LDSPMA

Keeping Your Creative Spirit Alive

July 13, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

I graduated from Utah State University with a degree in commercial and fine art, ready to make my mark on the artistic world. USU was connected with The Art Center School in Pasadena, California—now called Art Center College of Design, one of the top art schools in the nation.

After finishing my education, I was anxious to see if I could compete with other artists in the field. One little hiccup—I got married the week after graduation. This would not have been an issue, but we found out about a month later that we were expecting our first baby. Not a problem, I thought. I can still get out there and set the art world on fire. However, the pregnancy was more difficult than I had thought it would be, and I was extremely ill. Unfortunately, we lost that baby a few months into the pregnancy. A month or so later, we found out we were expecting again. I was thrilled, but very sick. The doctor scheduled an ultrasound to make sure all was well, and surprise! There were two little heartbeats.

I began teaching art at Grantsville High School, but I had to quit when I became too weak and nauseated to stand for long hours. So, at home with extra time on my hands, I sent off my portfolio and was picked up by two large galleries in Montana. I also started doing freelance illustration.

Twenty-two months after the twins were born, we welcomed another baby girl into our family. By this time, we had built our first home, and I made my studio in the unfinished third level of our multi-level house.

A company in southern Utah hired me to do a painting for the cover of their yearly magazine. They planned to send it out to all their stockholders and clients.

Painting with small children was not an easy feat. I could only paint after they were in bed, so I would work from about eight p.m. to one a.m. After I put more than one hundred hours into the piece, it was ready. The people who had hired me were scheduled to pick up the painting. Before they came, I went upstairs to check on my sleeping baby and unwittingly left the door to the studio open and my paints out. I realized what I’d done halfway through changing a diaper, so I quickly finished up and ran downstairs.

There they were, my darling little boy and girl, each with a paintbrush in hand, swishing paint across my masterpiece. I muffled a scream, sat on the steps, and shed a few tears. I realized that being a professional artist and having three small children was possibly not the best idea if I wanted to keep my sanity. Thankfully, I was able to salvage the painting before the clients arrived.

Being a young mother with small children is rewarding and exhausting. So many moms lose sight of their talents and ability to create during those difficult years raising their little ones. It’s important to carve out time for music, art, and literature, as creativity enriches not only Mom, but her family as well.

As my children grew older, I was able to set aside time to work on artistic avenues that fulfilled my desire to create. I taught art classes in the evenings and an art history class at Utah State Extension in Tooele, Utah. Using my talents to educate others was a fun outlet and helped provide my family with extra income.

Here are a few ideas to help keep your creative spirit alive during the years when your children are small.

Find time to indulge in creative endeavors, even if it’s late at night. I looked forward to the quiet times when my children were in bed to watch a show or listen to music and work on an art project.
Volunteer at an elementary school. Teachers are always looking for parents to help with the arts, and my kids were so excited and proud to have me visit their classrooms.
Include your children in your art. For many years, I taught art classes in my home. I did have my children join the classes, but it was easier to have fun with them on my own time.
Take your family to art-related activities to teach them an appreciation for the arts. We visited many galleries and sculpting studios. I did this more with my two younger children when the older kids were involved with other activities.
Encourage your young children to be creative and unafraid to experiment with new mediums and ideas. I found if I made art materials available to my children, they would be free to create in their own ways.

Though my attempt to continue with a professional art career while working as a stay-at-home mom ended in catastrophe, I never lost the desire to be involved with the arts in some capacity. Those hectic days have long since passed, and I don’t regret my decision to put my art on hold. For me, being a mom was much more rewarding than advancing my art career. Now I paint for family, friends, and just to enjoy creating art without the pressure of deadlines or critiques.

Laramie Dunn

Laramie Dunn spent most of her youth riding horses and raising sheep. After graduating from Nutana High School, Laramie trained and showed Quarter Horses professionally across Canada and the United States. She became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she was 19 and attended Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. She later attended Utah State University and graduated in illustration and secondary education.

She met her husband, Clayton Dunn, in her senior year of college. They married and moved to Tooele, Utah, where they raised their five children. They now live in Stansbury Park and enjoy entertaining their 14 grandchildren.

Writing Meaningful Struggles: Using Different Character Arcs

June 30, 2023 By LDSPMA Leave a Comment

A “character arc” is how a character grows throughout a story. While your protagonist may have a fun personality, a cool skill, or a striking appearance, his arc is arguably his most important feature. But not all arcs are the same, and not all writing advice will apply to every arc. When you have a clear idea of your protagonist’s type of arc, you will have a clearer idea of how to shape their story.

Types of Character Arcs

Many writers approach this differently, but the most useful way is to view an arc as the character’s internal journey. At the most basic level, there are only two ways a character can internally grow:

By changing
By increasing his resolve (remaining steadfast)

There are two types of each:

Positive
Negative

Innately, any internal journey taps into or demonstrates a belief system. That’s what internal growth is about—beliefs, values, and worldviews.

For example, in A Christmas Carol, Scrooge starts out valuing wealth above all else. Throughout the story, he changes so he values charity over wealth. His belief system flipped.

In a positive arc, the character will end with what we may consider a true or moral worldview (like Scrooge). In a negative arc, the character will end with what we may consider an untrue or immoral worldview.

There are four types of character arcs—positive change, negative change, positive resolve, and negative resolve.

Now, consider your protagonist. What worldview does he or she believe in, or at least demonstrate, at the beginning of the story? What about the end of the story?

If your character has a 180-degree flip in belief systems, they are having a change arc.

If your character ultimately keeps the same belief system, they are having a steadfast arc.

Is their ending worldview true or moral? If so, it’s likely positive. If not, it’s likely negative.

What does this mean for your writing? Let’s go over each type in more detail so you can gain insight on how to shape your story.

Positive Change

This protagonist usually starts the story with an improper worldview. This is sometimes called the “weakness,” “flaw,” or “misbelief.” Often, this flaw came from a traumatic—or at least significant—past event. As the protagonist engages in the main conflict, obstacles will steadily reveal to him that this weakness is holding him back. Antagonistic forces should push the character to confront his flaw until ultimately, he must forsake it and embrace a better worldview.

For example, in The Greatest Showman, P. T. Barnum believes he needs the world to accept him—a misbelief that stems from how he was treated as a child, particularly by Charity’s father. As he strives to make a name for himself, he encounters obstacles. His obsession with becoming someone important leads to major setbacks in his personal and professional life. To make everything right again, P. T. must let go of his old worldview and embrace a better one—that you don’t need everyone to accept you, only those closest to you. This paves his way to success.

More examples: Joy in Inside Out, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol

Quick tip: When your protagonist acts on his misbelief, it should increase his problems through the story’s middle.

Negative Change

This protagonist starts the story with a true or moral worldview. As she engages in the main conflict, obstacles will lead her to question the validity of her original beliefs. Antagonistic forces will tempt or pressure her to go astray. There is something she greatly wants, and she thinks she needs to give up her original values to get it. In the end, she will reject what she first believed and embrace, then use, an improper worldview to try to claim victory. This ultimately leads to self-damnation.

For example, in Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker starts the story believing in and upholding the light side of the Force, but his thirst for greatness, and above all, his fear of loss leads him toward the dark side. To be a true Jedi, he must be humble and accept loss, but instead he is so driven to save Padme that he turns his back on the Jedi ways and ultimately becomes morally corrupt.

More examples: Light in Death Note, Winston in 1984

Quick tip: As your protagonist pursues what she wants at all costs, show how this creates destruction to the environment and people around her.

Positive Resolve

This protagonist already has a true or moral worldview. During the rising action, obstacles will test her dedication to her beliefs. Antagonistic forces will try to weaken her resolve, confuse her, or lead her astray. She may or may not question her beliefs through the middle of the story, but at the end, she ultimately holds true to who she is and what she believed in the beginning. She may suffer a high cost, but it will be worth the internal victory of standing up for what is right.

In Wonder Woman, Diana says we should fight for the world we believe in. Even though the atrocities of war test her worldview and Ares tempts her to embrace a different one, she ultimately upholds her initial belief. While she struggles and wavers through the middle, at the end, she holds fast to who she was in the beginning.

More examples: Mulder in The X-Files, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde

Quick tip: Follow the adage “No good deed goes unpunished”—make it difficult, painful, and costly for the protagonist to uphold what’s right.

Negative Resolve

This protagonist has an improper worldview. During the rising action, obstacles may highlight his flaw while opportunities will offer him a “high road.” He will have his resolve tested as he is encouraged to change for the better. He may or may not attempt to change through the middle, but at the end, he ultimately holds stubbornly to his initial ways. He will reject the high road and sink deeper into his misbeliefs.

In Cruella, Estella starts as misbehaved and vengeful. She may “try” to be “good,” but inside, she wants to be bad. She befriends two orphans who later give her the opportunity to work an honest job in the fashion industry, but instead, she embraces her cruel ways. Despite Jasper trying to convince her to change, Estella chooses to become even more immoral as Cruella.

More examples: Coriolanus in A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Quick tip: Emphasize how the character refuses to change by showing him reject a promising opportunity for something better.

With these four basic arcs in mind, you’ll have a good foundation for shaping your protagonist’s story.

September C. Fawkes

Sometimes September C. Fawkes scares people with her enthusiasm for writing. She has worked in the fiction-writing industry for over ten years and has edited for both award-winning and best-selling authors, as well as beginning writers. She runs a writing tip blog at SeptemberCFawkes.com (subscribe to get a free copy of her booklet Core Principles of Crafting Protagonists) and has served as a writing coach on Writers Helping Writers. When not editing and instructing, she’s penning her own stories. Some may say she needs to get a social life. It’d be easier if her fictional one wasn’t so interesting.

Passion and Persistence: Nurturing Creativity through Contemplation, Focus, and Endurance

June 16, 2023 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

The process of creating art, expression, and interpretation is often nurtured by passion and persistence. The Prophet Joseph Smith once observed that “when you feel pure intelligence flowing unto you it may give you sudden strokes of ideas . . .” While much of the inspiration I’ve developed and refined through the years has come incrementally, there are also occurrences when I experience “sudden strokes of ideas” in my mind and heart. This phenomenon of contemplative creativity stems from what many would describe as “the whisperings of the Spirit.”

One of my distant ancestors, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, once commented, “I love you for the part of me that you bring out.” True mastery demands patience, perseverance, and passion that transcend setbacks, strictures, and refinements. Unlike many of our friends in the sciences, artists are often frustrated by defining or articulating their trade. So often, the processes of designing, developing, and creating are known to them only, and further attempts to outline and replicate their work are stymied again and again. Little wonder that a frustrated Ammon in the Book of Mormon haltingly noted that he could not give expression to “the smallest part which I feel” (Alma 26:16).

Seeking Improvement

It comes as no surprise to many artists that their work goes unheralded, and the adulation of accomplishment is silently celebrated in the innermost recesses. Most artists enjoy their craft independently from critics, sophists, and naysayers. While many are their own greatest fan, they are simultaneously their own sharpest critics. The educator William Lyon Phelps once noted, “…I love to teach. I love to teach as a painter loves to paint, as a musician loves to play, as a singer loves to sing, as a strong man rejoices to run a race. Teaching is an art so great and so difficult to master that a man or woman can spend a long life at it, without realizing much more than his limitations and mistakes, and his distance from the ideal. But the main aim of my happy days has been to become a good teacher, just as every architect wishes to be a good architect, and every professional poet strives toward perfection.”

Meditation

While the best artists appreciate steady hands, God works best with quiet minds. Ancient prophets like Nephi, Enos, and others often referenced their consistent practice of meditation practice. The phrase “search, ponder, and pray” so often gives short shrift to the “ponder” portion of receiving revelation. Many artists confess that their ideas came in the silence of the night. Drawing from an intrapersonal intelligence often takes time to silence, train, and focus the mind within contemplative practices. If God would use our hands to further His work, He should expect that His children would “be still” drawn out to Him in prayer, ponderings, and meditative methods.

Those who achieve greatness are no strangers to hard work. Stretching and toil soften soil that sprouts seeds of progress. A law both in nature and self-mastery is that force and inertia move objects, tasks, and souls forward. While these processes are not easily clustered into rote checklists, it is only fair to burgeoning and eager pupils that they are given protocols and strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in the conception, development, and design within creative frameworks.

To those who are asking the essential question, “What lack I yet?” consider the following twofold principles that often provide fruitful and satisfying yields for those engaged in the creative process.

Using Contemplative Practices

Dr. Arthur Zajonc, who is a renowned authority on contemplative practices, suggests prayer as part of this meditative process. He said, “The prayer may be recited silently or aloud, but in all cases with full attention to the words and thoughts spoken. As with the tempo of poetry, we slowly and patiently live into the words and thoughts of the prayer as completely as possible” (When Knowing Becomes Love: Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry, 2009, p. 59). Turning our thoughts, our desires, and our souls upward in conscientious prayer and meditation fosters fertile soil for seeds of growth and development. Begin each session within the creative process by asking the Lord to use your hands to create and further His work.

Many artists begin their creative process by asking for guidance and discipline from sacred and/or spiritual sources. Zajonc further observed, “In all traditions of meditation, moral preparation is preliminary to everything else” (p. 62). There are heavenly tutorials awaiting those who are willing to climb to the top of “mountains” to hear them (1 Nephi 18:3). Not all who want to hear the still small voice are willing to experience the perspiration that so often precedes inspiration. This brings us to the second principle—toil.

Toil and Endurance

Henry David Thoreau famously observed that “the cost of a thing is the amount of . . . life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run” (Walden, Economics, p. 280).

Elder Henry B. Eyring further explained, “The good works that really matter require the help of heaven. And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough. The Lord doesn’t put us through this test just to give us a grade; he does it because the process will change us” (Waiting Upon the Lord, September 30, 1990). While the creative process is in many ways its own reward, it also proves capricious when trifled with. Creators find that impatience and hastiness are promptly punished as more than one artist has added a final stroke when stamina stemmed and fatigue frustrated what was once a promising piece.

Working “past the point of fatigue” should not suggest that we “run faster than we have strength” (Mosiah 4:27). Rather, this should be understood as a demonstration of due diligence and endurance. Demonstrate to yourself and others that your work of art was indeed work.

I hope promising artists will continue to find expression and instrumentation sufficient to explore and explain their views, their hopes, and their vision. Often, that inner still small voice is quelled by the battering of self-perceived doubts and deficiencies. However, like all things eternal and all things beautiful, art keeps finding footings strong enough to allay apprehensions and endure past mote and mire to fashion tabernacles, temples, and towers reaching ever upward. Never let the barking and bugling of adversaries deteriorate the quiet encouragement of those who give expression to the stirrings of the soul. Keep creating, my dear friends. Eternity is heralding your craft, guiding your hands, and lifting your vision.

Joseph A. Browning

Dr. Joseph A. Browning lives in LaBelle, Idaho, and works as a seminary and institute teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Shanna, have six children. Brother Browning received his PhD in Instructional Design in 2016. His current assignment as a seminary teacher is to coordinate special education methods, protocols, and pedagogies within seminaries and institutes for the Idaho East Region. He loves the outdoors, going on dates with his wife, and spending time with his family.

June 22: Make Your Mark! Book Marketing for New Authors

June 9, 2023 By LDSPMA

With Christoph Koniczek from FriesenPress

June 22, 2023, 7:00–8:00 pm Mountain Time

Marketing is one of the most important elements of an author’s journey. Whether you’re planning to make this a career or fulfilling a passion project, you’ll want to ensure you establish the right marketing strategy for your book.

This webinar will provide an overview of the foundational marketing practices needed to build an audience for your book prior to publication and in the long term. We’ll also explore the differences between your book’s availability and creating demand for your book—as well as some tips and tricks to creating that demand.

Bio: Christoph Koniczek joined FriesenPress’s team in 2013, where he has helped authors bring over 2,000 titles to the market (and counting). FriesenPress is the world’s only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider. Since 2009, they have helped thousands of authors publish over 8,000 titles. Part of Canada’s largest independent book printer (Friesens Corporation), FriesenPress offers professional editing, design, distribution, and promotional support to those seeking to self-publish their books.

Watch Recording (1:05:36)

What’s in a Melody? Eight Tips to Getting It Right

May 19, 2023 By LDSPMA 1 Comment

Crafting the perfect melody for your lyrics can be tricky. On one hand, you want the music to sound original and fresh. On the other, the melody must be memorable and catchy enough to stick in the listener’s mind. There are many factors to consider when composing a melody from the limited number of notes on the scale. Let’s consider a few strategies necessary to write an unforgettable song.

Stress Less

There’s a good chance that your initial attempts to write a song will resemble something already written by you or someone else. That’s okay. You can use various techniques to set your work apart, but first consider how well the music fits the lyrics. Next, reflect on the mood you want to create and the emotions you wish to evoke.

Words First vs. Music First

Every songwriter faces the fundamental question, “Words first or music first?” The good news is that there is no single answer to this question. Pre-written words might spark ideas for new compositions, or existing music could be the springboard for creative lyrics. Play around and discover what method works best for you.

Try New Things

Experiment with your melody! Try playing various versions to find a new and interesting arrangement. Switch up the scale or mode to give your melody a different flavor. Change the rhythms in the song. Do something unexpected! Add variety to your melody to catch the listener’s ear. Try your melody on different instruments, whether standard or digital. Listening to different timbres of instruments may help you think of new compositional possibilities. Play around with dynamics and make sure there’s enough contrast throughout your song. Variations in dynamics can make the difference between a good melody and a great one.

Syllable Stress

Carefully consider the syllabic stresses of your text and how your melody emphasizes certain words. For example, the word “father” is spoken with a stressed first syllable, “FA,” and an unstressed second syllable, “ther.” Different time signatures naturally place stress on particular beats. For instance, a song written in three-quarter time creates a stressed first beat, followed by two unstressed beats. Ideally, the stressed syllables or words should fall on the stressed beats in the music. In the above example, the first syllable of “father” should fall on the first beat of the measure so it’s given special emphasis while the second syllable remains unstressed.

Making melodic decisions can be a bit like piecing together a puzzle, but focusing on rhythmic patterns will help your song flow naturally.

Jumps and Skips

Keep the performer in mind when writing a melody. If you are writing a vocal solo, know what range of notes each voice part can sing. Using a wider range of notes makes singing a piece more difficult.

Also, remember that it’s much easier to sing notes that are next to each other on the staff than those that skip around in large jumps and intervals. Make sure the range and position of the notes match the skill level of your intended performer.

A Musical Canvas

Take opportunities to “paint the text” with the accompanying music. For example, songs often use sixteenth notes to mimic the effect of flowing water. A text about fire might use staccato notes to sound like crackling sparks. These effects might not work for every text, but when appropriate, painting the text with music can exemplify the meaning of the piece.

A Catchy Tune

What makes a tune get irrevocably stuck in your head? No one method guarantees your melody will be “sticky,” but catchy tunes have two things in common.

First, many popular songs repeat words or parts of the tune. Just think of how easy it is to get The Beatles’ “She Loves You” stuck in your head with its catchy refrain of “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” The repetition is effective without being annoying.

Second, a catchy melody is often simple. If a tune is too complex, it will be hard to remember, and you probably won’t find yourself humming it later. This rule also applies to the lyrics. To make your song relatable and memorable, avoid uncommon words that your audience probably wouldn’t know. When in doubt, sing or play your tune for someone else–if they start humming along with the second verse, that’s a surefire sign you’ve written a winner.

Your Laboratory

Sometimes, lightning will strike, and you’ll come up with the perfect combination of melody and words in a flash of brilliant inspiration. More often, the process will require experimentation, fine-tuning, and endurance to get it just right. You don’t have to settle on the first idea that comes to mind. If you give yourself time to mull the song over, you will come upon creative revisions you hadn’t considered at first. Just like in a real laboratory, sometimes your creations will blow up in your face, and you’ll have to start over. But occasionally, you’ll find the perfect combination of elements right away and produce a spectacular reaction.

Michael D. Young

Though Michael grew up traveling the world with his military father, he now lives in Utah with his wife, Jen, and their three children. He played for several years with the handbell choir Bells on Temple Square and is now a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. He is the author of the novels in The Canticle Kingdom Series, The Last Archangel Series, the Chess Quest Series and the Penultimate Dawn Cycle (The Hunger), as well as several non-fiction works, including An Advent Carols Countdown, The Song of the Righteous and As Saints We Sing. Visit his website here.

Using YouTube and Social Media to Inspire and Help Others Grow Spiritually

May 5, 2023 By LDSPMA 2 Comments

The social media community can be overwhelming, negative, suffocating, and even toxic, but it doesn’t always have to be this way. If we remember we are all children of God with the light of Christ in our souls, social media can become a connecting, encouraging, and uplifting place.

Almost every person I know is somehow involved in this online world. Some people thrive on posting about their lives while others are bystanders who just like to consume content. When I decided I wanted to build my own space on YouTube, I had two goals in mind:

Inspire people to start living life to the fullest.
Share my testimony with the world.

That is how Never Ends Now, my YouTube channel, was created.

My husband and I were driving from Utah County to our home in St. George. This drive was very familiar to us, and we often used the time to talk about how we wanted our channel to go. I told him how I wanted to take the fear out of living and persuade people to find the good in their current situations. I wanted us to be unique and adventurous and take full advantage of our time on earth. That’s when my husband suggested that we do things we have never done and call the channel Never Ends Now. I fell in love with the concept, and now, that is what we do weekly!

YouTube started out as a fun way to document our growing family, but when our channel took off, we decided to make a career out of creating and publishing videos of our experiences. Our platform consists of us starting a family, traveling the world, and everything in between. Our biggest hope is that others will go out and try things they’ve never done and appreciate the joy in life.

Staying Grounded

The more engagement you receive, the more profit you make, and so it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers when you’re relying on your social media income. I often find myself consumed by questions like, “How many views did I get?”, “Why didn’t people like this post as much as the other one?”, or “What’s trending, and how can I follow along?” Remembering my two goals keeps me grounded when I find myself wandering down those paths. As long as I’ve inspired people and shared my testimony in every video, I’ve learned to be satisfied with whatever the resulting numbers may be.

Shining Authentic Light

I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person, so I tend to get carried away sometimes. In the beginning, I would try extremely hard to bring up God or a principle of the gospel in any way that I could. I wanted to make sure I shared my testimony with the world. My pure intention was there, but honestly, it didn’t feel authentic. I felt like a child being told what to say in a fast and testimony meeting. I came to realize that I don’t necessarily have to speak my testimony for others to hear, but I can show my testimony where others will see. I stopped trying to force it and just shared my beliefs through the way I lived. This understanding brought me joy and creativity instead of pressure.

Showing Your Testimony

When my daughter was born, I remember editing the video and feeling so anxious about posting it to the world. Her birth was one of my most sacred experiences, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to share something so personal. I didn’t want to pollute it by letting the world have access. After praying about my decision, I decided to move forward and upload it. It became one of our highest-viewed videos. I received comments and messages from complete strangers about how much the video impacted them. I realized that the Spirit was able to testify to everyone watching without me even opening my mouth. I believe in eternal families. I believe that bringing life into this world is a sacred thing. I believe that the veil is open, and heaven is so close when a child is born. None of my beliefs were spoken aloud, yet the Spirit was able to touch people’s hearts about these truths.

You don’t need a formal testimony to be a light on social media. God magnifies efforts and the Spirit always testifies of truth in any form. Living a life patterned after the Savior’s example is testament enough for the world to notice.

Aspen Bailey

Aspen Bailey and her husband, Drake, are popular YouTube creators documenting their lives as Latter-Day Saints, parents of their daughter, Rainee, and having new adventures. You can see their channel here.

The Importance of a Good Book Cover

April 20, 2023 By LDSPMA 3 Comments

When I decided to self-publish my Legends of Muirwood trilogy, I didn’t know a lot about book cover design. Actually, I didn’t know anything. It probably shows.

My goal at the time was to get the trilogy out in the world without spending a lot of money. I bought a package that included cover design through a self-publishing platform for a bargain price, and I gave some suggestions about abbeys, forests, and fonts. They delivered what they promised: three book covers. But they were all missing what really mattered—a way to help potential readers judge whether they might like the book.

The original covers of Jeff Wheeler's first three books.

As a hybrid author with over thirty published novels, I’ve gained an unusual perspective about the process of designing cover art. I want to give you three BKMs, or “best-known methods” about book cover design so you can see what an author—indie, traditional, or hybrid—needs to keep in mind when designing or choosing a cover.

BKM #1: It’s the Wrapper

Imagine standing in line at the grocery store and seeing a king-sized Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on sale. You buy it with your groceries, get in the car, unwrap it, and prepare to sink your teeth into that chocolatey-peanut-buttery nirvana . . . but it’s a York Peppermint Patty. You might feel frustrated because you were expecting one thing and got another. Book covers, like candy wrappers, set expectations with the reader up front. The cover clearly shows the genre of the story.

It’s very easy to check on Amazon what the bestselling books are by category and see what design elements are common to the genre. You can look at the size of the fonts, the placement of the author’s name, any bestselling tags, and the color schemes. It’s not a coincidence that a Reese’s candy wrapper looks the way it does or that stores shelve similar items next to each other. Authors are brands too, so if you want a reader to anticipate a certain genre or style of book, it helps if your cover looks similar to others in the same genre.

BKM #2: It’s Professional

Long gone are the days when mediocre-to-cringeworthy book covers (like my original Muirwood ones) would be tolerated. If I tried that now, I can’t imagine what would happen. Readers do judge a book by the cover, so it’s important to hire a professional cover designer because you don’t get a second chance to make that first impression. In fact, especially in the indie space, even the New York Times bestselling authors I know will redesign the cover of a book when they feel it isn’t connecting with the proper audience. Even if the first cover looks amazing, it’ll hurt sales if it doesn’t resonate with the right audience. Many authors have created new covers and found that the second one worked better.

This year marks the 10th anniversary release of my Legends of Muirwood trilogy. We redesigned the covers to strengthen the brand for the series and tie the series in with other books written in the same world. There’s quite a difference from the originals.

The redesigned covers for Jeff Wheeler's first three books.

I highly recommend Bryan Cohen’s Five-day Author Ad Profit Challenge. Even if you haven’t written a book yet or have one to sell, you can still join his Facebook page and watch the videos when he runs the challenge. You’ll learn a ton (for free) about how Amazon algorithms work, how to design a cover, and how to write killer ad copy for your books. I wish this existed back when I first self-published.

Readers can tell the difference between a cheap cover and a professional one. Cover designers are mostly freelance these days, and with a little research, it’s not difficult to find ones you like. For example, most books include the name of the cover artist in the front matter, which you can see for free on Amazon using the “look inside” feature.

A screenshot showing where to find the "look inside" feature on an Amazon book.

I can’t recommend enough getting a professional to do the job right. There are cover art stock photos you can purchase if you’re on a budget, but at the very least, hire a graphic designer to help you with the fonts, styling, and sizing. The last thing you’d want is to spend a lot of time writing a book that no one will read because it looks amateurish. I was satisfied with the covers my publisher used for my first several books, but it wasn’t until they hired Shasti O’Leary Soudant to design the cover of The Queen’s Poisoner that I learned firsthand the power of an amazing cover. You know the saying that “A rising tide lifts all boats”? After that book came out, all my books began to sell better. I’ve now hired her to do some of my indie titles as well.

BKM #3: It’s Expected

Word of mouth is the number-one way people find books they enjoy. There just isn’t a replacement for the solid recommendation of a friend or someone you trust. Readers find new authors all the time through email subscriptions to Amazon’s top Kindle book deals, BookBub, or Goodreads. There is promotional text there, of course, but the cover catches the reader’s eye first. They look at the cover for a second or two before reading the blurb. If they’re still intrigued, they’ll click on the link to see how many reviews it has, how many stars it has received, etc. These are all ways that a book is “judged” before it’s read. The reader’s visceral reaction to the cover starts it off. That’s why readers expect the cover to tell them about the genre and author. They expect a title that’s easily searchable and interesting enough to entice them to learn more.

So, let’s get over the out-of-date and untrue adage about not judging a book by its cover. We base our judgment on if the wrapper matched the content, if it was professionally done, and if it met our expectations for what we purchased and why. A great cover can’t turn a meh book into a bestseller, but there aren’t many bestsellers with a meh cover. Writers today have to be professional to come up with stories that will keep a reader turning the pages. Thankfully, there are skilled wizards of the imagination who can help aspiring authors design book covers that catch readers’ eyes and delight their hearts.

Jeff Wheeler

Jeff Wheeler is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the First Argentines series (Knight’s Ransom, Warrior’s Ransom, Lady’s Ransom, and Fate’s Ransom); the Grave Kingdom series; the Harbinger and Kingfountain series; the Legends and Covenant of Muirwood trilogies; the Whispers from Mirrowen trilogy; the Dawning of Muirwood trilogy; and the Landmoor novels. Jeff is a husband, father of five, and devout member of his church. He lives in the Rocky Mountains. Learn more about Jeff’s publishing journey in Your First Million Words, and visit his many worlds at his website .

April 11: Resting your Mind in Christ—Avoid the Mental Pitfalls to Creative Success

April 7, 2023 By LDSPMA

A discussion with mindfulness coach Kim Beecher

April 11, 2023, 12:00–1:00 pm Mountain Time

Do procrastination, self-doubt, stress, or lack of clarity keep you from completing your creative project? In this month’s discussion, mindfulness coach Kim Beecher will help you kick mental pitfalls to the curb and learn practices for stillness in Jesus Christ.

Kimberly Beecher is a mindfulness instructor known for her ability to help transform lives with increased happiness, calm, and self-compassion. She is also a speaker, coach, and bestselling author of The Sacred Door: Resting Your Mind in Christ. She loves boating with her family, bike rides in the canyon, and accidentally making mushy things in her instapot. She adores her husband Mark, their children, and their 10 grandchildren. You can find her at kimberlybeecher.com.

Watch the Recording