Or Diary Of a New Writer – Faux Pas Edition! Oh well, if you can’t laugh at yourself, someone else might as well laugh at you, right?
Ah, book cover design. Remember how I said it was the fun part? I should have known some of my words would come back to haunt me. Because it’s turned into a nightmare! (Ok, that’s a little dramatic… NO, it’s not! Waah!) Book three of my series is finished. I’ve done everything I can possibly do to it. I’ve had the beta readers preview and proof read. My friend Kevin (of former publishing house fame) is back in town and I might pester him for one final look. After that it’s time to upload it. But there’s a problem…
Pay attention, everyone that read Diary of a New Writer! I discovered last week, purely by chance (and thank goodness I did), what it feels like when another writer uses the same template for their cover from the on line cover creator!
Ugh! Serves me right for being a cheap ass. And what’s worse? It was for a dining guide! *Smacks forehead* Anyway, the obvious solution is to try, try again. Enter the awesome folks at NCS Studios. It’s time to quit messing around and do this right. I have an appointment on Monday.
First, we’re going to work on a brand new cover for, Run For It, Book Three in the Bucks County novels. Then we will revisit Three Empty Frames and Seeing Red. Because, you guessed it, I used the same template for both of them! (Idiot)
Remember the trouble I was having uploading the cover to Smashwords? How I was being denied from their premium catalog? This is going to fix that, too. With a professionally designed cover, image quality won’t be an issue. This will allow the series to be pushed out to iBooks, Nook and Kobo. And that is a really cool thing for a series writer.
At least the novel is finished, all 87,000+ words of it. If you’re curious, I wrote a short story prequel to it, earlier this month. I might do one more before the book comes out. Now I have to work on my blurb and update my author biography. I might actually have some professional photos done. (With a fuzzy lens so I look like Diane Lane in 1999! Bah!)

While the pros work their magic, I’ll get back to writing. Book four is nearly finished, I’m making notes for book five. My World War One novel is brewing in the cauldron on the back burner. No wonder I’m tired…
(Images courtesy google images and IMBD)
Back to the drawing board for the cover then. I hope it goes well and you get a great cover. How long will it take to get that done?
As for your professional photo – I would get that done, especially if you look as good as Diane Lane (yes, I was looking at her boobs, they’re very nice). How are you going to market it?
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I’m not sure how long it will take. I guess it depends on how busy the graphic designers are. I only look like Diane Lane in my dreams! Maybe our eyebrows are the same! And we’re both caucasian females 😀
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I’m sure around Christmas they’re not busy at all lol
I don’t know – I’m sure on close inspection there are even more similarities lol
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I would just say the he’ll with it and go for the cleavage shot. It can’t hurt, right??
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Hahaha! Maybe they can photoshop my face onto her body!!! If it sells some books… :p
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Taking one for the team — I like that!
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Sorry for the cover issue but at least you caught it in time. And that you’d get a kick ass cover of your dreams.
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Thanks! Yes, I’m pretty excited to work with a ‘real’ graphic designer!
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Hell, I hate this autocorrect stuff, lol
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Haha I knew what you meant!!
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All good things come to those who wait. Wishing you the best.
Diane
IWSG #85
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Thanks Diane!
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Wise people have said not to judge a book by its cover but it’s bitter truth we do. Most of us open a book in a book-store either because the cover grabs our attention or the title does or both do!
You are doing the right thing by working extra hard for these!
I wish you all the very best for release. 🙂
Love and light ❤
Anand 🙂
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Oh that’s true! Darn, I should’ve used that for my post title! I’ll be keeping everyone updated after I meet with the designers! Love and light!
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Hahaha, yes! Cheers 😀
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I hope all goes well with the new cover design. I had no idea all that was involved in cover design and the fact that your template could be used by someone else.
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Yes, live and learn! At least with the cover creator free templates. Create Space does offer paid design services, but I prefer to deal with a local business for the work. I’ll be doing updates as I go! Thanks!
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Book Cover seems to be really important these days. I see people being attracted to books merely because of an attractive cover (I am guilty of it too – at times).
I hope your book cover comes out as you wish. I am designing my own for the NaNo novel, maybe with ‘Because, Love!” I will go with a professional designer.
Thanks for yet another amazing post! 🙂
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Thanks, Rashmi! I definitely have some clear ideas on how I want it to look just lacking technical expertise!
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Meg, I can feel the hairs on my skull screaming abandon ship. All this time I thought that the book cover was the easy part. Why do we insist on punishing ourselves by writing? We would have less stress laying bricks. lol I am certain you will find an excellent cover for your book. Keep plowing ahead.
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Oh I know! Thanks for dropping by! Updates will be forthcoming…
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Let us know how it ends up
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First of all, Diane Lane IS gorgeous. If I were that attractive I’d never have to use my brain. Ha! Second of all, how on God’s green earth (although not so green around here this time of year) do you find the time to write so many novels? Seriously. No. Seriously. xo Whitney
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Ha! Well, the first 3 books actually flowed like one long story. One picks up right where the previous one left off. I started the first one in June of 2014 and am just now publishing the 3rd. I write like it’s a job, a really, really fun job. I am fortunate in that my office hours are my own to set. So I work Monday, Wedenday and Friday seeing patients and Tuesday and Thursday are free for me to write. And do the other household stuff, which admittedly has suffered as of late! I’m like you, too, in that I get up pretty early and have a chance to write for an hour or two in the morning before the regular day starts. Maybe I’ll do a post about all this! Thanks for the idea! xo
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Fantastic! And yes, please do a post on when in the heck you find time to write. Early bird gets the worm! 🙂 xo
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Better late than never! And good grief woman, I don’t know how you do it all!
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Sometimes it feels like my brain is exploding!!!
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I feel like that everyday lately 😆
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hope it goes well! Can’t wait to see!
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Whatever happens, happens for a reason! The incident happened with the Book covers only so that you could up your game. I am sure many more good things will come your way! Its a sign!
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I’m trying to look at it that way, too! The very fact that it will solve my issue with publishing on Smashwords is a super positive thing! It means having a whole new audience for the book series!
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