Tips to Working With Cover Designers

I have learned some important things when it comes to working with cover designers and illustrators. The cover is a very important part of the book. The title, subtitle, and presentation of the cover is going to be the first hook the reader has. You want to make sure that it all comes together to support the topic of your book.
   
- Many times, the designer will want to meet with you personally so that they can get a good feel for what you are looking for. They may request to read a portion of  your book so they understand fully what you are trying to convey to the reader.  

- Bring as much information and detail as  you can to the meeting. The more you have, the easier it will make the designer's job resulting in a lower cost for you.   If you already have an actual picture, bring that to them.

- Make sure to be specific with your timeline so that they understand when you are expecting to have it finished.

- The designer wants you to be happy with their work. Communication is key to this.   They may try different fonts and colors. Respectfully, give your feedback. If you are not happy with something, let them know and also let them know what you do like about their work. They are working for you and want referrals to come their way so they will go above and beyond the call of duty to give you what you want.

- Trust your designer. This is their job. Many times, they will know what will capture the reader's eye better than we do.

With my second book, I had had a general idea for the front cover but I had something very specific in mind for the back cover.   I wanted chains and a lock as I talked in the book about being bound by the chains of our past.

When I received it, the front cover was beautiful! I was so happy with it. I was anxious to see the back cover. Instead of locks, however,  there was a watermark of a baby's face. I was not very pleased. I emailed the designer and asked if he could please place the lock and chains on it as I had asked. Then I softened and explained that I thought it was a beautiful picture that he used, but it took my breath away and I was not prepared for it. I then asked if he could send me what I had requested so that I could look at the pictures side by side.   He did exactly as I asked and what I had been so set on having on my cover honestly looked dumb compared to the one he had chosen to use.

I was thankful he had a bigger vision than I did for the topic of my book. I knew if it had made that big of an impact with me, it surely would with others as well.  

Writing is a process!

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The Secrets Behind the Eyes
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Write! Write! Write!

The weekend is here! Carve out some time for writing. Worlds are right at your fingertips!  If you are not quite sure what you would be best at, experiment. Write different styles of poetry and poetry directed to different audiences.  I love to write about deep feelings but then other times I just like to be silly with my poems. Most of the time I write what's on my heart, but in recent years, I have been assigned topics. Stretch yourself.

Try your hand at short stories. This has been very interesting for me. I have never limited myself on word count, but recently I have been trying my hand at some freelance articles.  They limit the word count. It is harder than it sounds.   To pack a mystery or a romance story into 800 words and still be able to hook the reader and provide all the story elements has proved to be quite the challenge for me.

Decide if you are more interested in writing fiction or nonfiction.  "Write what you know" is a piece of advice that has been very helpful. What do you know?  What experiences have you had in life? What are some unique opportunities you have had? You can incorporate what you know into fiction or nonfiction.

Everyone has something to offer.   There are things you have been through that other people need to hear about. It may be to inform them or to let them know that they are not alone in the world.   Many people are afraid to speak up and be transparent about their own lives for fear of judgment. They feel they may be the only ones who are dealing with a particular issue.   There is a huge amount of relief for them when they realize somebody else can identify with their struggles.

Here is a bit of advice: you can't write wrong! I'm sure English teachers hate it when I say that and I know that there are certain rules that we have to follow.   Ultimately, though, you are the writer. There may be reasons for some of the punctuation you use or the sentence fragments that are implemented.   Even if you have an editor go through your work with a fine-tooth comb and it is returned to you all marked up in red, you get the final say. You know what you are trying to communicate.

So have fun writing! I get the privilege of being a part of a writing conference tomorrow where we will be encouraging others to use their writing gifts.  I am looking forward to it!

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"I'm healed!"

As adults, it seems more difficult to accept things on faith. Sometimes prayer can be our last resort. I have been thinking about the youth in my life a lot lately and their faith seems so unwavering, so sure, so pure.

I picked my grandson up one day and I took him out for a treat.  We sat down at the table and he exclaimed in his four-year-old voice, “Gramma! You need to be prayin’ for me!” He had my attention and I asked him what was going on. “I’m not feeling good. I have been sick and you need to pray that God heals me!” I assured him I would.  

I was amazed that at four years old he would see the importance of asking someone to pray for him in his sickness. It encouraged me knowing that if he had that concept down NOW what a powerful prayer warrior he will be when he is older. 

Sometimes when I pray, I feel it is more out of hope than expectancy, but kids just seem to have such a strong faith that when something is prayed for, they expect it to happen. I love it! What an example to me!

I remember when one of my sons had blood work done when he was four and his platelets were very low.  The physician’s assistant nonchalantly said that could be found many times in kids with leukemia and wanted to recheck it in two weeks. What?! I didn’t understand how he could use my son’s name in the same sentence as the word leukemia and then tell me we had to wait two weeks before discussing things further! 

Every night for two weeks my husband and I prayed over our son HOPING God was hearing our cries. We took him back in and the blood work was the same and so was the PA’s response, “Come back in two weeks.”  This time my husband was on the phone with the clinic demanding something more solid than that. He wanted to know the possibilities, the probabilities, anything that would help our minds wrap around what we might be dealing with.   A physician called us and explained that we would do one more set of labs and go from there.  So we prayed and prayed.

The night before my son’s next appointment, my husband and I knelt next to his bed instructing him that we were going to pray.  Laying his head on his pillow, he folded his little hands and closed his eyes. When we said amen, we opened our eyes expecting to hear him mimic our response as he always did, but he didn’t this time. We looked at him and he opened his eyes and smiled so big. He formed his fingers on both hands into the shape of guns. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and said, “I’m healed!” My husband and I looked at each other and giggled and kissed him on the forehead.

We took him in the next day for his labs. A couple of days later, the doctor called and said, “Everything looks great, his platelets are back up to normal.” For a  little guy of four years old to hear his mommy and daddy praying over him over something I’m sure he didn’t understand, I don’t think he knew enough to HOPE for the best. He expected our prayer to be heard. He expected to be healed. For four weeks we poured our hearts out, but he seemed to know the minute those cells were touched by his God.

A child’s faith is so amazing! We need to not get bogged down by the clutter of the world and remember how big our God is!  Expect great things from a great God!