# About to give it up.



## Warren Williams (Feb 25, 2012)

True confession day. I've hit a new low in self esteem and confidence. Three chapters in with my latest novel (my fifth) and I have no inspiration and very little drive to finish it. Don't get me wrong. I love to write, but what I don't love is spending money for editors and promotions that have yet to pay for themselves. The latest with KBoards Bargain Book Promo and Bargain Booksy generating a whopping eleven sales. Quite discouraging.

I don't know if the problem is my lack of writing skills, poor social networking, too much competition in the genre, or all of the above. I'm 74 years old. I don't _tweet_. I do have an Author Page, a Facebook page, and a blog. All of my books are fiction, mystery/thriller, with an 85k word count and up with mostly favorable reviews (what few there are). The protagonist in the last four is an aging county sheriff serving in the panhandle of Oklahoma.

I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems. Probably should have checked with this forum for feedback. It's gray and cold outside and maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I'm about ready to throw in the towel. I think I need a hug.


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

You have nine reviews, all pretty good. That's gold. 

I'm sorry sales are low. It's really hard to start out these days, and you only have one book, and the publishing landscape is changing all the time. I mean, traction is hard. With a bunch of books. With one? It's _really_ hard.

I'm sorry you've been so discouraged! It's not always fun or easy to change a hobby into a business. Only you can decide how much you want to put into this. (There are days I really miss just writing for myself!!)

Now a tiny bit of advice:

Honestly, if you had to spend money on one aspect of publishing and do the rest yourself (even if that's not ideal) the cover matters most.

That's what people see first. Most of us who make our own covers (and I've totally done it) are selling ourselves short. Literally. We are getting fewer sales because the first impact of the book--the first glimpse--doesn't let people know the genre, and that it looks professional.


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## M. Fox (Oct 16, 2014)

Warren, I just read a page or so of Fuegos and your prose is good. Plus the reviews are enthusiastic. I think the most obvious shortcoming is the cover. I would definitely spring for a professionally done cover for all of your books.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Here is a hug, some jelly beans and 35 cents.  Your reviews look good.  I must ask have you ever promoted any of your books anywhere.    Your covers look good, your blurb looked good.  Now I will see if your book is any good.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

I'm sorry you're feeling down about things. For what it's worth I think your stories sound good, but your covers and blurbs aren't doing you any favours. I'd definitely work on them. 

(Also, you don't need to tweet if you don't want to.)


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## I&#039;m a Little Teapot (Apr 10, 2014)

Warren Williams said:


> I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems.


I think you've answered your own question. From what I can see the covers are your biggest problem.


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## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

I agree, you need a new cover. I read your preview, and in my opinion, you write well, so a cover is easier to fix.  

One thing though... unless you spelled the title that way on purpose (part of the story), The Fires in Spanish is Los Fuegos not El Fuegos. And I'm not sure if having the title in Spanish when targeting an English-speaking audience might be the way to go.


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## anotherpage (Apr 4, 2012)

Warren Williams said:


> True confession day. I've hit a new low in self esteem and confidence. Three chapters in with my latest novel (my fifth) and I have no inspiration and very little drive to finish it. Don't get me wrong. I love to write, but what I don't love is spending money for editors and promotions that have yet to pay for themselves. The latest with KBoards Bargain Book Promo and Bargain Booksy generating a whopping eleven sales. Quite discouraging.
> 
> I don't know if the problem is my lack of writing skills, poor social networking, too much competition in the genre, or all of the above. I'm 74 years old. I don't _tweet_. I do have an Author Page, a Facebook page, and a blog. All of my books are fiction, mystery/thriller, with an 85k word count and up with mostly favorable reviews (what few there are). The protagonist in the last four is an aging county sheriff serving in the panhandle of Oklahoma.
> 
> I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems. Probably should have checked with this forum for feedback. It's gray and cold outside and maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I'm about ready to throw in the towel. I think I need a hug.


BIG HUG MY FRIEND

I just came out of a 3 week downer. Couldn't get past 1 page lol

Step back, sleep, rest and let ideas perculate around.

Invest in a good cover ( you can get premade ones for $50 to $75 ) that can do wonders.


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## Allyson J. (Nov 26, 2014)

A nice pre-made cover will run about $40 (less if you buy in bulk). I used James at GoOnWrite.com for my pre-mades. His work is good and easily affordable. 

Best of luck! Don't get discouraged--covers, etc are easy fixes!!


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Allyson Jeleyne said:


> A nice pre-made cover will run about $40 (less if you buy in bulk). I used James at GoOnWrite.com for my pre-mades. His work is good and easily affordable.


I love Goonwrite. I can spend hours sniggering at his titles and author names.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I was looking at his No Refuge cover.


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## hardnutt (Nov 19, 2010)

Yes, I'd get yourself a professional cover. And if you're planning a series, make sure the designer knows this and that you want them branded.

I've done my own covers, too. And while I've done my limited best to give them a 'brand' with a three-colour (more or less!) design, a mystery 'look' and very legible fonts, I've always been aware that they don't stand up to comparison to the Real McCoy.

That's why, with the help of a tax refund from HMRC, I'm awaiting the first of my customised and branded covers.

But I'd definitely start now on this. Don't wait, as I did, until you've got a whole heap of the things to pay for. That's no joke!


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## over and out (Sep 9, 2011)

Hi Warren,

I also looked at your writing, blurb and cover and echo what others are saying. Your writing and blurb are very good.  I think it would be worthwhile to update the cover to something more reflective of your genre. 

You mentioned you are working on your 5th book. I had a quick look at your other books - they are a series yet the covers aren't branded as such, and the images and type could be changed up for greater impact. You have good reviews, and that's huge.

I also noticed that one of your books is in KU but the rest of the series is not.  Something to consider is having all books in the series available on whichever platforms (KU or wide) you choose.  

Feel free to PM me if you would like specific feedback, because I have some ideas for you.  All just my opinion for what it's worth.

This is an ultra competitive business and it's very easy to get down.  I don't spend much time on social media either as I prefer to spend my time writing the next book.

What's great about you is that you already have a bunch of books and they have all the elements to be successful. You just need a few tweaks.

And one last thing- you should update your KBoards signature to show all your books


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## harker.roland (Sep 13, 2014)

Hi Warren,

I agree with the above that the cover might be holding you back. Why spend the money on every other aspect but punt the first thing a customer sees to DIY?

IMO you should hire a cover designer to rebrand the cover/ series and release the 4 your have in the can once a quarter for the next year. That coupled with your reviews should give you a bump, if not take off considerably.


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## anniejocoby (Aug 11, 2013)

Virtual hug, Warren. Your post made me cry. I know what it's like to feel unloved and like nobody will ever give a care about you. Hopefully it will pass if you can get not just some confidence but a game plan. 

You only put one book in your signature. I'll check out your other books a little later (I'm in the middle of a WIP that's due this week), but tell me more about yourself. Are you writing a series? 

I will tell you one thing, and it's going to open a can of worms (it always does). But I have three permafrees that funnel readers into my series. They've literally been life savers for me. I've tried introducing readers to my series without permafrees, and I've never been successful. Those 11 sales you got with Bargainbooksy? I had similar results when my book "Broken" was .99 and I advertised with them. I tried other ads as well when Broken was .99, and I don't think that I got any sales at all. Nada. It was sad. And, bear in mind that "Broken" was the fourth book I wrote and was related to my previous series. And the "Broken" series was finished when I started this promoting. So, yeah, it's hard to get traction. It was hard for me, too.

I made "Broken" permafree, and that made all the difference. That series sold around 25,000 copies last year, almost all of them after I made "Broken" permafree. The second book in that series went to around #500 in the UK Kindle store and stayed in the top 1000 for about six weeks. That series was responsible for me making around $6000 on iTunes in one month.  All after the first book went permafree.

Even now, one year after it has been published, the second book in that series rarely falls out of the top 20,000 on the US Kindle store.

So, that would be the first step I would take if you have a series out there. Make the first book permafree - you got nothing to lose at this point. And then try to get ads for the permafree. It might get things going. I hope it does!

Anyhow, again, virtual hugs to you. 

Modified to add that I agree with the others, too, about branding your series with similar covers. That's crucial - look at Wayne Stinnett and Rosalind James for examples of perfectly branded covers. If you have a series, you have to make sure readers know this. Also, add links into all of your books, leading the reader into the next book. I put my links for the next book right after I write the last paragraph of the book. I just skip a line and put "If you want to know what happens next, don't miss_______!" And then I insert the link right there. And below that is my link to my mailing list.


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## David VanDyke (Jan 3, 2014)

Ditto on the cover. A good cover is your best sales tool. Get something that immediately conveys the genre.

Change the title, especially of the first book. The title need to be evocative of the genre. Something like "Murder in the Panhandle," for example, would be a far better title.

Get some touchstone references into your blurb. "Fans of the Longmire books will love this series of modern western mysteries, set in the Oklahoma panhandle..."

Once you've done those things, go permafree with book 1. Right now you have absolutely nothing to lose by taking that chance. Once you have done that, a whole world of inexpensive promo opportunities will open up to you. Cruise the promo threads for information on the best sites.

***

Was writing this post at the same time Annie above was...notice how we told you the same things, and we both are full-time authors making a living at this.


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## matt44west (Feb 4, 2015)

Don't give up... no way. Your prose looks good. I don't like the cover though. I'm in the same boat as you––have to spring for a cover designer. Seems like a bunch of people think that'll help.


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## David VanDyke (Jan 3, 2014)

Matt - yes, you need new covers, in color. I like the designs, though.


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## Randall Wood (Mar 31, 2014)

Totally agree with Annie, with the library you have you could do well with a permafree.*

*After you have new, branded covers. Ones that don't make me think the book is in spanish.

And I PM'd you.


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## John Ellsworth (Jun 1, 2014)

Alan Petersen said:


> I agree, you need a new cover. I read your preview, and in my opinion, you write well, so a cover is easier to fix.
> 
> One thing though... unless you spelled the title that way on purpose (part of the story), The Fires in Spanish is Los Fuegos not El Fuegos. And I'm not sure if having the title in Spanish when targeting an English-speaking audience might be the way to go.


Exactly. English, man.


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## Shelley K (Sep 19, 2011)

The covers are where you should put your money, not editing, if it's an either/or situation. Get the books proofread cheaply as you can, and get professionally-done covers. They don't have to cost an arm and a leg. But I would _not_ go with premades in your case.

It looks like 3 of your books are in a series, featuring the same character. I can't tell that at a glance. You need branding, so that the covers look nice individually but look like part of a series. The 4th book should also look similar enough that it looks like it belongs in your catalog.

You're in a super-competitive and full genre, so it's an uphill battle to get noticed. Having good, branded covers can only help.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Hey Warren, sorry to hear you're down. Here's a virtual hug from a stranger =)


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## Randall Wood (Mar 31, 2014)

Took a closer look at your books Warren and I wanted to add another thought.

You're too cheap.  

420 pages is long these days. With that length of a story and the reviews you have I'd be thinking of going higher, say $4.99, especially if you make the first one free. 

Also, I can't tell which book is first, second, etc...


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## Censored (Oct 31, 2014)

Warren Williams said:


> I don't know if the problem is my lack of writing skills, poor social networking, too much competition in the genre, or all of the above. I'm 74 years old. I don't _tweet_. I do have an Author Page, a Facebook page, and a blog. All of my books are fiction, mystery/thriller, with an 85k word count and up with mostly favorable reviews (what few there are).


"What few there are?" Dude, from what I see you have almost 120 reviews total over 4 books, all with well over 4.0 averages. Your worst ranked books are ranked comparably to my best ranked books. Believe me, I've been where you are emotionally, but at the same time it's hard for me to comfort you when you are already in a vastly more successful place than myself and many, many, many others.

Frankly, yeah, the covers could use work, but the most problematic thing that stands out to me here is that your first book was published in 2010 and you have only four books. Unless you're working across multiple pen names, you're moving kinda slow by indie standards. Publish faster to try to build momentum and get your name out there. That's the name of the indie game, IMO.

Write more books. Consider new covers. Consider perma-free for your first-in-series. But ultimately, I think this is a case that calls for perspective, more than anything. What are your goals? What is your measure of success? Are your goals and win conditions in line with what you're doing to get there?

Chin up, my friend. No virtual hugs from me. Just a pat on the back for what, from where I'm standing, looks like a job well done.

EDIT: Also, I'd re-evaluate your expectations as far as advertisements/promotions go. Indie publishing is the only field where I've ever seen the expectation that an ad for one product--often a loss-leader--will get 100% ROI from day one. There are plenty of free/inexpensive advertisers. Unless you have a specific strategy, such as advertising a loss-leader to drive sales to your other products, I wouldn't pay more than $10 for a single ad, myself. On that note, have you tried Bknights on Fiverr? I've had great luck with them. Cheers.


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## Tommy Muncie (Dec 8, 2014)

*hug* yet another from a virtual stranger, but here's something perhaps better:

I read the opening of Roadside after linking through your Amazon page, and as openings go you've got a pretty good one. Not sure I'm your reader exactly but I am a pretty seasoned workshopper, and what you've written works. It's clean, it has a style, and it put me in the location through the eyes of someone interesting. Any book like that could command a solid following. I agree with some of the others that it could do with some better covers...I didn't know you'd written a series just from looking at them. They don't look good next to each other and they don't suggest the books could be linked. If you're tired of spending money and want to work with a reduced budget, I'd put a good amount of it into covers. I can recommend the people who did the one I have (so far) and they're not hideously expensive.

My advice, stick at it. Even if you never make your money back or get a huge following, you can at least have books to be proud of. They're part of building a legacy and no-one can take them away from you no matter what.


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

I read the sample of 'Fraidy Hole' and actually like the cover and title, and really liked what I read. You're good. I agree the other covers need updating though. I hope you don't give up!

.


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## Guest (Feb 11, 2015)

A.A said:


> I have no idea what Warren's goals are, but he can aim for whatever he pleases.


If you care, why not ask him?


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## Warren Williams (Feb 25, 2012)

Wow! Lots of love out there. I feel uplifted! Great advice from so many people; permafree, branding as a series, a little work on the blurbs, and the biggie -- better covers, especially the covers. Alan, you are right about the title El Fuegos of course. I used an on-line translator. Poor research. Yeah, probably should not have gone with Spanish and stayed with The Fires. 

Gracias to all. Writer's Café rocks!


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## 77071 (May 15, 2014)

Sorry, I didn't realize you'd written more than one book!


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## SunshineOnMe (Jan 11, 2014)

(((((((((((((((big hug)))))))))))))))))))))))


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## Donna White Glaser (Jan 12, 2011)

Hugs and a


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Also, take out the bit in your author bio about how boring you are.


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## Saul Tanpepper (Feb 16, 2012)

Agree with the others. The covers tell me "Horror" more than mystery/thriller. And they aren't up to today's high standards. The nice thing is, they're one of the easiest things to fix. I'd advise getting some outside help with them.


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## jackconnerbooks (Nov 18, 2014)

Don't give up, Warren! You can do it, I have faith in you.

I'd recommend getting some sharp pre-made covers and then later, when the sales start to come in, upgrade to custom covers. That's been my strategy, anyway. And yeah, work on those titles.


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

Hang in there, Warren. You seem to have a solid product. What you need is packaging and strategy. Here's what I do:

- Use the KDP "series" fields to get the title of your series and the correct numbering on your book pages. Your title should end up looking like this: _Fraidy Hole (Sheriff Lester P. Morrison Mysteries 1)_

- Make sure the back matter of your first series book makes clear that there are more installments. The back matter of Book 1 should lead readers to Book 2. The back matter of Book 2 should lead readers to Book 3, etc. If the installments can be read in any order,_ Fraidy Hole_ doesn't necessarily have to be Book 1. You can go with whichever book you think will generate the most sell-through.

- Look at the covers of the well-selling books in your books' subgenres and buy some professional, branded covers that look like those of the books yours most resembles:
http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=dp_brlad_entry?ie=UTF8&node=7588733011
http://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Thrillers-eBooks-Kindle/b/ref=dp_brlad_entry?ie=UTF8&node=157307011
http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=dp_brlad_entry?ie=UTF8&node=6361460011
Ideally, your books will both fit in and stand out.

- Once all the books are in good shape, set the first one in your series free on all platforms and start promoting it, or do a heavily promoted free run on Select. You need eyes on your books. Keep running those promos as frequently as you can. They can be expensive (Bookbub), but they don't have to be (ENT).

- Track your sell-through from Book 1 to the later books. See how the stand-alone does in comparison to the series. Adjust to maximize success, given your particular situation and goals.

Good luck!


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Just want to give you a hug.


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## matt44west (Feb 4, 2015)

David VanDyke said:


> Matt - yes, you need new covers, in color. I like the designs, though.


David, thanks for the feedback. I agree with you and am working on getting a new cover right now for my longest book. I will put a lot of thought into the next cover I need (a post-apocalypse novella, nearly finished). People DO judge by the cover!

Sorry... not trying to hijack the thread, Warren.


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## 69959 (May 14, 2013)

Ditto what others have said. If your covers are the only thing holding you back, that's an easy fix! You can find nice premades for $30 or less. Try Cormar Covers, great covers for an affordable price. If you're set on doing your own covers, try diybookcovers.com.

I was pretty discouraged before I rebranded my main series (new covers) late last year. Then I set the first one perma-free, and things really picked up. I got some good promos, and now I'm two days away from my last day of work. Next week, I'll be a full time author. *Covers make that much of a difference*.

Don't give up. It sounds like you have some great books! You just need new covers so that readers will know how great they are.


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## D.L. Shutter (Jul 9, 2011)

Big bro' hug with double back pounds.

Declan Conner had a post that read just like yours and he went all in for a cover overhaul. Take a look at the before and after:

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,146475.msg2907482.html#msg2907482


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## Wayne Stinnett (Feb 5, 2014)

As others have said, your covers could be improved. The cover gets the readers attention, the blurb makes them a promise and the story delivers the goods. It has to happen in that order. Patterson and the other big name writers can get away with just their name on the cover and nothing else and it will sell. Look at the Beatles White Album. I disagree that the cover has to sell the genre. It's a plus if it does, but not essential. I write action/adventure, but my covers don't say that. Cover branding would be ideal for your series. While the cover photo can be totally different from one book to the other, the text on your covers should all be the same.

It does take a good bit of investment to produce a quality product and still you'll need to promote it. Whether that's an investment in time or money is up to you. I got lucky and sold enough of the first two books without investing a lot that I could afford to put that money back into the books, with better covers and editing. Today, I spend a couple thousand before the book is even published, knowing that money will come back within six weeks. Then I'll spend another several hundred promoting it. That money comes back much faster, usually within the first day of a big promo.


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## 75814 (Mar 12, 2014)

I feel your pain, I'm in a similar boat myself. I've been given an offer from a small indie publisher to put my books out through them and if my plans for this year don't result in any changes, I'm going to see if it's still on the table. At least then I could just focus on the writing and not have to worry about all the other stuff.


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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm no cover artist, but I like making them and always try to find ways to get better. I saw one of your covers and knew that I had some public domain stock images that might work (camera lens--because I have a photographer in my books too) and found a good wolf image on a public domain site. So, I put them together and came up with this:



If you want it, you can have it.

_Edited to shrink image to accommodate those using mobile devices or older monitors. Thanks for understanding. --Betsy_


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## Chris Northern (Jan 20, 2011)

Don't doubt your ability. You can write. I looked. Covers are not good and you must deal with that. I haven't read through this thread but the truth is I don't have time to do so, but i would happily bet cash that you are hearing already all the things I would say.

Everyone here knows that this is a tough business. and no one will hold back on hugs. *hug!* See? Ok, you need to work on covers, there are plenty of affordable covers available - http://www.rockingbookcovers.com/premade-covers/ - this site is maybe good for you. So, do that. Then nose around the promotion threads, think about setting one book as permafree, do the things that you are doubtless being advised to do. You have the skills, deserve an audience, so all that you need to do is go find them. They will be glad you did.

Do not give up. I would be disappointed not to have the opportunity to read the books you have not written yet.


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## horrordude1973 (Sep 20, 2014)

yeah I agree on the covers, but they are horrible.

I don't say that to be mean. I've had awful covers too and when I changed them, sales went up.

The biggest thing with yours is they are plain, they are all fairly similar and all look very amatuer. Others have mentioned, you can hire a decent designer for fairly cheap. I've used designers on a few of mine. Ive also had model friends take pics for me and I know enough editing to make a nice cover from a professional image. But yeah the cover is your packaging, needs to catch the eye immediately.


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## Becca Mills (Apr 27, 2012)

Wayne Stinnett said:


> I disagree that the cover has to sell the genre. It's a plus if it does, but not essential. I write action/adventure, but my covers don't say that.


It's funny, Wayne. Not being a big reader in that genre, I've never thought this about your covers, but I guess you're right. Now I'm looking at your covers as a group and wondering if they're one of the reasons your strongest category tends to be sea adventures (I think you've said that before ... hope I'm not misremembering). The ocean theme is clear in four out of your five covers.


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## kathrynoh (Oct 17, 2012)

Chiming in to say covers as well. Not just because your current ones aren't pretty enough but they tell me nothing about your books. 

The way you describe your books made me think of that TV show, Matlock. People loved that show. It might be good to evoke a similar feel with the covers you use


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## horrordude1973 (Sep 20, 2014)

I made this one in about five minutes just playing around. I'm far from an expert https://www.dropbox.com/s/1py83dz7k1vw72d/test.jpg?dl=0


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## jillb (Oct 4, 2014)

I agree with what the others said about the covers and the title. To be honest, I glazed over the book because the title meant nothing to me (I don't know Spanish). My book lengths are short compared to yours and even I was feeling the pinch when it came to editing costs. After getting 2 books edited and only finding minor corrections, I decided to self-edit and am happier for it because I save money and can publish more quickly (pending cover design which my DH does for me). 
Have you looked into playing with cover designs on Canva.com? It's drag and drop and they have pretty nice set ups for free or very cheap if you use their stock photos ($1 each). I don't do social media even though I have accounts on the biggies.


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## Scout (Jun 2, 2014)

Sending big virtual hugs. X


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

Warren Williams said:


> True confession day. I've hit a new low in self esteem and confidence. Three chapters in with my latest novel (my fifth) and I have no inspiration and very little drive to finish it. Don't get me wrong. I love to write, but what I don't love is spending money for editors and promotions that have yet to pay for themselves. The latest with KBoards Bargain Book Promo and Bargain Booksy generating a whopping eleven sales. Quite discouraging.
> 
> I don't know if the problem is my lack of writing skills, poor social networking, too much competition in the genre, or all of the above. I'm 74 years old. I don't _tweet_. I do have an Author Page, a Facebook page, and a blog. All of my books are fiction, mystery/thriller, with an 85k word count and up with mostly favorable reviews (what few there are). The protagonist in the last four is an aging county sheriff serving in the panhandle of Oklahoma.
> 
> I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems. Probably should have checked with this forum for feedback. It's gray and cold outside and maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I'm about ready to throw in the towel. I think I need a hug.


Warren, look back to your younger days. What motivated you then? Music, movies, songs, artists? I'm taking a closer look at that right now for myself. What excited me when I was young? I have a lost a lot of drive over the last couple of years, and I feel and have felt the way you do many times. I have 3 books done but not edited and could care less. I also have a few started but nowhere finished and have also lost interest in them. So, lately I've decided to do a story in the seventies using rock music as the background . . . no not disco or soul.


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## R. M. Webb (Jul 24, 2014)

Just popping in to offer a hug.


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## Franz H. Badenhorst (Feb 12, 2015)

Here you go Warren. http://dc588.4shared.com/download/-PcnH5oice/Warren_Williams.jpg?lgfp=3000 (You have full right to use this design)

If you're happy with the cover and would like another one done, email me at [email protected]
Also I recommend you go to http://www.onlinehtmleditor.net/ and type yourself a nice colourful description.

No refuge's cover http://www.4shared.com/download/9s7z_eI_ce/Warren_Williams__2_.jpg?lgfp=3000 (You have full right to use this design)


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

*Hugs* Selling books is a hard business. Have you added keyword phrases rather then just keywords? Add blurbs from your best reviews to your editorial section, add a subtitle mentioning genre, put the first chapter of one book with a link to buy it at the back of each book. 

You're doing great! There are people who would love to have the reviews and sales you're getting, not to mention you are working on your FIFTH book. That is HUGE. Pat yourself on the back. You're doing great!


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## Warren Williams (Feb 25, 2012)

horrordude, Thanks for the cover idea. Simple, but much more impact than mine. Lots of work to do.


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## Shei Darksbane (Jan 31, 2015)

First off *HUG*! I know it may not mean much from a stranger from the internet, but I am so impressed to hear about your books! 
Personally, I think the biggest thing that stands out to me at a glance is your covers look amateurish. (Not meant badly! I'm making my own covers and I hope they end up looking good. But the covers do stand out to me.)
You might sell more books if you spruced up the covers. And you don't have to spend a lot!
Did you know there are people on FIVERR of all places that will make book covers for you? If you don't know, that's a site where people will do stuff for $5.

If you need links for that, let me know 

And most of all: YOU WROTE BOOKS! That's amazing! I'm so in awe of every author out there who has managed to actually complete books. I'm almost 1/3 through my first novel and you are among those people I consider my inspiration because I know that if other people have done it, I can do it too. 

I hate when it feels all gloomy outside and in. I know it can be hard to beat. Take a deep breath and smile. Watch something funny or listen to a song you love. 
Kindle the little sparks of happy inside, then go back to your problem and tackle it fresh. 
It'll feel better. 

And I know you can do it!


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## 75814 (Mar 12, 2014)

I read the description of Roadside and I had an idea come to mind. This is just something I whipped up in a few minutes with a stock preview (hence the blurriness and watermark), could probably use a bit more work, but might give you a good starting point:










The font I used is a free font called SmellsLikeTacosBB and the image is from Dreamstime.


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## UnicornEmily (Jul 2, 2011)

(Gives you a hug.)

For what it's worth, I think your El Fuegos cover is excellent.  The other three are kind of dark, and it's hard to see what they're about by glancing at them.  Fraidy Holes isn't bad, but the other two look nonfictiony.

I understand exactly how you feel about book promotions and social networking.  I'm also slow by indie standards.  I'm working on my third book (well, fourth, if you count last year's comic strip anthology), and my first book was published in 2012.  And the second one is a short story anthology, so I have only one book that ever really sells copies.

Buck up.  You've finished four books, all with very good reviews, and that's a huge accomplishment.  You are a man who has accomplished some very impressive things already.


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## Dactyl (Dec 27, 2014)

Edward M. Grant said:


> I suspect a new cover would help; you've got good reviews and I didn't see anything wrong with the preview, but I had no real idea of what the story was about from the cover. I suspect it's a case of 'the right readers aren't finding the book'.


Not that I blame anyone for trying, I don't, but the idea that covers make the difference and arguments for the same, brings to mind the saying that "You can't judge a book by its cover." A concrete example that comes to mind is _Gone Girl_. Take a look at that book's cover.

One problem that is VERY difficult to overcome is that there are supposedly 2 to 3 million people currently vying for attention so that they can sell their books. Every time I think about it, I have images in my mind of thousands of fiddler crabs on the shore when the tide is out, waving their claws trying to attract a mate. Then I imagine writers everywhere doing the same thing with their books, trying to cover all the bases, including selecting a cover that will stand out and waving it in the air. To get an idea of this preposterous situation, think, too, of a stadium which seats 100,000 writers, instead of sports fans, waving their books. You would need 20 to 30 of those stadiums filled to capacity all at the same time to represent those trying to call attention to themselves and their books. That's a tough nut to crack (Pardon the cliche). Not that it helps him much, but Warren has sold some copies, even if he hasn't recouped his investment. LOTS of writers sell none or sell only to their families.

Comment to Warren: If you enjoy writing, just keep doing it, and keep learning even if you are 74.


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## RipleyKing (Mar 5, 2013)

Relax, take a deep breath, maybe a day off or two to recharge, and have at it. 

Take them up on their covers! They look good. 

Big manly hug.


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## 75814 (Mar 12, 2014)

Dactyl said:


> Not that I blame anyone for trying, I don't, but the idea that covers make the difference and arguments for the same, brings to mind the saying that "You can't judge a book by its cover." A concrete example that comes to mind is _Gone Girl_. Take a look at that book's cover.


Gone Girl isn't a good example, because that book had a lot of other things going for it to get attention. For one, the author already had two popular novels published before Gone Girl and she was a former writer for Entertainment Weekly, so she had some name recognition. Two, she had the benefit of getting press that we don't have access to--New York Times, Reader's Digest, Chicago Tribune, Salon, etc.

A book with a bad cover can become a best-seller, but more often than not, it's the exception to the rule. Like it or not, people _do_ judge books by their cover, even if they say they don't. If you don't believe me, then try an experiment--publish several books with covers as bland as Gone Girl's was. Come back and tell us how well they sold.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I don't have anything new to add other than what a wonderful community. Warren, don't give up!


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## Joe_Nobody (Oct 23, 2012)

I'll chime in here, as one older gent to another ...

1. Covers. Like previous posters, I can't stress this enough.
2. Price. Again, as stated above, you're too cheap. Go up a buck or two.
3. Bio. Not good. Humble is great when you're having a cup of coffee with friends, but your author bio is overboard with pie. You don't have to overdo it, but right now it sounds a little lost. You may feel that way, but your readers don't want to know that.
4. The two examples you gave for marketing wouldn't be my first choices, esp in your genre. I'd start out with Fiverr ads (do a search here for some of the better performers) and go from there.
5. I wouldn't fret about not being a social media guru. What I would look into is pay-per-click advertising. It's cheap, can be effective, and isn't all that hard to engage.

You can write. Probably better than most. Don't give up. You've done the hard part of baking the cake, now you just need some icing and a little decoration.

All the best.


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## Sam Rivers (May 22, 2011)

> True confession day. I've hit a new low in self esteem and confidence. Three chapters in with my latest novel (my fifth) and I have no inspiration and very little drive to finish it. Don't get me wrong. I love to write, but what I don't love is spending money for editors and promotions that have yet to pay for themselves. The latest with KBoards Bargain Book Promo and Bargain Booksy generating a whopping eleven sales. Quite discouraging.
> 
> I don't know if the problem is my lack of writing skills, poor social networking, too much competition in the genre, or all of the above. I'm 74 years old. I don't tweet. I do have an Author Page, a Facebook page, and a blog. All of my books are fiction, mystery/thriller, with an 85k word count and up with mostly favorable reviews (what few there are). The protagonist in the last four is an aging county sheriff serving in the panhandle of Oklahoma.
> 
> I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems. Probably should have checked with this forum for feedback. It's gray and cold outside and maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I'm about ready to throw in the towel. I think I need a hug.


I quit writing twice a week so it is common. Each situation is different; do what is best for you.


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## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

Lydniz said:


> Also, take out the bit in your author bio about how boring you are.


Yes, please. Honestly, your author bio put me off. Don't lie, but try to come up with something that isn't so self-deprecating. Positive is good, I like the bit about doing the photography (though I'd lose the links in favor of a mailing list link and possibly a link to the author site -- you can link anything else from there).

My suggestions would be:

#1) Covers

Branding series is important, as is branding to author name if all your books are in the same genre. If you want to or must do them yourself, look at the books in your genre that are selling well, and try to make your covers look like that. For some of us, even the cheapest pre-made is out of our budget, and most stuff I've seen on Fiverr is worse than what I can do myself.

Even if you buy covers, make sure you get covers like the better sellers have. Font and stock image, placement of titles, author name, tag/log lines.

#2) Blurbs

Again, look at what well-selling books are doing, and try that. I'm not fond of questions in blurbs, or comparing your books to other authors', or describing the book ("this a a thrilling adventure about love and fear"), because that's what the blurb is supposed to suggest to me, as a potential reader.

#3) Categories/Keywords

I looked at the first and last books, and I'd suggest changing some of your keywords or the categories you chose. For example, your first book (about the kidnapped girl in the shelter), is in Teen/Young Adult. It doesn't fit that. The last book, El Fuego, is in War/Military (something like that). If it's not set in a military conflict, I'd get it out of that. Just having veterans doesn't make it a war story.

The point of categories is to get the book in front of the right readers. If it's showing up in the wrong place, it will be ignored, thus losing sales you might have gotten by being properly categorized. Some of this is done by the two categories/subcategories you pick, and some by the keywords.

#4) Promotions

Make your first book in the series permafree. Don't put anything novel length in KU. Raise your prices on full-length books.

Don't spend much on ads (BKnights {?} has been suggested, and other low-cost places, but they won't be as effective until you've fixed the other issues), but make sure you get a mailing list link in the front and back of your books, with a call to action (you can search for posts about that) and links to all your books, blog/sites in the back matter.

#5) Author Presence

I don't do social media. I hate it, and couldn't care less what authors I read are tweeting/facebooking/whatever. I just want them to write the next book so I can get my fix. 

You have awesome reviews, the writing looked fine (there is one very huge paragraph in El Fuego that I'd break up -- long paras are very hard to read), I didn't see any glaring typos, so you're already way ahead of many writers.

Write more books, keep learning, and never give up, never surrender.


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## Sonya Bateman (Feb 3, 2013)

You've already received lots of great advice, so... here's another hug! (((HUG)))


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## I&#039;m a Little Teapot (Apr 10, 2014)

Dactyl said:


> Not that I blame anyone for trying, I don't, but the idea that covers make the difference and arguments for the same, brings to mind the saying that "You can't judge a book by its cover." A concrete example that comes to mind is _Gone Girl_. Take a look at that book's cover.


See, I think _Gone Girl_ has a perfect cover. Simple, clear text, an intriguing minimalist title, and the wisps of long hair. It captures the mood perfectly--there's a girl (or woman), she's gone, and oooh, is she dead? Because that wispy hair suggests she's dead.

It's simple and effective. Which is different to simple and cheap-o-looking.


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## smikeo (Dec 1, 2014)

Here to offer a hug as well... Don't give it up. Shift a bit (covers, blurb), try again.


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## John Hartness (Aug 3, 2009)

Okay, so I'll be Simon among the Randys and Paulas. You still need to work on your prose. You lost me on the first page of El Fuegos because of several things -

1) The dream beginning to a book is so tired and overdone, if I never see it again, it'll be too soon. But telling me that the character is dreaming is even worse, because any emotional impact I might get from the backstory is muted because I know it's a dream. All immediacy is taken out of it. If you want to see a writer use PTSD-style flashback (much stronger than a sleeping dream as a dramatic device) very well, read J. Carson Black. I think it was The Shop where she used this well. 

2) There was a lot of telling, not showing, in the whole bit about who was at the door. You had the guy lay there thinking about who wasn't at the door, establishing characters we weren't seeing and would likely forget about and have to have them re-described later, instead of just grabbing a gun and yanking the door open (action versus thinking about action). 

3) The cover says it's a Sheriff Lester P. Morrison novel, but we start from the POV of one of his employees. Unless you're going to kill this dude in the next two pages, I don't need to see through his eyes. And I don't believe you will, since you gave us the whole dream thing and told us about his absent girlfriend. So you're starting the book in the wrong POV. 

4) Yes, the covers are godawful. 

I don't doubt that the stories are good. But I don't think they're ready yet. Before you spend money on an editor, I think you need to find yourself a writers' group to critique your work, help you work through the stories and get the basics down. Understand passive voice and how to avoid it. Understand POV and how to manipulate it to your advantage and make it invisible to your reader. Learn what the tropes and cliches are and why you should avoid them, so that when you choose to use a trope or a cliche in your work, you're doing it with intent. You can break every rule in the book and be brilliant, as long as you're breaking the rules with intent. Right now I don't see you breaking rules with intent, I see them being broken with ignorance. And that's the reason the rules are there in the first place. 

I don't want to rain on your parade, or pee in your cornflakes, or make you want to quit. I really don't. But I want you to be successful because you're amazing, not because you spent money on a great cover or a bunch of short-term promotional crap. Have you written your million terrible words yet? Have you focused your 10,000 hours on fiction writing? Because it's hard. It takes a long time to get good at this and a lot of intent. As always, I recommend the following books - On Writing by Stephen King; Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon; and The Writer's Journey by someone whose name I can never remember. Incorrect punctuation intentionally used for clear separation between book titles - see what I mean about break any rule you want once you know you're breaking it? 

I hope this helps. I really do. I want everyone who writes to be successful, and I want everyone to write amazing books. And I think you can. But you need some work on the craft right now. I wish you the best.


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## Dactyl (Dec 27, 2014)

SevenDays said:


> "... simple and effective."


I try not to let a book's cover be the determining factor in my decision about whether or not to open it. But I especially don't like to see a touched-up picture of a person (my book's cover is a drawing) because I'd rather decide in my mind's eye what the character(s) look like. I'll acknowledge that certain genres seem to demand blow-brush pictures of a man or woman or both, but that usually repulses me. Simple abstract designs tells me that the author intends to hook me with his or her writing rather than with a picture on the cover.

I am very interested in what Warren decides to do in creating new covers, assuming he does.


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## AlexStiner (Nov 12, 2014)

I agree with what's been said here.  The covers stopped me. I did the DIY approach for mine before realizing I have very little skill in design.  I bought a pre-made cover on www.thebookcoverdesigner.com for $35 and it looks vastly better than what I had before (and actually cost the same as the DIY b/c I bought a stock photo).  Perhaps that site will bear fruit for you as well.  

I've certainly been where you are emotionally (and could be again in 20 minutes...who knows?).  What a beautiful thing to have so many other authors at your fingertips to offer help, though.


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## David VanDyke (Jan 3, 2014)

I actually agree with John, now that I've taken a look past the covers and blurbs. You want your first book to open with your main character in a sequence that will grip the reader. Later books can open a bit more slowly, but not the very first. It's all-important to get readers interested in finishing that first book so they go on to the second and so on, and that will be your permafree book. If you're going to give away free samples of food, for example, you want that food to be damn tasty from the first bite.


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## Antara Mann (Nov 24, 2014)

I posted my reply but it doesn't show up - lot's of love and hugs Warren. it's amazing that you are 75 and writing. I would add to start building an email list and to improve the covers and to note that the books are a part of a series.
Readers do judge books by their covers.


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## BiancaDArc (Sep 5, 2011)

Warren Williams said:


> I will admit to designing my own covers in Photoshop so that could be one of the problems. Probably should have checked with this forum for feedback. It's gray and cold outside and maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I'm about ready to throw in the towel. I think I need a hug.


First of all, {{{{{hug}}}}}.

Okay, now... although I know how to Photoshop, I don't do it for my covers anymore. I pay people to do my covers because they have ideas I might never have, and an eye on the market and what covers "work" that I really don't. And here's a big secret - you don't have to pay a fortune for a cover! I'm currently using 2 different artists for my covers and the ebook cover usually costs between $60-85. If I need a print wrap made of that, it's a little bit more. So all told, I can do ebook and print for under $150.

I'm presently involved with an anthology group where they're using a fancier place that STARTS at $500 for ebook only. I've seen the results and their covers are no better than my $60 covers. In fact, I think the $500 place's covers are boring. BOR-ING.

But that's neither here nor there. My suggestion is to try new covers. Maybe something with people on them. Maybe more eye-catching colors. I'm not sure what fits with your stories, but there has to be something a good artist can pick up on that will make the books pop.

Many highly successful authors will play with covers - swapping out old covers with something new several times and watching how sales change. I think it's worth a try and it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg.

Hang in there and good luck,
B.


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## ♨ (Jan 9, 2012)

I guess I'll be the contrarian and be the one to say the bio worked for me.  I mean, it could use some minor tweaking to make it flow a little better but, overall, I think it works.

I suspect that at least a certain segment of readers read as a form of escape from what they perceive as their own boring lives.  So, if an author is saying his biography has been boring, isn't he connecting with that segment of readers?  Right away, those readers know that this author understands how they feel and maybe, by reading his books, they can escape together for a while.

Seems like a way to reach a specific target market to me.

Disclaimer: Then again, I could be completely wrong and frequently am.  C'est la vie!


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## cbaku (Jan 2, 2015)

Warren, you've already been given outstanding advice and encouragement from writers more qualified than I am about specific ideas for change. I'm just here for the hugs.

Consider yourself massively hugged! Even a little kiss on the cheek.

What I want to address is the care and feeding of your writer's soul. I'm no spring chicken, either, and that can mess with our heads more than the under-50 crowd may realize. So here's the deal: Whatever is happening right now with your books, you still have skin in the game, my friend. You are creating. You are, I feel confident saying, actually *doing *the thing that feeds your being. And, according to your readers, you are doing it well. Think back to a time when you wanted desperately just to see a book with your name on it...hey, you're there! Are you James Patterson or Hugh Howey? Not yet (welcome to the club!). But you're still refining your craft and your marketing strategies. Fan-freaking-tastic. You're growing, you're exploring, you're learning.

There are a whole lot of people at, shall we say, the zenith of their years, who aren't doing squat--no growth, no stretch, no curiosity. I'll bet you know a few. It's a whole lot of Wheel of Fortune and canned peas. That's not you. Keep going! You can take great pride in the fact that you have grabbed your dream and are determined to wring every bit of juice out of it. I'm determined to leave this life with a pen clutched in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in the other. Take a single afternoon and feel like crap, if you must--watch Netflix and eat ribs, or whatever--but don't EVER, EVER, EVER give up on your own heart, Warren. You got this.


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## Kalen ODonnell (Nov 24, 2011)

I'm with the masses that kudos are warranted for getting four books out at your age Warren, and agreeing that different covers could make all the difference, given that you obviously have a lot of good reviews already on your actual story.

But I just thought I'd weigh in on whether or not covers 'make or break a sale', using the previously brought up example of GONE GIRL.

Now, I'm a cover designer as well as an author, so obviously I'm biased, and take my opinion with a grain of salt.

There's a fundamental difference between a cover that you just don't like and an unprofessional cover.  GONE GIRL's original cover may not have been effective for you, you might have found it bland and unremarkable, and nothing about it attracted you personally to the story.  All that's fair and valid.  But there's a difference between that and an unprofessional cover.  Even when taking in GONE GIRL's cover at a glance and going 'nothing about this inspires me to read the story', most peoples' minds still recognize the cleanliness of the design, the typography, etc, and acknowledge that its at least professionally done.  You don't have to actually like a design to recognize that it was made with a certain degree of skill.  

Here's the thing about covers.  I can not design a cover that will appeal to all readers equally.  No designer can.  I can not design a cover that will guarantee sales.  No designer can.  Because yes, covers are important, but they're still just one part of the equation.  Its not the job of the cover to sell the book.  No cover, no matter how beautiful and compelling, can make up for poor prose, a lackluster storyline, unprofessional formatting, or any other number of variables that might lead a reader to click on a sample and yet not purchase the book.

(Definitely not talking about your books here Warren, I'm speaking generally.)

The job of the cover is to look professional and eye catching while conveying as much of the essence and TONE of the book as possible.  It should give a sense of what kind of 'feel' the book has and will impart on the reader when reading it.  It should use genre conventions and expectations to create connections in the readers' mind to other books with similar tones and stories they might have read and enjoyed.  When readers are scrolling down Amazon's pages and looking at thumbnails deciding which to click on to take a closer look, read the blurb, etc, the cover ideally should grab their attention, capture their interest, shout LOOK AT ME, CLICK ME FIRST amidst all the other thumbnails.

But again, no designer can guarantee that because taste is subjective.  There will always be readers who for whatever reason - the design just doesn't click with them.  Maybe they have a personal dislike of the color scheme that was used.  Maybe the cover model subconsciously reminds them of someone they dislike.  Some people just don't like simplistic or 'clean' covers, some people just don't like overly complex or 'busy' covers.  Some readers don't like covers with people on them because they like to decide for themselves what the characters look like.  Some readers don't like covers without people on them because they like to have something to visualize already when they start reading.  The one inherent truth of any kind of artistic product, be it the written book or the cover design, is that you can not please everyone.  No matter how talented the designer and how professional the design, some readers will rate it a 'bad' cover based on any of these variables and more.

And this is where the difference between a professional cover and an unprofessional cover is critical.  Because while no designer can guarantee attracting a certain number of click throughs and from there, purchases, a professional designer can eliminate (or at least greatly reduce) the likelihood that a reader will choose NOT to click on their book because the cover looks amateurish.  There is no correlation between an unprofessional cover and the book itself.  We all know that.  Yes, there are tons of books out there that are beautifully written with compelling characters and storylines, that for whatever reason has a cover the author made him or herself without any design training.  You can not assume from looking at a visibly self-made cover that it is in any way a reflection on the quality of writing and story inside.

But that doesn't change the fact that readers do just that, ALL THE TIME.  There simply is too much potential product out there.  Most readers need SOME way of weeding out possible choices in a quick, initial round of decision making.  Very few people have the time to browse Amazon and click on every single cover on every single page they look at, every time they want to find something new to read.  And the simple fact is even if no single cover on that page jumps out at the reader and screams CLICK ME, they will subconsciously differentiate between the covers that at least look professional, and the covers that look like the author made them themselves.  And they will click on the professional looking covers first, subconsciously making the correlation that an amateur cover is more likely to contain amateur prose.  Or perhaps they'll just make the assumption that if the author clearly didn't shell out money for a cover, they likely didn't shell out money for a professional editor either.  Yes, even though its entirely possible that the author didn't have money to spend on a cover BECAUSE they spent their whole budget on an editor.  I'm talking about subconscious impressions, not valid truths here.  

If a reader's first glimpse of your product is that you didn't invest any time or money in it, the odds are immediately stacked against them viewing your product as worth them investing THEIR time or money in it.  That's what it boils down to.  

And every cover they click on before yours (based on their initial impression that its more likely to be worth their time and money), is one more chance they'll find their next read and purchase before they even get around to clicking on your cover.  THAT'S what you're combating when you invest in a professional cover.  A cover like Gone Girl's might not grab all readers, like it clearly didn't grab many readers in this thread - but as long as its a recognizably professional design, odds are that a reader is still more likely to click on it before a home made cover.  Quality covers aren't actually about grabbing the interest of every reader ever.  That's what you want to AIM for sure, even if it can't be guaranteed.  But the one thing quality covers CAN do is maximize the likelihood of a reader viewing your product as professional grade and worthy of their money, even before they click on the thumbnail to take a look at your blurb.


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## Warren Williams (Feb 25, 2012)

Little did I realize that my little pity party post would result in such an outpouring of support, suggestions, tips, encouragement, and  inspiration. Is this a great forum or what? Thanks to all for the critiques, the help, the virtual hugs (one peck on the cheek), and  the camaraderie expressed by so many. You made my day as well as my tomorrows. Much appreciated.


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## Dactyl (Dec 27, 2014)

Kalen ODonnell said:


> ...
> If a reader's first glimpse of your product is that you didn't invest any time or money in it, the odds are immediately stacked against them viewing your product as worth them investing THEIR time or money in it. That's what it boils down to.
> ...


Kalen,
Good comments.

I spent a lot of time and money ($500) with a professional artist on my cover's drawing. It was redrawn at least four times. Another professional digitized it so I could use it for more than a book cover. I worked with the artist on everything, the two separate scenes, the position and clothing of the four people shown, the colors of everything - even the characters' hair, the fact that three people's faces are not shown and the face of the protagonist is. Both pictures are scenes from the book. I didn't want it to be a blow brush picture and it isn't. Absolutely no one has said a word about it nor written to me about it. From your perspective as a professional in the business, does it send out negative vibes?

No problem if you haven't time to respond. Thanks.


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## David VanDyke (Jan 3, 2014)

Dactyl said:


> I worked with the artist on everything, the two separate scenes, the position and clothing of the four people shown, the colors of everything - even the characters' hair, the fact that three people's faces are not shown and the face of the protagonist is. Both pictures are scenes from the book.


The below doesn't ALL apply to you, nor do I mean it to be harsh merely because I ramble on and on. Please forgive me in advance.

It's a first-book/only-book misunderstanding to be too involved and too close to the subject of one's cover. I felt that way with my first book as well, and changed the cover several times, eventually creating one that _fit the genre_ rather than the details.

Readers are extremely unlikely, as in _almost never_, to match up the cover with what they later read in the book, or even care. I've discussed this with readers and experienced authors and I've come to believe it doesn't matter at all if the details don't quite match. As others have said, it's the _TONE_ or the _GENRE_ that must be conveyed in instantaneous, stereotypical form.

Let me say that again, in another way: _stereotypes are your friends._ If you want to sell books, work the stereotypes to death.

The most obvious example of this is the straight bodice-ripper cover. Romance genre, usually historical, the typical cover is of a bare-torsoed alpha male with a buxom and attractive long-haired young woman with her face buried in his chest. I'd venture to guess that more than 50% of this type of book have exactly this type of cover, and it conveys exactly what the reader expects to get.

For sci-fi, it's spaceships, space armor, stars and planets. For mysteries and crime fiction, it's dead bodies, guns, cuffs, police badges, etc. For thrillers, guns, cars, helicopters, crosshairs, etc. For political thrillers, it's capitol buildings, flags and the like.

If you buck the stereotypes, you risk losing a whole bunch of people that see your cover and have no clue what it represents. If you do want to put a bunch of work into a piece of representative art, put it on the back of the print version and include it within the body of the ebook at the end, so that people can admire its artistry after they've picked up or read the book.

Again, I'm only talking about selling books. If you write for personal satisfaction alone, ignore me.


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## Gennita Low (Dec 13, 2012)

Sending you a Valentine hug, Warren. Everyone's advice here is great and I cannot tell you how much I am in awe of your writing accomplishments. That's a lot of writing, with great reviews!


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## 57280 (Feb 20, 2012)

Hey Buddy:

I double plus on Yoly at Cormar. Check out the portfolio and main page. I agree--get branded. That's the first thing I'd do:

http://www.cormarcovers.com/#!portfolio/component_41229

You will feel SO GREAT when you see your books branded by a PRO. Nothing like that feeling! Seeing your book look like it came out of a NY house will do wonders for your soul! Do it!

Good luck!

(Edited to add: the covers in my sig are NOT Yoly's. I use Yoly for other pen names.)


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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

Dactyl said:


> Kalen,
> Good comments.
> 
> I spent a lot of time and money ($500) with a professional artist on my cover's drawing. It was redrawn at least four times. Another professional digitized it so I could use it for more than a book cover. I worked with the artist on everything, the two separate scenes, the position and clothing of the four people shown, the colors of everything - even the characters' hair, the fact that three people's faces are not shown and the face of the protagonist is. Both pictures are scenes from the book. I didn't want it to be a blow brush picture and it isn't. Absolutely no one has said a word about it nor written to me about it. From your perspective as a professional in the business, does it send out negative vibes?
> ...


Dactyl,

I just looked at the cover--not a bad cover and I think it looks professional. Then looked at your blurb. That was the disconnect for me. They don't match at all. Knowing nothing about your book before clicking, I have to say I wouldn't have clicked on it if it hadn't been for this thread. The reason is I thought it was a non-fiction title. I don't know exactly why I thought that--and most readers won't either. Perhaps some cover designer can chime in here with what might make it look like non-fiction. In my mind, I thought it was some kind of financial planning book. No clue why, but something in the cover caused me to come to that conclusion.

Then I read the blurb and was shocked to see that it's actually very similar to my book, No Good Deed. (innocent American imprisoned as an enemy combatant, unable to defend him/herself. Enhanced interrogation, etc.) My cover doesn't really show any of that and it may need an update, but at the time I implemented it, cityscapes were popular for bestselling thrillers, and I wanted my book to fit that look so that readers looking for that genre would know at a glance, what genre it was. I chose a Chicago cityscape since that is where half the book takes place.

I'm not saying you should use a cityscape at all, just that you might look at the top selling thrillers (because that was the genre I got from the blurb) and get a cover that has some kind of similarity.


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## Kalen ODonnell (Nov 24, 2011)

Hi Dactyl!  Sorry for not replying sooner, I didn't check back on this thread until just now.  I'd rather not derail Warren's thread too much, but feel free to pm me if you'd like to pick my brain in more detail!


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## Dactyl (Dec 27, 2014)

MaryMcDonald said:


> Dactyl,
> ... Then looked at your blurb. That was the disconnect for me. ...


Mary,

Thanks for your comments. I think you're right about the blurb. I'm in the process of rewriting it.

Did you read the *Look Inside* material? I'm curious about how many people do that. In my case here, I also have a website for my book and that has gotten a lot of compliments, both from people who know me and from strangers on the Internet.

I was pleasantly surprised to read that you had written a similar story. I may get back to you via the message facility here. Thanks.

- Dactyl


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