Leading to Change - Getting a cover designed
This article contains an associate link to a book I purchased and read on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here in Los Angeles, I volunteer quite a bit. Volunteering is such a great way to meet people and contribute to a vibrant community.
One of the volunteer groups I am a member of is the Los Angeles Yacht Amateur Radio Club. And it was at a monthly Radio Club meeting that I made a new friend, David Calloway. I liked David right away. He was outgoing, articulate, friendly, and welcoming. David was also working on writing a book, just like I was!
In the following months, I looked forward to exchanging stories with him at our monthly meeting. “How’s the writing going?” I would ask. “How do you plan to publish your book?” I prodded. Always patient, David answered every question I ever asked him about his self-publishing journey.
And then one day at our meeting, David shared with me the cover of his new book.
I WAS BLOWN AWAY!
The book cover was one of the best I had ever seen; you can see it below.
I asked David who designed his cover. He was kind enough to provide me with contact information for his cover designer, Susan, who turned out to be a neighbor!
Susan and I talked via phone.
“Tell me a bit about what you’re hoping for?” Susan asked.
“Well, it’s a book about change, uncertainty, ambiguity, volatility, complexity… so I’m looking for something that encapsulates all that. Also, since I’ll be publishing on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Platform (KDP), I want to make sure the cover has a lot of contrast because I want it to look good on a black and white e-ink screen.”
I provided Susan with examples of other books that shared a similar theme and relayed some things I knew about how the human mind perceives uncertainty. Things like slants, triangles, etc.
A few days later, she sent me some sample covers.
Honestly, none of the designs struck me right away. A common problem I have is wanting something to be “the same.” I was looking for a design like David’s. But, of course, my book is nothing like David’s. Leading to Change has a very different message and needs a cover that resonates with a different crowd. So, I decided not to reply to Susan immediately, instead testing the various covers on my Kindle to see how they looked. Then, I slept on it.
Overnight, the designs began to resonate with me… I have a favorite, but before I share which one, I like best, I wanted to ask for your feedback. Do any stand out to you?
Getting back to David Calloway’s book, If Someday Comes: A Slave’s Story of Freedom, it’s excellent. I liked it so much that I bought the Kindle version and two paperback copies. At a recent neighborhood community meeting here in LA, David performed a book reading and autographed copies for folks. I mailed a copy to my mom and kept one for myself.
That’s how the cover design process began, by networking at a volunteer event, by meeting people who are on a similar journey, or who share a common interest.
But the story of my book’s cover isn’t done yet. You can chime in and let me know which design you liked best and provide suggestions. Please reach out by visiting my Contact page. I look forward to hearing from you.
Oh, and one last thing! I plan to start a newsletter about change and leadership called Perspectives. Please sign up for my mailing list, by visiting my newsletter page.
