Day 2: Panel Discussion: Book Cover Design & Interior Layout
Book Cover Design & Interior Layout
Description: Alexa talks with Tamara Dever, Michelle Argyle, and Margaret Cogswell, about book covers and layouts.
Format: Panel
Level: This presentation is for all levels.
Alexa Bigwarfe
Author, Publisher and Summit Producer
Alexa Bigwarfe is a wife, mother, author, publisher, speaker, and author coach. She has published numerous books of her own and for many other writers and entrepreneurs through her author coaching and hybrid-publishing company Kat Biggie Press (katbiggiepress.com). Kat Biggie Press is dedicated to sharing women’s works of inspiration, self-help, and books that make the world a better place. Her children's book imprint, Purple Butterfly Press, publishes books of encouragement, inspiration, self-love, and healing for children and parents. She is also the founder and producer of the Women in Publishing Summit. Follow her everywhere on instagram @katbiggiepress and on youtube for publishing tips at https://www.youtube.com/writepublishsell.
Tamara Dever
Founder, TLC Book Design
Tamara Dever is founder and CEO of TLC Book Design, an Austin, Texas-based book design and author services company. Tamara is passionate about creating beautiful-yet-functional designs for dedicated publishers of all sizes and has been presenting at conferences, in person and online, since the mid-1990s. Her dedicated team has been bringing books to fruition for over 25 years and shares more than 200 awards with their clients. She’s co-author of the award-winning guide and journal for authors, My Publishing Journey. The words used most often when describing her and her work include “encouraging,” “integrity,” and “exceeded expectations.” Tamara holds a BFA in Graphic Communications from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where she designed her very first published book cover in 1990. She was art director for Magna Publications, Comstocks Magazine, and Sacramento Bride & Groom Magazine prior to taking TLC full time. In her spare time, Tamara is often found cheering for the Packers, donating design to church-related causes, or jamming to ’70s and ’80s music.
Michelle Argyle
Designer
Hi! My name is Michelle Argyle. I’ve been designing for 20 years and have created hundreds of covers and other design materials. I originally created Melissa Williams Design for a small publisher back in 2010. Since then, I have branched out to many other clients. MW Design is owned by MDA Books, which is the business name I use to publish my fiction on the side. As for design, I get crazy excited about supposedly mundane things like white space and fonts, and find no greater joy than transforming someone’s idea into a piece of art. Details are everything. I live in the Rocky Mountains, where I find every excuse possible to go hiking and be outdoors. I also enjoy writing and have 10 publications to my name.
Margaret Cogswell
Owner-Lead Designer MCD
My goal at MCD is to design and develop a plan to sell your book. More than 8 years as a graphic designer, book designer and website developer has given me insight into what it takes to produce a “successful” book and bring your vision to life. We combine great design with current business & digital marketing techniques that work and continue to sell books year after year.
Mentioned in this video:
- General graphic designers don’t know the specific details of what is required / common / and even know the pieces and purposes of a books cover
- A well trained cover designer is trained in the different elements that should be on a book can coach you as a self-published author
- How often covers that were designed by friends or non book-cover trained graphic designers have to be redesigned
- Why hiring a professional designer can save you so much heartache and headache in the long run
- The range in pricing with working with designers
- Why it’s important to interview a couple of different designers before choosing one
- Caution on premade covers and really cheap designer sites
- Tips for finding the right cover designer
- Research!!!
- What it’s like to work with a designer
- The Mockup process
Resources
- IBPA Standards Checklist https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/standardschecklist
- My Publishing Journey Book by Tamara Dever: https://tlcbookdesign.com/my-publishing-journey/
[bctt tweet=”Join us as we talk about #bookcover design and #layouts with @TLCBookDesign, @mwbookdesign and Margaret Cogswell today @womeninpublish1. #womeninpublishingsummit #amwriting #ampublishing” username=”writepubsell”]
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