Is it me or does it feel that my last post was only a few days ago? Okay, maybe it’s just me.

April has been a super busy month for me, and with a looming deadline with my editor for my next book I feel like I’m in some twilight zone where not much else exists.

When it comes to publishing a book, you start with the writing. The idea comes to you for a story, or characters talk to you, maybe someone says something to you in the supermarket that gives you an idea, anything goes but you until you do the writing there is no story to publish.

What I learned as a new author is that there is so much more than writing. You can have the best story out there if you don’t have a few other things in place too. If you self publish, like I do, you find an editor, proofreader, and anyone else you feel will support you with making your story the best. You think of how you will market your book all the way from before the book is out, to the launch and post launch marketing.

The book cover has to be part of the marketing strategy, and this is what I will talk about today because for the last month, apart from writing the book, covers have been the hottest topic of discussion for me.

Let me tell you why by introducing you to my very first cover.

I love this cover so much. The bright colours, the position of the elements, and the best thing about it is the story. In May 2017 I had a holiday in Portugal and stayed only a small drive away from a location I featured in the book I was writing. It had been a few years since I’d been there and because one of the most important moments of the book happened there, I wanted to revisit and see the place with my author eyes.

I ended up taking lots of photos of the place using just my iPad.

A month later I attended an event for work and as I was pulling out of the car park someone driving a Red Citroen 2CV pulled in right next to me.

What does Ana do?

Ana does a happy dance, waits in her car like a stalker for the man to leave and then snaps a bunch of photos of the car on her phone.

See, my granddad had a red Citroen 2CV which he used to call Ladybug. We all loved it so I felt it was an homage to my granddad and his car to feature it in the book.

You can see how personal this cover is to me. Not only did I take the photos, the actual location and car mean something.

Okay, so now you’re thinking, oh yes nice story, pretty cover, what’s your problem?

Well, I didn’t think I had one, at least not with the cover.

A friend planted a seed in my head a month ago and it hasn’t gone away.

I haven’t been very successful with amazon and Bookbub ads. I won’t go into the detail and stats, but the purpose of placing ads is so you can reach more readers. Not everyone is on social media, and it takes a long time to build the established readership some authors already have, especially if you’re new and don’t release that often.

So I asked myself, what if it IS my cover that is the problem?

I spent the last month looking at covers in the genre and here are some of my reflections.Please take this with a pinch of salt because there is more to market a book than a cover.

-When it comes to the books I write there is a more or less standard formula for a cover. Semi naked guy with a background, sometimes mostly plain and sometimes with aspects from the story, but the guy is on his own.
-Broody guy in suit is also popular.
-A lot of the authors who don’t follow the formula are already established, and have a readership. They will get to number 1 based on loyal readers which will make them visible to new readers too.
-My covers are similar in style to a different sub-genre within LGBT romance so are readers clicking on the advert, reading the blurb and dismissing it? Once again I didn’t realise it until someone pointed it out.
-I had to face my own bias and admit to myself that I don’t bother with a book that features that blond model that is on all the covers (you know the one). I don’t even read the blurb. I also judge a book by its cover!

After many conversations, including one over afternoon tea, because why not, I decided to change the covers of my series so they fit the genre better. It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, and it’s not final either because I’m going to do some testing on Bookbub to see if I will get more clicks with a different cover.

This isn’t about judging readers for judging a book by its cover. We all do this and anyone that says they don’t I’d encourage them to have a look at their kindle library. Not at the books they have there but the ones they haven’t read.

This is about understanding the market so we can survive in a competitive industry. For me, at the moment is about breaking even so I can continue doing something I love so much.

And as a reader if you want to know what you can do to help authors you read and love this won’t come as a surprise:
-leave a review on Amazon/Goodreads/Bookbub. It’s enough to say “I couldn’t put it down”, “liked it but preferred the other book in the series”, “not my cup of tea”. You are reviewing for other readers.
-Share a release on social media so other readers can see it.
-Be nice and say hi.

Till next month…