The Importance Of Having A Face

Thanks to Zen Mateyka for designing such a beautiful cover!  I couldn't ask for a better graphic designer, or friend.

A book cover is never just a book cover.  It's a billboard, a press release, a PR opportunity.  It lets the reader know what's in store for them.  Is your book a mystery?  A romance?  A thriller?  We should know as soon as we look at your cover.

If you're planning on writing more than just one book, here's something to keep in mind: you are now a brand.  Your book isn't your brand, it's just a product of it.  You are your brand.  Your name.  Your face.  Your style.  Which means your book cover doesn't just represent the book it covers, it represents you.

Now would be a good time to start thinking about what you want your brand to be.  What kinds of books do you want to write?  What is the overall tone going to be?  Who is your target demographic?  Perhaps most importantly, what parts of yourself are you willing to market to the world, and what are you going to keep private?

If these sound like big concepts, they are.  But they're worth thinking about, especially if you're standing at the edge of the pond and contemplating taking the plunge.