A behind the scenes look at Cover Design with Tate Publishing

Today the cover designers at Tate had their monthly critique meeting. They get together for an all day session to hash out all of the cover design mock ups they are working on for that month. It can be intense at times- designers defending their work, while the others in the group trying to convince that it could be better... I am very proud of them when I hear them discussing their designs, for they do not settle on mediocrity.

So what exactly happens when your book is in cover design? Let's start at the beginning....

The cover design process begins with each designer researching their book they are assigned to- they look on the internet for inspiration, speak to the editor, read portions of the book, and then talk to the author. I think it surprises authors a bit when the designer calls them, and asks them to talk a bit about their book. They've done all the research, but they want to hear from the author to say in their own words what they feel the cover should portray, and what the root meaning behind the book is. This is what sets us apart from other publishers- we actually care what the author thinks, and involve them in the process.

After the designer has spoken with the author, the designers will all meet together for a conceptual development session. It is usually at a local bookstore, so they can browse the rows and look at what the competition is going to be for their specific book. Of course, there is usually lots of Starbucks involved as well! Several original mock ups are then created for each cover, and then presented at the all-designer cover critique.

There are a few last changes done to the cover mock ups after the big critique meeting, approvals from Creative Directors, and then they are off to the authors! There may be a few more minor changes after this point, as the designer and author tweak to design perfection.

Nothing is taken lightly here on the cover design- for we know that it is the design of the book that will either turn off or capture one's attention. Our cover designers are continually examining the market, to make sure their designs are competetive with the covers in their genre. Niche marketing, which you can read about on Mark Mingle's blog, plays a large part in how the cover design turns out.

This month in the design department has been great so far- the designs today were fresh and innovative, (as always!) and I am contantly amazed at the level of service our designers provide to our authors.