The mysteries of cover design

Worth a read is the great piece in a recent issue of The Wall Street Journal about cover design for books and the process publishers use. The author describes the process—there were nearly 50 revisions—for the bestselling The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. What's important to note is that the publisher and executives had very specific feelings and positioning they wanted to convey with colors, design and type.

Many authors approach their publishers with ideas. (Some publishers ask, some don't. Very few authors are granted "cover approval.") And often, authors have a very set idea of what they want their cover to be. However, as an author, trust your publisher to know how to sell and market your book—the cover and title being the two biggest pieces of that equation.

When most publishers go into the cover-design process, the editor is there to ensure that the design accurately reflects the book's content and intended audience. The publisher and sales teams are there to ensure the cover will reach people in the marketplace and help sell the book, and the marketing (and publishing teams) are there to ensure the cover works for the category, type of book and reader. Are all authors thrilled about their book cover? No, but if you trust your publisher and know they have a process, you might find that they didn't miss the mark.

Positioning, pricing, color, category, paper, interior design—all fall into what publishers call "look and feel." These pieces, together, help build a successful product—even if you don't like the ultimate cover design.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.