IngramElliott Publishing
  • Welcome
    • About
  • Film & TV
  • Titles
    • A Call to China
    • Benny Moon: Racing the Medicine Wheel
    • Benny Moon Eats Dirt
    • Benny Moon Saves the Standing People
    • Between the Ocean and the Stars
    • The Button Collector
    • Clown William
    • Clown William and the Lincoln County War
    • Clown William and the Wind of Vengeance
    • The Cornbread Letters
    • Crooked Lines
    • First Line of Defense
    • Highlights of Palmistry
    • Hungry
    • Indian Country
    • Island Whispers
    • JuJu Justice
    • Medicine Hat Moments
    • Ms. Mulligan and the Enchanted Ice Cream
    • Mystery Muffin & Soda Pop Slooth: The Legend of Mr. Creepy
    • Mystery Muffin & Soda Pop Slooth: The Ghost of Crippler's Creek
    • Path of the Half Moon
    • Courses of the Cursed
    • Merging Paths
    • Surrender
    • TimeLock
    • TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy
    • The Timestream Verdict
    • Whispers on the Wind
    • WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure
    • WWCC Heroes
  • Submissions
  • News & Updates
  • Shop
    • IE Merch Mall
    • Amazon
    • Barnes and Noble
  • Contact

Golden Age...Golden Authors

8/22/2016

0 Comments

 
We're reading lots of articles about the golden age of independent publishing and we love it. According to journalists and bloggers who follow publishing, the independent publisher can stay more connected to their unique community of readers, take more risks on uncommon content, and can pivot in the marketplace much quicker than larger publishers. According to a recent article on digitalbookworld.com, the market is showing growth and the "most exciting" sector in publishing is independent the world over. Smaller publishers can react more quickly to trends but stay focused on the bottom line - an important combination. The independent publisher is the natural reaction to media consolidation over the last few years. Indies give the authors a platform to be expressive and broaden their horizons. Even with the positive outlook, we believe the key lies with our authors. It's a dreamy concept, but we understand it's the authors and their words - on paper and in their own community and reader events - that make the golden era "golden." They are the voice of independent publishing when all is said and done. The most successful authors reach their readers by seeking real connections with readers. Whether through a half-hour a day of social media interaction, a local library book reading, or a writers group presentation, it's the authors who make the connections required to sell books and create lifelong relationships with readers. And at the end of the day, isn't that ... golden?
0 Comments

Cover story...it's all about the cover.

8/3/2016

0 Comments

 
You know you've done it. Walked through your favorite bookstore and picked up a book SOLELY because of the cover. It could be vintage and romantic, bold and graphic, movement and action, or classic and literary - but a good cover will draw you in. Next, you flip it over and review the back cover blurb. It has to catch your attention in the first couple sentences or the party's over. If it loses you, the book gets discarded and you move on to the next sparkly object.

​Book covers are the most important marketing tool an author or publisher has at their disposal. Think of them as mini-movie posters, it's the same concept. You have ten seconds TOPS to draw in your reader or viewer and convince them they want, no need, to read your book or watch your movie.

​Celebrities help, flashy review blurbs help. But those aren't always available to new authors. So what's a writer (or publisher) to do? Hit 'em with your best shot. When working with a publisher, it's important to have a concept ready for what visually represents your book. You're the creator, you know your book intimately. Think about what images floated through your head while you were writing the book. What one or two key images or action sequences rise to the top?

​Although publishers will work with professional designers and artists on your cover, many of them (like us) are interested in your visual concepts and ideas for the cover. There are even times when authors have a special artistic talent and can contribute graphical elements to the story that they've created.

​Covers, like a book's positioning in the market and genre/theme, follow trends. Search for titles that are similar to yours. Check out the best-sellers and their covers. Note the ideas, themes, colors, design and look and feel elements that you like. You can share these with your publisher to give them an idea of what you feel represents your book.

Romance titles, for example, have gone from the Fabio-clinch days to more love-based visuals to chick-lit high heels...and back again. Read more about romance cover evolution in this illuminating Publisher's Weekly article. Regardless of genre, each cover must distinguish itself from the competition but still work within a brand aesthetic—all while enticing readers to give something new a try, but still represent the story readers expect. Whew!

​All this is to say - you don't have to be an artist or designer to have a great idea for an eye-catching book cover. All you have to do is close your eyes and let the images speak for themselves.
0 Comments

      Join our mailing list

    Subscribe

    Archives

    March 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    June 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    10 Years
    Adobe
    Advertising
    Amazon
    Austin Film Festival
    Author Interview
    Author Platform
    Authors
    Awards
    Barnes & Noble
    Bestseller
    Blog Tours
    Blog Writing
    CIBA
    Contests
    Editing
    Events
    Gift Guide
    Gifts
    Goodreads
    Holidays
    IBPA
    Independent Publishers
    IndieBound
    IngramElliott
    IPPY
    Marketing Books
    Merchandise
    New Releases
    NIEA
    Podcast
    Publishing
    Reading For Kids
    Reviews
    Social Media
    Uncommon Publishing
    Virtual Assistant
    Writing Tips

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
©2015-2025 IngramElliott, Inc.
  • Welcome
    • About
  • Film & TV
  • Titles
    • A Call to China
    • Benny Moon: Racing the Medicine Wheel
    • Benny Moon Eats Dirt
    • Benny Moon Saves the Standing People
    • Between the Ocean and the Stars
    • The Button Collector
    • Clown William
    • Clown William and the Lincoln County War
    • Clown William and the Wind of Vengeance
    • The Cornbread Letters
    • Crooked Lines
    • First Line of Defense
    • Highlights of Palmistry
    • Hungry
    • Indian Country
    • Island Whispers
    • JuJu Justice
    • Medicine Hat Moments
    • Ms. Mulligan and the Enchanted Ice Cream
    • Mystery Muffin & Soda Pop Slooth: The Legend of Mr. Creepy
    • Mystery Muffin & Soda Pop Slooth: The Ghost of Crippler's Creek
    • Path of the Half Moon
    • Courses of the Cursed
    • Merging Paths
    • Surrender
    • TimeLock
    • TimeLock 2: The Kyoto Conspiracy
    • The Timestream Verdict
    • Whispers on the Wind
    • WWCC Heroes: Pablo's Adventure
    • WWCC Heroes
  • Submissions
  • News & Updates
  • Shop
    • IE Merch Mall
    • Amazon
    • Barnes and Noble
  • Contact