional hard core horror featuring evil witches. Assorted demons, vampires, ghosts, and zombies appear in various books as well."
Equally as awesome, you can get both Land of No Angels and Land of No Mortals for discounted prices! This special isn't exclusive to Kindle, either. If you own a Nook or a Kobo, then you can also get in on these discounts.
Click on the book covers to get Land of No Angels for 99¢ and Land of No Mortals for $1.99! If you need the links for Nook or Kobo, you can find them in the YA Books tab at the top of this page.
October 11, 2012
5 Fiction Books I Couldn't Live Without
When I first decided to take writing seriously, I was a grad student earning a degree in Creative Writing. It's not that I was a prestige monger or anything, I just wanted to develop my craft and have a degree that would allow me the opportunity to teach higher education. One of our many assignments was to create a book list. On top of that, we had to create an essay about how certain books influenced my own development and thesis. The following list includes the top five books that have influenced me and made me the writer I am today.
The Hunger Games by suzanne Collins - I know this book has become hugely popular, but before it was, my best friend lent me a copy and said, "You'll hate the writing, but the story is really interesting." It has since turned into one of my favourite books. Even though it is in first person present, which can feel a little awkward, and I loathe Katniss more than any MC I've ever read, I love this book. It's such a great book. For me, great books are all about story. If the story is incredible, the other things just don't matter. This book has a kind of Lord of the Flies plus Battle Royale feel that brings its own uniqueness, which I love.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling - What list wouldn't be complete without Harry Potter? My younger sister was the one to get me into the series. She basically grew up on them. When the first movie came out, I remember watching the scene where Harry lives under the stairs and his cousin runs down them and jumps on them. I thought, "What the heck is this? This is AMAZING." I know it's kind of messed up, but after that, I read the books. To this day, I think Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite.
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - This book came to me randomly one day when the publisher was letting people read them for free online from their website. Once I started reading it, I didn't stop. I sat in front of my computer for five or six hours to read this book, it was that good. It was dark and interesting and the characters were great. I am always interested in stories that blend reality with the paranormal and try to convince readers (or the main character) that they are just crazy and it's not real. Kelley Armstrong is a wonderful story teller. After I finished the book, I had to go out and buy it and the second book, then wait months for the third one to come out.
The Stand by Stephen King - This is probably the second Stephen King book I read as a child (It was the first). Yes, I said "as a child." Sure, I read Goosebumps (LOVE!) and Sweet Valley High or Babysitters Club (LOL), but I mostly read whatever my dad was reading. It was usually Stephen King or Dean Koontz. But to this day, The Stand is my go to reference for successful and interesting post-apocalyptic fiction. This may even be reflected in my Dark Ascension series. The Stand has everything: Action, Love, Survival, Good vs. Evil. It's just an overall awesome book about the struggle between good and evil and survival.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull - This book was a case where I bought the book because of its cover. I mean, the story sounded interesting too, but it was the cover that made me want this book. The illustration is just so cool! But in the end, the book turned out to be something amazing. It had a slight Chronicles of Narnia feel to it and fairly accurate lore of mythical creatures. Fablehaven contributed to my realisation that I wanted to take writing seriously. It's great for any age too.
There were a few other books that didn't quite make the top five but are definitely in my top 10. They include Everything's Eventual (specifically "1408" and "The Road Virus Heads North") by Stephen King, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (which is one of the most beautiful books I've read that captured a love for books unlike any other), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and It by Stephen King.
[Reader Response]: What are some of your favourite or most influential books you've read.
The Hunger Games by suzanne Collins - I know this book has become hugely popular, but before it was, my best friend lent me a copy and said, "You'll hate the writing, but the story is really interesting." It has since turned into one of my favourite books. Even though it is in first person present, which can feel a little awkward, and I loathe Katniss more than any MC I've ever read, I love this book. It's such a great book. For me, great books are all about story. If the story is incredible, the other things just don't matter. This book has a kind of Lord of the Flies plus Battle Royale feel that brings its own uniqueness, which I love.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling - What list wouldn't be complete without Harry Potter? My younger sister was the one to get me into the series. She basically grew up on them. When the first movie came out, I remember watching the scene where Harry lives under the stairs and his cousin runs down them and jumps on them. I thought, "What the heck is this? This is AMAZING." I know it's kind of messed up, but after that, I read the books. To this day, I think Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite.
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong - This book came to me randomly one day when the publisher was letting people read them for free online from their website. Once I started reading it, I didn't stop. I sat in front of my computer for five or six hours to read this book, it was that good. It was dark and interesting and the characters were great. I am always interested in stories that blend reality with the paranormal and try to convince readers (or the main character) that they are just crazy and it's not real. Kelley Armstrong is a wonderful story teller. After I finished the book, I had to go out and buy it and the second book, then wait months for the third one to come out.
The Stand by Stephen King - This is probably the second Stephen King book I read as a child (It was the first). Yes, I said "as a child." Sure, I read Goosebumps (LOVE!) and Sweet Valley High or Babysitters Club (LOL), but I mostly read whatever my dad was reading. It was usually Stephen King or Dean Koontz. But to this day, The Stand is my go to reference for successful and interesting post-apocalyptic fiction. This may even be reflected in my Dark Ascension series. The Stand has everything: Action, Love, Survival, Good vs. Evil. It's just an overall awesome book about the struggle between good and evil and survival.
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull - This book was a case where I bought the book because of its cover. I mean, the story sounded interesting too, but it was the cover that made me want this book. The illustration is just so cool! But in the end, the book turned out to be something amazing. It had a slight Chronicles of Narnia feel to it and fairly accurate lore of mythical creatures. Fablehaven contributed to my realisation that I wanted to take writing seriously. It's great for any age too.There were a few other books that didn't quite make the top five but are definitely in my top 10. They include Everything's Eventual (specifically "1408" and "The Road Virus Heads North") by Stephen King, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (which is one of the most beautiful books I've read that captured a love for books unlike any other), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and It by Stephen King.
[Reader Response]: What are some of your favourite or most influential books you've read.
September 26, 2012
Now Available: Beautiful eBooks with Scrivener
Beautiful eBooks with Scrivener: Master the Compile Function and Create Distribution-ready eBooks
+Get this for Kindle on Amazon
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Please note, Beautiful eBooks with Scrivener uses the original Mac version of Scrivener 2.3. While it may be useful to PC users, it does not discuss specific instructions on how to use the PC version or any other versions.
September 9, 2012
5 Books for Writers I Couldn't Live Without
I was putting away some books on a "new" bookshelf we have that's been sitting bare and waiting for about 4 months, easily. All of my favourite books go near the top, while all of the heavy ones sit on the bottom. As I placed several of my books on writing in the second-to-the-top shelf, I thought about which ones really shaped who I am as a writer today. That's where this post came from, I suppose. While many fiction books helped as well, and I may do a follow-up post on that subject, these are the books on writing that helped me become the sort of writer I wanted to be.
The 3AM Epiphany by Brian Kiteley
- This is probably one of my absolute favourite prompt/craft books. Even though it's not a book on craft in itself, the prompts within it help develop your abilities anyway. When you want a little inspiration or you want ideas on how to push something forward, this book swoops in and saves the day. It's great for creating background stories or for just coming up with ideas, and it does so in a writerly way rather than a "let's brain storm" sort of way.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
- This book should be required reading by every author. If you want to understand the way you work, or if you want to take self-editing to the next level, this book works great. It helped me find some of my trouble areas, to say the least, and it helped me develop my own editing checklist. I kid you not, this book sits on the side-table next to my bed.
Writing Great Books for Young Adults
- This one's a little specific to what I write, but is a good one for anyone interested in writing for the YA crowd. Even though I read a lot of YA, this book can be helpful for those who don't or those who are older than the target audience. Young Adult fiction is a totally different beast than adult fiction and this book is helpful in understanding those differences.
Elements of Fiction Writing - Conflict, Action & Suspense by William Noble
- I'll admit, I could do with a little refresher on this one, but it's another one of the most notable books I own. It's especially helpful for scenes that need a lot of action, but don't feel quite up to par.
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
- This is one of those books that even though I bought and read it when I first realised I wanted to start taking writing seriously, it still comes in handy now that I have a couple of books under my belt. More so than that, it will likely still be helpful when I have a hundred books in my repertoire.
You'll notice that I don't have Ursula LeGuin's Steering the Craft or Stephen King's On Writing on my list. Probably two of the most influential books for fiction writers. The reason, I suppose, is that they are not used on a regular basis for me. When I'm stuck on something while working on a book or short story, I don't go to either of these for answers or for inspiration. I go to one (or several) of the above five. So, while I do recommend Steering the Craft and On Writing, they are not books that I couldn't live without.
The 3AM Epiphany by Brian Kiteley
- This is probably one of my absolute favourite prompt/craft books. Even though it's not a book on craft in itself, the prompts within it help develop your abilities anyway. When you want a little inspiration or you want ideas on how to push something forward, this book swoops in and saves the day. It's great for creating background stories or for just coming up with ideas, and it does so in a writerly way rather than a "let's brain storm" sort of way.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
- This book should be required reading by every author. If you want to understand the way you work, or if you want to take self-editing to the next level, this book works great. It helped me find some of my trouble areas, to say the least, and it helped me develop my own editing checklist. I kid you not, this book sits on the side-table next to my bed.
Writing Great Books for Young Adults
- This one's a little specific to what I write, but is a good one for anyone interested in writing for the YA crowd. Even though I read a lot of YA, this book can be helpful for those who don't or those who are older than the target audience. Young Adult fiction is a totally different beast than adult fiction and this book is helpful in understanding those differences.
Elements of Fiction Writing - Conflict, Action & Suspense by William Noble
- I'll admit, I could do with a little refresher on this one, but it's another one of the most notable books I own. It's especially helpful for scenes that need a lot of action, but don't feel quite up to par.
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
- This is one of those books that even though I bought and read it when I first realised I wanted to start taking writing seriously, it still comes in handy now that I have a couple of books under my belt. More so than that, it will likely still be helpful when I have a hundred books in my repertoire.You'll notice that I don't have Ursula LeGuin's Steering the Craft or Stephen King's On Writing on my list. Probably two of the most influential books for fiction writers. The reason, I suppose, is that they are not used on a regular basis for me. When I'm stuck on something while working on a book or short story, I don't go to either of these for answers or for inspiration. I go to one (or several) of the above five. So, while I do recommend Steering the Craft and On Writing, they are not books that I couldn't live without.
August 20, 2012
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar Review and Giveaway
Today we have a special guest here on the blog: Steven Katriel, author of The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar (A Gothic Horror Novella). To welcome this fantastic author and his gothic horror novella, I will be reviewing the book and giving away a free copy along with a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Read my four star review below, then sign up for the giveaway at the end of this post. Even if you don't win, I highly recommend spending the 99¢ for such a great read. This giveaway ends on August 22nd, so be sure to get your entries in before then. Now onto the review.
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar (A Gothic Horror Novella)
(Description taken directly from Amazon)
When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in the town of Carliton, Gabriel finds only malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become. . .
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar is a NOVELLA of approximately 21,000 words. The novella was previously titled "The Poison of a Smile."
REVIEW:
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar is definitely a gothic horror novella in a style that reminds me a bit of Edgar Allan Poe. Even though I can't tell you how accurate the writing style or voice is for the time period in which the story is set, I can say that this book had all of the things I like about Poe's work without the wordiness and complexity of the writing style. Hopefully this comparison is flattering rather than offensive.
The book is set in the 1800s and has an interesting storytelling method that has the main character reading his beloved's journal as she explains what evil has been brought to them and what is happening to her as well. The author, Steven Katriel, chooses his words carefully and describes creepy events in a way that enhances the mood and atmosphere of the book.
The only downside I found with this story was that it felt like there were a lot of characters and sometimes I got confused as to who was who. I'm not sure if that was due to the storytelling/writing style or my own comprehension ability.
All in all, The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar was a disturbing and fascinating read and would recommend it to anyone who likes dark stories, especially those set in the past.
★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 Stars
Don't forget to enter to win a copy ofthe book and a $10 gift card to Amazon!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar (A Gothic Horror Novella)
(Description taken directly from Amazon)
When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in the town of Carliton, Gabriel finds only malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become. . .
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar is a NOVELLA of approximately 21,000 words. The novella was previously titled "The Poison of a Smile."
REVIEW:
The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar is definitely a gothic horror novella in a style that reminds me a bit of Edgar Allan Poe. Even though I can't tell you how accurate the writing style or voice is for the time period in which the story is set, I can say that this book had all of the things I like about Poe's work without the wordiness and complexity of the writing style. Hopefully this comparison is flattering rather than offensive.
The book is set in the 1800s and has an interesting storytelling method that has the main character reading his beloved's journal as she explains what evil has been brought to them and what is happening to her as well. The author, Steven Katriel, chooses his words carefully and describes creepy events in a way that enhances the mood and atmosphere of the book.
The only downside I found with this story was that it felt like there were a lot of characters and sometimes I got confused as to who was who. I'm not sure if that was due to the storytelling/writing style or my own comprehension ability.
All in all, The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar was a disturbing and fascinating read and would recommend it to anyone who likes dark stories, especially those set in the past.
★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 Stars
Don't forget to enter to win a copy ofthe book and a $10 gift card to Amazon!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 8, 2012
Finding and Working With Cover Artists
This is going to be a two part blog series that talks about cover art. As an indie author/self publisher, there are two main ways to get cover art: Pay someone to do it for you, or do it yourself. If you have the design skills and software necessary, you can easily create a cover for free or cheap using the DIY method. However, not everyone has these things. Hiring someone to create a cover for you can cost a good sum, it doesn't have to be that way. It's all about finding a good deal. So in this post, I'm going to talk about how to find a cover artist, getting the most for your money, and how to work with artists during the design process. In case anyone is wondering about my expertise in this area, I have worked with several artists myself, created my own covers, and worked as an artist/designer for other companies.
What to Expect for Pricing
The reason I'm beginning with price is to help you understand how to approach and work with artists. It's always helpful to have an idea of pricing before speaking with anyone, that way you are prepared and no one is offended. The price of an excellent book cover can vary depending on what type of work you are looking for. To give you an idea, I've been quoted as low as $50 and as high as $600 USD. You can find ebook-only cover prices between $50 and $75 dollars if they are photo-manipulation and print/wrap around covers from $125-$200, which I consider a good deal. There are exceptions, of course, but this is generally what I've seen and what I've worked with. Once you start looking for artists to create illustrations, whether digital or traditional media, you will start getting higher in price. Illustrations take a very long time and depending on the detail can be very difficult to produce. They can even go higher in price than $600, but it's worth it for the beauty of original art.
Here's a little tip on getting a great price for beautiful illustrations without having to pay $300+: Find an artist on a site mentioned below who is taking personal commissions for cheap, and ask them if they would be willing to do commercial work and what they would charge. Often times if they take personal commissions at one price, they will take commercial commissions for 2-3 times as much. So, if the artist charges $50 for personal, their commercial price may be as little as $100! Keep in mind, this is not always the case, but it never hurts to find out. No matter what you do, don't pay a royalty or percentage rate. Only negotiate with flat rates when buying cover art.
One way to save money when purchasing cover art is to buy pre-made covers. There are a lot of cover artists who have pre-designed covers that they sell for cheap and will insert your desired text for you. It's super easy, inexpensive, and can be just as marketable and lovely as custom work. Generally, you can find these for around $25-$60. There are some small downsides to doing this, though. The first is that they are usually only sized for ebooks. So, if you want to change that ebook cover into a print book cover, it may cause some problems down the road. The second issue you might face is that the cover won't be exactly the way you want it. However, this point becomes moot if you happen across something perfect for your project. Heck, some authors even purchase a fabulous pre-made cover and then write a story based on the cover.
Finally, there are ways to find artists looking to build their portfolio who will do the work for free. In cases like this, it's rude to outright ask an artist to do work for free, but if an artist is offering, then it's appropriate to take advantage of the inexpensive (or free!) price. What's the difference? Well, how would you feel if someone came up to you and asked you to write a book for free so they could make money off of it, but all you got in return was "exposure"? Doesn't sound like a good deal, does it? Well, artists don't think so either, but if they are actively looking for experience and offer to do work for free, then that's a great deal for you and it's okay for you to partake. Just don't expect this very often.
Where to Look for an Artist
There are a number of places to find artists depending on what sort of art you are looking for. My two favourite places to look, however, are deviantArt and the KindleBoards. You can also google or ask for recommendations from author friends, but I personally love cruising for artists, especially on deviantART because this is the best place to find inexpensive, good quality work. Keep your eyes open for artists who have a record with successful commissions, though, to keep from having a problem with getting your project completed.
How to Approach and Choose an Artist
Once you have found an artist you like, I suggest contacting them. Tell them a little about the project and see if they are available for commercial work. Also, always ask them for a price quote if their prices are not already posted. Once they respond, be sure to answer their questions and don't forget to ask some more of your own. Here are some things you should ask when trying to decide on an artist:
-Ask them what their commission process is. They will usually give you a sample of how long they expect the work to take, what they expect from you, when they expect payment, when and how the artwork will be delivered, etc. It's helpful to know this, but also it can help with deciding on someone if you are struggling to choose between two excellent artists.
-Ask them how they want to be paid and when they want to be paid. Many artists will allow Paypal, even if they are international. And some artist require partial or full payment up front. Personally, I don't usually work with artists who require full payment up front, but that's a personal preference. Partial upfront or full payment before the final draft is sent, work best for me and help avoid scams or problems. Also, as a side note, I don't work with artists who require payments through Western Union, because of the scams coming through that money business. If you feel comfortable doing so, that's your choice, but I've been burned by WU and so have many others.
-Ask them how many revisions you receive. This one seems minor, but can be very important depending on your vision, communication skills, and the skills of your artist. Don't expect unlimited minor tweaks or revisions after the final payment, though.
-Ask them what rights you will be receiving. Make sure they are giving you the right to post the artwork anywhere you need to and use it for marketing purposes. Also make sure they will not be reselling the work later. And please allow them to post the artwork to their website and in their portfolio. Don't forget to explain that you will credit them in the book and on your website, and anywhere else you can. It's always best to credit them in as many places as possible!
Here are some minor problems that may crop up:
-You ask for a price quote and they ask you for your budget. Sometimes, an artist will be afraid to scare you off with their prices and won't tell them to you. They will insist you give them your budget. This is hard because you are not the artist and you, as the author, can not possibly know how much is an appropriate amount for that particular artist. To avoid the stalemate, give them a price range you are comfortable with that is within your budget. Often times I don't have a particular budget for covers, but I know how much I want to spend and how much I can spend, so I will range it between those two prices. Be sure to let them know that you are flexible.
-You can't decide between two awesome artists. This happens! It's actually a great feeling, but it can be very annoying when you are on a schedule. My suggestion is to compare skill, process, payment requirements, price, and track record. If the first four are equal, I'd go with whoever has successfully done commissions before. The other option is to go with whoever is cheapest, if all else is equal. Really, though, it's up to you on how to decide. Don't ask the artists to compete for the job, whatever you do.
Working Successfully With the Artist
Explain clearly what you would like your cover to be. If you don't have any thoughts or ideas and want to see what the artist can come up with, that can still work, but you want to give them as much information as possible. Some cover artists will give your a questionnaire to fill out, but if they don't, be sure to give them character information, mood and feelings, settings, general concepts, etc. Make their job easier by enveloping them in your world.
If you are working with an illustrator rather than a photo-manipulator, then your project may include a series of thumbnail sketches of which you will have to choose one to become your cover. Keep in mind that during the thumbnail/rough draft stage, the work will not look perfect and sometimes won't even look all the great, but this is how an artist works out the layout and design of the cover. Once you have chosen a design, the artist will usually work on a draft and send it to you for changes and approval. This continues until you have given the final okay.
Don't forget to be polite and don't pester them. A great tip is to try and find as many of your revisions as you can each time before you send it off to the artist. You want to try to have changes done in as few sittings as possible, because it starts to feel tedious and nit-picky to have to find things after the fact and send the revisions back 10 times for tiny problems. By doing it all at once, you minimise this problem.
Payment Process
Depending on how your artist requires payment will depend on how this part will happen for you. Some artists will send you an invoice, while others will not. Either way, be sure to pay in a timely manner. Generally, you should decided on how payment will work before the artist starts. If your artist doesn't give you an invoice, don't worry about it. At the very least, they will request payment through email and Paypal will give you a receipt, so be sure to save it. (If you use another payment service, I suggest saving a copy of your payment receipt in any way you can.)
Once your cover is finished, you will have to approve the final version before you pay. Expect not to get a usable version of your cover until payment has been received by the artist. Most won't give you the final draft until you've paid, especially when they don't take payment until the end. Generally, if you pay partial up front and the rest upon receipt, you may not be able to get a full refund on the first payment if you should cancel before the project is completed. Be sure to discuss this with your artist before agreeing to work together.
General Dos and Don'ts
-DO treat your artist with respect and be polite. These two things go a long way!
-DO credit your artist everywhere you can. (Your website, in your ebook or print book, anywhere and everywhere.)
-DO respond to them in a timely manner. Your artist is on a schedule as much as you are, so minimise the time-wasting.
-DON'T email them excessively. There is no reason to bother them all the time. Art takes time and you might not hear from them for a few days at a time if they are busy working on your cover.
-DON'T expect the artist to be a mind reader. Art is subjective and your artist may not create your cover the exact way you want, even after a couple of tries. Artists are not mind readers. Be patient and clear about what you want, and they will get there.
What to Do If Something Goes Wrong
It doesn't happen often, but there are things that might make your experience less than desirable. For example, if you haven't heard from your artist in weeks, but they said the cover would take eight days. In cases like these, it's appropriate to email them to find out what's going on. It's okay to part ways with your artist if you are not satisfied, but be warned that you may have to pay for some of the work they have already started. Communication and respect are the keys to a successful contract with a cover artist. Make sure you are prepared upfront for any issues that could occur and stay in contact with the artist without being obnoxious.
So, that's it for the advice and thoughts on working with a cover artist. Hopefully, I covered everything. If not, feel free to leave me a comment and I'll answer to the best of my ability.
[READER INTERACTION] Have you ever worked with a cover artist? What's your favourite part of the process? Do you prefer hiring out, or doing it yourself, or both?
What to Expect for Pricing
The reason I'm beginning with price is to help you understand how to approach and work with artists. It's always helpful to have an idea of pricing before speaking with anyone, that way you are prepared and no one is offended. The price of an excellent book cover can vary depending on what type of work you are looking for. To give you an idea, I've been quoted as low as $50 and as high as $600 USD. You can find ebook-only cover prices between $50 and $75 dollars if they are photo-manipulation and print/wrap around covers from $125-$200, which I consider a good deal. There are exceptions, of course, but this is generally what I've seen and what I've worked with. Once you start looking for artists to create illustrations, whether digital or traditional media, you will start getting higher in price. Illustrations take a very long time and depending on the detail can be very difficult to produce. They can even go higher in price than $600, but it's worth it for the beauty of original art.
Here's a little tip on getting a great price for beautiful illustrations without having to pay $300+: Find an artist on a site mentioned below who is taking personal commissions for cheap, and ask them if they would be willing to do commercial work and what they would charge. Often times if they take personal commissions at one price, they will take commercial commissions for 2-3 times as much. So, if the artist charges $50 for personal, their commercial price may be as little as $100! Keep in mind, this is not always the case, but it never hurts to find out. No matter what you do, don't pay a royalty or percentage rate. Only negotiate with flat rates when buying cover art.
One way to save money when purchasing cover art is to buy pre-made covers. There are a lot of cover artists who have pre-designed covers that they sell for cheap and will insert your desired text for you. It's super easy, inexpensive, and can be just as marketable and lovely as custom work. Generally, you can find these for around $25-$60. There are some small downsides to doing this, though. The first is that they are usually only sized for ebooks. So, if you want to change that ebook cover into a print book cover, it may cause some problems down the road. The second issue you might face is that the cover won't be exactly the way you want it. However, this point becomes moot if you happen across something perfect for your project. Heck, some authors even purchase a fabulous pre-made cover and then write a story based on the cover.
Finally, there are ways to find artists looking to build their portfolio who will do the work for free. In cases like this, it's rude to outright ask an artist to do work for free, but if an artist is offering, then it's appropriate to take advantage of the inexpensive (or free!) price. What's the difference? Well, how would you feel if someone came up to you and asked you to write a book for free so they could make money off of it, but all you got in return was "exposure"? Doesn't sound like a good deal, does it? Well, artists don't think so either, but if they are actively looking for experience and offer to do work for free, then that's a great deal for you and it's okay for you to partake. Just don't expect this very often.
Where to Look for an Artist
There are a number of places to find artists depending on what sort of art you are looking for. My two favourite places to look, however, are deviantArt and the KindleBoards. You can also google or ask for recommendations from author friends, but I personally love cruising for artists, especially on deviantART because this is the best place to find inexpensive, good quality work. Keep your eyes open for artists who have a record with successful commissions, though, to keep from having a problem with getting your project completed.
How to Approach and Choose an Artist
Once you have found an artist you like, I suggest contacting them. Tell them a little about the project and see if they are available for commercial work. Also, always ask them for a price quote if their prices are not already posted. Once they respond, be sure to answer their questions and don't forget to ask some more of your own. Here are some things you should ask when trying to decide on an artist:
-Ask them what their commission process is. They will usually give you a sample of how long they expect the work to take, what they expect from you, when they expect payment, when and how the artwork will be delivered, etc. It's helpful to know this, but also it can help with deciding on someone if you are struggling to choose between two excellent artists.
-Ask them how they want to be paid and when they want to be paid. Many artists will allow Paypal, even if they are international. And some artist require partial or full payment up front. Personally, I don't usually work with artists who require full payment up front, but that's a personal preference. Partial upfront or full payment before the final draft is sent, work best for me and help avoid scams or problems. Also, as a side note, I don't work with artists who require payments through Western Union, because of the scams coming through that money business. If you feel comfortable doing so, that's your choice, but I've been burned by WU and so have many others.
-Ask them how many revisions you receive. This one seems minor, but can be very important depending on your vision, communication skills, and the skills of your artist. Don't expect unlimited minor tweaks or revisions after the final payment, though.
-Ask them what rights you will be receiving. Make sure they are giving you the right to post the artwork anywhere you need to and use it for marketing purposes. Also make sure they will not be reselling the work later. And please allow them to post the artwork to their website and in their portfolio. Don't forget to explain that you will credit them in the book and on your website, and anywhere else you can. It's always best to credit them in as many places as possible!
Here are some minor problems that may crop up:
-You ask for a price quote and they ask you for your budget. Sometimes, an artist will be afraid to scare you off with their prices and won't tell them to you. They will insist you give them your budget. This is hard because you are not the artist and you, as the author, can not possibly know how much is an appropriate amount for that particular artist. To avoid the stalemate, give them a price range you are comfortable with that is within your budget. Often times I don't have a particular budget for covers, but I know how much I want to spend and how much I can spend, so I will range it between those two prices. Be sure to let them know that you are flexible.
-You can't decide between two awesome artists. This happens! It's actually a great feeling, but it can be very annoying when you are on a schedule. My suggestion is to compare skill, process, payment requirements, price, and track record. If the first four are equal, I'd go with whoever has successfully done commissions before. The other option is to go with whoever is cheapest, if all else is equal. Really, though, it's up to you on how to decide. Don't ask the artists to compete for the job, whatever you do.
Working Successfully With the Artist
Explain clearly what you would like your cover to be. If you don't have any thoughts or ideas and want to see what the artist can come up with, that can still work, but you want to give them as much information as possible. Some cover artists will give your a questionnaire to fill out, but if they don't, be sure to give them character information, mood and feelings, settings, general concepts, etc. Make their job easier by enveloping them in your world.
If you are working with an illustrator rather than a photo-manipulator, then your project may include a series of thumbnail sketches of which you will have to choose one to become your cover. Keep in mind that during the thumbnail/rough draft stage, the work will not look perfect and sometimes won't even look all the great, but this is how an artist works out the layout and design of the cover. Once you have chosen a design, the artist will usually work on a draft and send it to you for changes and approval. This continues until you have given the final okay.
Don't forget to be polite and don't pester them. A great tip is to try and find as many of your revisions as you can each time before you send it off to the artist. You want to try to have changes done in as few sittings as possible, because it starts to feel tedious and nit-picky to have to find things after the fact and send the revisions back 10 times for tiny problems. By doing it all at once, you minimise this problem.
Payment Process
Depending on how your artist requires payment will depend on how this part will happen for you. Some artists will send you an invoice, while others will not. Either way, be sure to pay in a timely manner. Generally, you should decided on how payment will work before the artist starts. If your artist doesn't give you an invoice, don't worry about it. At the very least, they will request payment through email and Paypal will give you a receipt, so be sure to save it. (If you use another payment service, I suggest saving a copy of your payment receipt in any way you can.)
Once your cover is finished, you will have to approve the final version before you pay. Expect not to get a usable version of your cover until payment has been received by the artist. Most won't give you the final draft until you've paid, especially when they don't take payment until the end. Generally, if you pay partial up front and the rest upon receipt, you may not be able to get a full refund on the first payment if you should cancel before the project is completed. Be sure to discuss this with your artist before agreeing to work together.
General Dos and Don'ts
-DO treat your artist with respect and be polite. These two things go a long way!
-DO credit your artist everywhere you can. (Your website, in your ebook or print book, anywhere and everywhere.)
-DO respond to them in a timely manner. Your artist is on a schedule as much as you are, so minimise the time-wasting.
-DON'T email them excessively. There is no reason to bother them all the time. Art takes time and you might not hear from them for a few days at a time if they are busy working on your cover.
-DON'T expect the artist to be a mind reader. Art is subjective and your artist may not create your cover the exact way you want, even after a couple of tries. Artists are not mind readers. Be patient and clear about what you want, and they will get there.
What to Do If Something Goes Wrong
It doesn't happen often, but there are things that might make your experience less than desirable. For example, if you haven't heard from your artist in weeks, but they said the cover would take eight days. In cases like these, it's appropriate to email them to find out what's going on. It's okay to part ways with your artist if you are not satisfied, but be warned that you may have to pay for some of the work they have already started. Communication and respect are the keys to a successful contract with a cover artist. Make sure you are prepared upfront for any issues that could occur and stay in contact with the artist without being obnoxious.
So, that's it for the advice and thoughts on working with a cover artist. Hopefully, I covered everything. If not, feel free to leave me a comment and I'll answer to the best of my ability.
[READER INTERACTION] Have you ever worked with a cover artist? What's your favourite part of the process? Do you prefer hiring out, or doing it yourself, or both?
July 6, 2012
Author Interview: Courtney Vail
As part of the Kindle INDIEpendence Day giveaway happening this week, I thought I'd post an interview with one of the other amazing authors participating. Then, at the bottom of this post, be sure to click the link to the giveaway page and enter to win a Kindle Fire, a Kindle, or a bunch of amazing young adult and children's books. Here's Courtney Vail and her YA book, Kings & Queens.
Kings & Queens is a gritty, twisty Young Adult mystery thriller. When 17-year-old tomboy Majesty Alistair can't budge police in her sleepy, rich town after overhearing two fellow students planning a church massacre, she aims to ID the nutjobs herself before they act. But, their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and she becomes the centerpiece in a ruthless game that casts even her closest friends under suspicion.
Buy link: http://amzn.to/LWaqXa
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always loved writing and majored in Jornalism Advertising, so I was aiming for a copy writing and design carrier. But I got bitten by the novel bug through my husband. He wanted to start writing short stories for publications and received all these query packets and he also took a remote writing class through the Stafford Institute and received a few of the books in the Write Great Fiction Series. I read them and was inspired with an idea for a novel and wrote away. After reading more and more books on craft, I realized my first book had major issues, so I wrote another one, Kings & Queens. I poured everything I had into this book and polished it up with the help of some awesome reviewers at thenextbigwriter.com. I now know, novel writing was what I was always meant to do. I am so glad my characters found me!
Why do you Indie publish?
I was shopping Kings & Queens to agents, and though I got some great feedback and some requests for partials and fulls, no bites. My book is good, but on the surface it doesn’t have that oooo concept right up front. The best part of it is the surprises that come in along the wild rollercoaster ride. And that’s a hard thing for an agent to sell to publishers. There’s no juicy sound bite, so to speak, there.
I had some early readers asking me how my characters were doing and I wanted to know too. So, I wrote a sequel Sapphire Reign for fun, which opens ten years later, but after receiving some love for it, I decided it was too weird and different and good to get possibly stuffed because it doesn’t hit the same market. When a Big Sixer offers you a 2 or 3-book deal, it’s for one imprint and market. And I didn’t want SR to end up being just a self-pubbed companion book with a different cover and layout. So, my vision of success changed, being that I craved to go traditional through all the lovely gatekeepers, but that just didn’t work for this series. There was too much risk in that direction. So, I set out to find a smaller publisher that would give me more flexibility in doing what I wanted to do with the series. Me and my book are happily with Little Prince Publishing. I have creative control, flexibility and cool authors to support me. Oh, and I get all my royalties!
What inspired you to write your book?
The three main characters came to my mind first. I just pictured this girl named Majesty as a manager of a baseball team on which her two best friends, Alec and Derek, play. And each one commands her attention for different reasons. But, that’s all I had. Those three weirdos just stumbling around in my brain. That wasn’t enough plot for me. I needed plot. I crave plot. Something suspenseful preferred. But I had nothing. Then one night I dreamt I was running for exercise and overheard these two guys planning a church massacre and I escaped them in this little town. Boom! That gave me exactly what I needed and the location too. And then my story grew and grew into something totally unexpected and awesome. I’m kind of glad I had all that time to get to know and ponder my characters first. When the plot came to me, I was able to just write fluidly, with them popping off the pages.
What are three things you want people to know about you or your book?
Kings & Queens is a twisty, complex, gritty read. It is not for the faint of heart nor for those who prefer simple, breezy beach reads. It requires some mental thought and will take your mind on a whirlwind trip and back. If you’re looking for a read that doesn’t feel like anything you’ve ever read before, that’s suspenseful and weird, then this is the book for you.
What advice do you have for parents to encourage their kids to read more?
To study genres, skip around to some MG and YA blogs and look for what’s hot and interesting to other kids of that age. If your kids see you taking a vested interest in books and know that you’re on the look for cool books, rather than telling them what they can and can’t read, then you can engage on a new level and be excited about books together.
Website: www.courtneyvail.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/kingsandqueensnovel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cvwriter
Don't forget to enter to win a Kindle Fire!
Kings & Queens is a gritty, twisty Young Adult mystery thriller. When 17-year-old tomboy Majesty Alistair can't budge police in her sleepy, rich town after overhearing two fellow students planning a church massacre, she aims to ID the nutjobs herself before they act. But, their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and she becomes the centerpiece in a ruthless game that casts even her closest friends under suspicion.Buy link: http://amzn.to/LWaqXa
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always loved writing and majored in Jornalism Advertising, so I was aiming for a copy writing and design carrier. But I got bitten by the novel bug through my husband. He wanted to start writing short stories for publications and received all these query packets and he also took a remote writing class through the Stafford Institute and received a few of the books in the Write Great Fiction Series. I read them and was inspired with an idea for a novel and wrote away. After reading more and more books on craft, I realized my first book had major issues, so I wrote another one, Kings & Queens. I poured everything I had into this book and polished it up with the help of some awesome reviewers at thenextbigwriter.com. I now know, novel writing was what I was always meant to do. I am so glad my characters found me!
Why do you Indie publish?
I was shopping Kings & Queens to agents, and though I got some great feedback and some requests for partials and fulls, no bites. My book is good, but on the surface it doesn’t have that oooo concept right up front. The best part of it is the surprises that come in along the wild rollercoaster ride. And that’s a hard thing for an agent to sell to publishers. There’s no juicy sound bite, so to speak, there.
I had some early readers asking me how my characters were doing and I wanted to know too. So, I wrote a sequel Sapphire Reign for fun, which opens ten years later, but after receiving some love for it, I decided it was too weird and different and good to get possibly stuffed because it doesn’t hit the same market. When a Big Sixer offers you a 2 or 3-book deal, it’s for one imprint and market. And I didn’t want SR to end up being just a self-pubbed companion book with a different cover and layout. So, my vision of success changed, being that I craved to go traditional through all the lovely gatekeepers, but that just didn’t work for this series. There was too much risk in that direction. So, I set out to find a smaller publisher that would give me more flexibility in doing what I wanted to do with the series. Me and my book are happily with Little Prince Publishing. I have creative control, flexibility and cool authors to support me. Oh, and I get all my royalties!
What inspired you to write your book?
The three main characters came to my mind first. I just pictured this girl named Majesty as a manager of a baseball team on which her two best friends, Alec and Derek, play. And each one commands her attention for different reasons. But, that’s all I had. Those three weirdos just stumbling around in my brain. That wasn’t enough plot for me. I needed plot. I crave plot. Something suspenseful preferred. But I had nothing. Then one night I dreamt I was running for exercise and overheard these two guys planning a church massacre and I escaped them in this little town. Boom! That gave me exactly what I needed and the location too. And then my story grew and grew into something totally unexpected and awesome. I’m kind of glad I had all that time to get to know and ponder my characters first. When the plot came to me, I was able to just write fluidly, with them popping off the pages.
What are three things you want people to know about you or your book?
Kings & Queens is a twisty, complex, gritty read. It is not for the faint of heart nor for those who prefer simple, breezy beach reads. It requires some mental thought and will take your mind on a whirlwind trip and back. If you’re looking for a read that doesn’t feel like anything you’ve ever read before, that’s suspenseful and weird, then this is the book for you.
What advice do you have for parents to encourage their kids to read more?
To study genres, skip around to some MG and YA blogs and look for what’s hot and interesting to other kids of that age. If your kids see you taking a vested interest in books and know that you’re on the look for cool books, rather than telling them what they can and can’t read, then you can engage on a new level and be excited about books together.
Website: www.courtneyvail.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/kingsandqueensnovel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cvwriter
Don't forget to enter to win a Kindle Fire!
July 1, 2012
Kindle INDIEpendence Day Giveaway
Win a Kindle Fire for your kid!
It is time for the second annual Kindle INDIEpendence Day giveaway. This year we have even more authors and prizes. Contest begins July 1st and ends July 7th!
Grand Prize: 1 Kindle Fire
1st place: 1 Kindle with special offers
2nd place: a choice of 20 free ebooks from the 29 participating authors
3rd place: a choice of 15 free ebooks from the participating authors
There are tons of ways to enter including tweeting about the contest, following the authors on facebook or Twitter, blogging about the contest and even purchasing the participating books. Just fill out the rafflecopter form below!
This is also a blog hop. Be sure to visit the other blogs on the list and learn more about Indie authors of YA and MG novels. You can add your blog and get extra entry points as well!
Did you know that you can earn 10 extra entries by purchasing a copy of Land of No Angels or any other participating authors' book? Earn an easy 10 points by doing so! Also, you can earn between 5 and 25 additional entries by writing a review and posting it on any of the sites listed in the giveaway box below.
Good luck everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
