Book Covers

If/when you begin to query agents, you would NOT send a cover along, no matter how much you like it. A cover happens after your agent sells your book to a publisher--and the publisher is the one who creates it, not the author.

Whoa, slow down there little fella or little lady. Cart before the horse. You are a LOOOONNNNG way away from thinking about a cover. I'd focus on making your query the best it can be. Baby steps.

You'll have a nice piece of art that a friend did for you, so that should be plenty good.

But yeah, what an agent sees if someone insists on sending a cover as part of a submission is someone who doesn't have an understanding of how the process works and when having a cover actually matters.

FurlerByers said:

Thought so... just got very carried away. Thanks for the clarification!

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You're taking a bit of a risk if you do this, but it's up to you to take that risk. Just keep in mind, in the vast majority of cases, the agents will lay out their exact guidelines and formatting rules for sending a query. A cover is usually not part of that. So by sending it, inadvertently or not, you are also communicating to the agent, "I don't follow rules." And that could color their perception of how difficult you may be to work with. I would never tell a writer what to do, but always keep in mind when you do stuff like this, you are putting yourself at risk. It's just a question of whether you think the risk is worth it.

I have a friend who is "trying" to be a published author who has covers designed for every novel she is in the process of writing (some even look really good). Yet she never really wants anyone to read her work for fear they won't like it. I hope you don't fit in her profile, since she will never get a book published.

Write the book. Finish the book. Rewrite the book so it reads better. Send it to a few readers for their opinion. Take their opinions into account on the next rewrite. Edit the book to correct everything you possibly can. Then rewrite it to be tighter and a better read. Then let some other readers look at it. Rewrite it again to correct all the stuff you missed and consider the suggestions of your latest readers. Then write query letters and send them. Keep sending until an agent requests the book. Sign the contract when you finally get one negotiated. Cash the advance check when the book sells and go to dinner. When the book hits the shelves and you get author's copies to distribute, admire the cover they put on it.

Jeff

Shoeless said:

You're taking a bit of a risk if you do this, but it's up to you to take that risk. Just keep in mind, in the vast majority of cases, the agents will lay out their exact guidelines and formatting rules for sending a query. A cover is usually not part of that. So by sending it, inadvertently or not, you are also communicating to the agent, "I don't follow rules." And that could color their perception of how difficult you may be to work with. I would never tell a writer what to do, but always keep in mind when you do stuff like this, you are putting yourself at risk. It's just a question of whether you think the risk is worth it.

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It's not a matter of "taking a risk". It's a matter of "No. Don't do this. At all." And it also shouldn't be a matter of "inadvertently" sending the cover with the initial submission; such things as cover art, music composed for the soundtrack, extra McDonald's gift certificates intended as a bribe to get the intern to pass the submission on just that much more quickly, etc., should be kept away from the query and/or necessary pages and not included. In this case, don't be afraid to tell another writer "you shouldn't do this" because...you shouldn't do this.

One step at a time, and you are not at that step.

Everyone wants a shiny cover. And there's nothing wrong if you have either the time to draw/create one yourself or the money to pay someone else to do it to have a cover mocked up. Some folks find that helps them get through the revision process because it's easier to keep in mind that goal of having the finished thing in your hands.

But (and this is a big one) unless you self-publish, you should know that cover is just for you. An agent won't want or need to see it. Nor will an editor because the publisher (assuming you get that far, which is the goal, right?) will create their own cover. So, if you want the pretty shiny thing to keep the excitement alive while you polish and query and all that fun stuff then you should do it. But don't send it as part of the query or submission packet because it will make you look like an amateur which is not what you want.

Some cautions about covers: be careful about trusting an agent or publisher who allows an author to provide their own covers. It can happen effectively, but it's rare.

By all means, make your 'dream cover', but keep it for yourself. In 2014 I made a cover for the book coming out next month. I'd intended to self-publish. Then it found a great little publisher...who provided an *amazing* cover. Worth the wait!

I just wanted to add - feel free to make yourself a mock cover if it makes you feel like the book is more "real." I do mock covers for each book I'm working on, but it's just for me, and I know 100% that the cover will never see the light of day (nor will my titles, in all likelihood).