KNOWING WHAT DOESN’T WORK CAN HELP YOU FIND WHAT DOES WORK!
Now all these many months later, I can see that the faux pas of the first book cover design was an important stepping stone on our way to finding a cover we both did agree on. You see, after the presentation of the initial book cover design, I knew I had to be very clear, not only about my wish to be involved in the book design process, but also on my vision for the book cover.
Consequently, I wrote a lengthy email to my editor, Andrew at White Lion, outlining why this cover wouldn’t work and suggesting new ideas on what direction we should head towards creatively instead. I’m delighted to report that Andrew took my concerns seriously and, without any pushback, allowed us to start from scratch together, brainstorming a new approach and design for the cover.
The publishers were keen for the cover to feature only typeface, aiming for a lifestyle rather than a cookbook feel (as it’s not a cookbook). They believed this approach made the most sense from a marketing perspective, enhancing the book’s appeal to bookshops and sellers. I was happy to follow their lead on this aspect, and we quickly agreed on that part of the cover design.
In turn, I emphasized the importance of a cover that felt more sophisticated, feminine, and mature. I was hence keen for a complete change of colour way and font. To clearly convey my vision, I put together a moodboard which was shared with the designer. We then had a joined meeting to flesh out all our ideas, and from there the designer set to work!
You can see some of the initial book cover designs that arose following our re-direction below. None grabbed me at this stage, but I was excited to start with a clean slate and after some back and forth with the publisher, we felt that the cover design in the middle had potential to turn into something more interesting…
