Your Stage : May I have some professional feedback please? by Laila Doncaster

I think if you took away the motorcycle, and just had the headshot from the neck up) it would look really nice and quite intriguing... Otherwise, it looks a bit too "busy" IMO.

Thank you David - did you read the book description?

Hi, Laila. As a former art director/designer who worked in branding/advertising for 15+ years, I have to agree with David; it is too busy, there's too much going on. :)

Okay, the following is meant to be helpful, objective, and constructive... the cover design seems to be a collage mix of different images that have symbolic meaning to you (the writer/creator) but do not work well together to communicate a conceptual whole to your viewer—someone who is looking at this cold, who knows nothing about the story. It also looks a bit derivative to the well-known Silence of the Lambs cover/poster. So I would strongly suggest getting away from the face with the butterfly over the mouth. I did look over your website, and although I'm still a bit confused on the story, it seems the "butterfly" represents your protagonist with an abusive past and this motorcycle gang both helps and protects her, but also complicates things. What you want to achieve with a book cover (or poster) is you want it to be immediate and simple. You want it to capture an emotional essence and create intrigue. You want it to read quickly and easily. You want someone to spot your cover from across the room or notice it when it is small on a computer screen so legibility from any distance is key. Therefore I strongly suggest not using cursive typography and stick to serif or san serif type. Enlarge the title and size down your name, place your name along the bottom or top or give more space between the two, but do visually separate them. That way they both will be given importance and the title will be clear.

Here's a layout idea... It looks like you have tattooed, massive, biker-looking hands at the bottom, right? That's interesting. And the word in your title that sparks intrigue and emotion is "cocooning"—what does that imply, really? Shelter? Or perhaps... Capture? I would suggest a black or dark background and have heavily tattooed, gruff, lots of rings, massive, dangerous-looking-biker man's hands cupped, gently holding a butterfly—cupped, like he's holding water. The hands in b&w or muted in color. The butterfly in full color so it visually pops. Place the image in the middle to lower part of the cover. White or subtle-colored simple title at the top, your name at the bottom or wherever placement works best. That image of gruff hands gently holding a butterfly invites contemplation in its contrast. Is this good? Or bad? Hmmm, what's this about? I want to read more about this book! Lol! Anyway, I'm sure you could find stock imagery that could work, certainly of a butterfly. But I strongly suggest original photography for the hands. You could shoot it yourself. Maybe there's a tattoo parlor near you? Ask. Maybe someone would model for you? ;)

I hope those suggestions help, Laila! Do keep exploring and trying different things. Often you'll do a ton of layouts before finding the best one that works well on all levels. Best to you! And good luck! :)

Thanks Beth - bikers and the girl are both vastly important to the telling of the story - this is 'her' life, what happened to 'her' - bikers on both sides (a group of bad - trying to kill her, and a group of good - trying to shelter her) ... this is 'her' story under the influence of the biker world. I've been working hard for 1 & 1/2 years to see 'her' face as a cover and depict her pain and suffering and its influence. This is not a story about bikers (that one will be a separate book within the coming series).

You're welcome, Laila! ;) With all due respect, you don't need to be so literal on the cover to convey that. "She" is the butterfly. Just saying as an example... my layout idea (as example) above creates intrigue through concept and imagery, and it works even more so now knowing there are bikers on both sides. It creates and alludes to that complication, that duality, good and bad. Hands that look dangerous but yet are gently holding the butterfly, sheltering it. The hands would be background, muted, secondary. The butterfly in full color, the focus, "her." Plus, keep in mind, it all works together: the title, the image, the tagline, the write up on the back, the logline, synopsis, etc. Another thought/idea that just occurred to me... another way to have a woman or form of a woman on the cover... maybe a butterfly embroidered on a woman's leather biker jacket? Or a butterfly tattoo somehow?

Anyhoo, you asked for professional feedback and opinion, and I gave it. My opinion is based on years of professional experience as a designer and art director. I've handled some major brands, created some brands too. So believe me, I completely understand all the time you have spent, what you imagined, what you want, etc. All the hard work! I do! But just try other options too. Explore. Consider it from your viewer's or audience's perspective, not just yours. Do consider the layout similarity to Silence of the Lambs and what that similarity could inadvertently imply about your story or impose upon it—which may or may not be what you want? Perhaps look at other book covers for design inspiration. See how they effectively utilize simple layout, typography, legibility, etc. Again, good luck!

Beth - thank you, you've given me some serious food-for-thought & I greatly appreciate the advice. I will need to think on that.

I’m in agreement with Beth about darker background and your name below, and would also put title below or above but not over the model. The butterfly covers girls mouth which conceals some of her character, so it should be perched on motor bike seat instead. If Cocoon is major point, could have a surreal one encircling the other images. I would also put something of the girls on bike eg Handbag, Diary on seat, or even old school tie on handles. Mix and match ideas and have fun!

What do you think of the cover now? Here's the new cover and so far everyone of my 15K followers are loving it. What say you?