Branding of covers -- what if one book doesn't fit the look

[Nat]

So, I have a problem. I have two novellas out and a novel in the works and I have branded covers for them all (which I love). Now I also have a short story that fits between the novellas and the novel.

My cover artists have since doubled their prices and are booked out for 8 months. (It's hard for me to get an expensive cover for a story that I'd be giving away.)

How terrible is it to have a story in a series but doesn't have a cover that fits with the branding?

I'm tempted to just attach the story to the end of the second novella and leave it as a 'free to read' on my website and just skip the whole idea of making it a separate book to read.

Or is it okay to have a cover that just doesn't fit the artistic branding for a short story?

Thoughts?

[Nat]

@Alex, yes I use DDD too... and I love them, but it's kinda pricey now for a freebee. I'll still go with them for my full novels though (Because I really do like them). And I agree, it kinda rubs me the wrong way too if the cover isn't in the same style.

@VM, thanks for your thoughts. I was thinking of bundling for an Instafree, or something, but those still need snazzy covers. I hadn't thought of doing it through Wattpad or anything like that.

I don't really have the font... it's more of a branded picture for the Wielder World logo that I don't think I can recreate at all. I'm really daft at any photoshopping.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[P.D.]

The branding on those covers doesn't look too complicated. You could get someone else to do a similar cover for the third.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

P.D. Workman (Pamela) wrote: "The branding on those covers doesn't look too complicated. You could get someone else to do a similar cover for the third."

That's what I was thinking.

[Christina]

If the book is a side story or companion to a series, I don't see any need to keep it within the same style as the series itself. I did a prequel for my trilogy and went with a different style entirely. As long as you note somewhere in the description or title what series it's from, it shouldn't matter.

[Marie Silk]

That's a bummer about the wait time and prices. I think that branding is important but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Maybe you can get a predesigned cover that looks similar enough to belong? Your covers are amazing, by the way!!!

[Nat]

P.D. Workman (Pamela) wrote: "The branding on those covers doesn't look too complicated. You could get someone else to do a similar cover for the third."

Really? ... Umm, so I would just contact any old cover artist, show them my existing work and ask them to emulate it? Really? I didn't think that would be easy to do.

I'll give it a try.

[Nat]

Christina wrote: "If the book is a side story or companion to a series, I don't see any need to keep it within the same style as the series itself. I did a prequel for my trilogy and went with a different style enti..."

That is what I was wondering... but it's not a prequel, but comes in the middle, so I felt it should follow the pattern more.

I would definitely make it obvious it was within the series.

Thanks, Christina!

[Annie]

My OCDness is a sucker for matchy-matchy branding but I actually don't think it's THAT important as long the cover fits the genre. I reckon people who love the first 3 books will buy your short story even if all you stuck on it was a plain black placeholder haha! No, really. I believe this.

I've changed my covers so many times that most readers have quite a hodgepodge-looking series. I'll admit I do have some who contact me asking for the latest/current versions (which I personally help them get updated on Kindle) but that's never stopped em from clicking buy in the first place. Thank goodness! XP

I'm a fan of your covers, btw!! x

[Nat]

Marie Silk wrote: "That's a bummer about the wait time and prices. I think that branding is important but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Maybe you can get a predesigned cover that looks similar enough to b..."

Thank you! I like them too. I am not sure how easy it will be to find a pre-design that's close, but I am going to have to do some searching. Maybe that will be my weekend chore. :) Or find an artist who can mock something up close that is a bit cheaper.

[Nat]

Annie wrote: "My OCDness is a sucker for matchy-matchy branding but I actually don't think it's THAT important as long the cover fits the genre. I reckon people who love the first 3 books will buy your short sto..."

I'm a bit OCD on this too, and my aesthetic wants them to all look the same.

Glad your cover jumping as worked! I can understand wanting a matching set. ;) Gotta collect them all.

And thanks! I'm really pleased with my covers too. I just wish they didn't jack the price up so much since I last bought them.

[Jon]

Do you have plans for other short stories in this series? If so, you could take the opportunity to create a separate (but complementary) look for the short stories. As they are likely to be free stories, you could have simpler designs that could be put together more cheaply/quicker to save you time and money when producing them.

As long as the short story design had a clear strapline ("A Wielder World Story" or something like that) then I think it would be clear that they are part of the same universe of books.

I like the two novellas and their black plus one colour look, and I think you could stick with that same approach (just simplified) for a short story design. A black background and a one-colour image, or even just text in that colour, would fit within your branding, even though it wouldn't be exactly the same.

[Christina]

Reminder that selling, recommending, or offering services is not allowed within SIA.

[M.L.]

I would try to keep it as close as possible; color is a unifying factor even if other things are not the same.

[Nat]

Jon wrote: "Do you have plans for other short stories in this series? If so, you could take the opportunity to create a separate (but complementary) look for the short stories. As they are likely to be free st..."

Yeah, I wanted to keep it similar... I don't even know the font that was used. I guess I can always ask.

I wasn't planning on more short stories. This short actually was the first thing I'd written for the world... it just fits in between and I wanted to do something with it. Maybe put it out right before the novel.

So, Yeah, single color, same tag line... It won't be fancy. Just need to find someone to do it now.

Thanks!

[Nat]

M.L. Roberts wrote: "I would try to keep it as close as possible; color is a unifying factor even if other things are not the same."

Thanks. I agree. I like the idea of them all looking the same. It's just not going to happen. Hopefully 'close' will happen. Whether just through color or tag line.

I am still floundering, but it's good to have everyone's opinions.