Thank You: Sonoran Dawn's Celtic Green Book Event

Undawnted had a wonderful time this morning at the Celtic Green Book Event for April 2, 2022.

We will see you all at the next one set for July 2022.

 

 

 Have a great and wonderful day!

 

 

Book Cover Design: The Expectations of Readers and How You Are Perceived

We have all heard the idiom: don't judge a book by its cover.  

Well, most of us have. Some authors and editors take this idiom to mean that their poor cover design won't be held against them by readers. 

WRONG. 

I could use other people's design mistakes to make my point, but that would be unfair. Instead, I will give a lesson with only my own designs as examples. 

So independent authors, here is your design workshop. 

If you have refrained from becoming astute in the ways of publication design and insist on creating your own book covers, yeah, I can spot them. Actually, readers in general can spot bad designs. When that happens, your book undersells, if the publication sells at all. 

Readers will not purchase covers that look and feel unprofessional. So, as the idiom goes: it does not apply to you. People do judge books by their covers.

Independent authors often use or pay for what someone else has created, as long as the background illustration is free or cheap. Some even try to create their own designs, but end up with a less than stellar dismount. What does a poor indie do?

If you are going the route of doing your own book cover designs, then avail yourself to a course in design theory. I had the opportunity to take courses and other avenues of study from creative industry experts when I went to community college. I was lucky. I learned from the best. 

When I first began doing my own designs, I remember how awful they were. My brain does not function well under constant inflammation, and I have to compensate for that ongoing disability. With time, however, I was able to recover my knowledge of publication design. If you have noticed, my book covers and website images look more professional by the year.  

I also have the advantage of being an award-winning digital artist. I understand composition, color, and creativity. Most people are not like me, some of them need a little help. I have offered to assist. Sometimes it works out great, and sometimes it is a disaster. 

I have placed an example of poor cover design above in Flying High. What draws you to the cover? What repels you? Would you read this book? 

This illustration of poor design fundamentals is why most independent or self-published authors under perform in their market. A bad cover means you are handing over your book sales to someone else. Your competition either has a publishing house creating their designs, or the authors have spent $250+ per cover.

What is the solution? Spend money you don't have? Or, learn good cover design?

First, compare and contrast. Go online to any retailer who sells books and look at professional book covers. What do you see that is on all of those covers? How would you modify those designs to make your own style but still be attractive to readers? 

I find that many independent authors just slap a design together without putting much thought in using their covers as a net positive marketing tool. Covers take time. The right design takes time. 

Here are a few cover designs I created: 

Now take notes on what you like and dislike about these designs. What attracts you? What repels you? In comparison with bad design elements in the Flying High example, what are good design elements that you can pick out from these three covers?

This article is your first step in creating a good book cover.

Use it wisely. 

Have a great and wonderful day.

_____

UPDATE: Book Cover Design will be offered via our Premium Content coming in 2023 as a part of Undawnted's Design Elements and Digital Artistry courses. 

Learn. Grow. Master... with Undawnted.

Stayin' Alive, All By Myself... I am on a Roll to Better Outcomes

I know. I have been gone awhile, but I have been doing what I needed to do. 

After four years of being told that I could not get a refinance loan or any type of loan, not because of bad credit, but because I had already financed my property at the lowest available rate. The banks would not refinance if I could not get a lower rate by at least one percentage point. 

I was stuck. I had already received air conditioning finance estimates starting at $150 a month for four years. On a fixed income, that was not doable. 

So I had tried three or four times over the duration, but not through covid, to raise the $7500 that I had been quoted for a new system. I live in Arizona. Central air is about survival, not luxury. A handful of friends flocked to my banner, but the amount raised ($350ish) was nowhere near enough to purchase a unit. 

The art and writing communities at large never bothered once. That was disheartening from my point of view. For communities that push love, light, and inclusion for everyone... I was very much excluded. Sounds like that ideology is just an excuse to be prejudiced against people they do not agree with. 

I disagree with many people, but have never left someone to die. I help where I can and I have helped a lot. Far more than many people who claim to be inclusive. 

Even though certain communities have disappointed me, at least I know I still have friends and a shit load of good luck... see, when you are a good person, you get that type of help from the universe. 

Annual percentage rates lowered and my excellent credit afforded me a great refinance package, which led to a new and top of the line air conditioner for an excellent price. After nearly five years of constant worry, I am safe and cool. I will finally have a heater in the winter time too. That means I will be able to write my novels again. 

I am so happy. 

The universe rewards good deeds and people. While most of you were stuck in your homes during covid... now you know how I live and feel being this sick... I was protecting all of you from hunger and homelessness. 

So don't let newly elected politicians tell you that the $1400 was because of them; it was because of me. Just so you know. People take credit for my deeds when they had nothing to do with my work. 

I have a few items to do yet, but I will be actively writing poetry and novels this summer. I will be posting more writing exercises too. Although, I will not be updating my Facebook accounts because that social media conglomerate does not believe in factual information that I have provided to my friend's list for over ten years. I am now locked out of my personal and professional accounts, but don't you worry, I always land on my feet. 

Life is good now. 

I am still going to tell the truth and change the world for the better. That is coming. The wheels are already in motion by good people all over the world. Some people will not accept or like the change, but that is not my problem. I only solve them. 

Speaking of solutions: nothing can stop what is coming. 

I made a plan and I am sticking to it. You may just like what I am about to do. Who knows, you may just want to get in on the action yourself. 

More information in the coming weeks. Watch for news coming out of Sonoran Dawn Studios. 

Watch for my new books and cover designs. 

I am Stayin' Alive, All By Myself as the songs go: I am on a roll. 

Have a great and wonderful day. 

 

 

 

Making the Old New Again

Once upon a time, in a place when i was healthy, I had a website dedicated to all my shite...

I tried getting my information together: biographies, bibliographies, vitaes, and other business like data onto Undawnted, and it didn't feel right. So I sat down to plot out a new strategy.

I have multiple interests that i would like to see take off in the near future: designs, art and writing, and well marketing and selling books, prints, designs, media, and apparel. I did not want several different storefronts. I wanted just one. 

So that is what I am working on. I want to make my old site new again with an updated feel and energy.

I was born in the Sonoran Desert... so that is what inspired: Sonoran Dawn Studios! The outlet for products I want to sell. In time, maybe sell other people's items too that are fantastic and creative! I really do want to edit and sell books by new authors someday...

We will see what transpires! 

So I am here. I am just trying to do too many projects at once, like always, and that means more naps! 

Have a great and wonderful day!