Robin Ludwig has designed every cover in the Inspector Thomas Sullivan Thriller Series and the Capital City Characters Series. Her cover design for The Predator and The Prey won an award for Best Ebook Cover!
Despite what the old cliche about judging a book by its cover claims, it is one of the most important factors in grabbing a reader’s attention in the book sales process.
Robin Ludwig has been helping authors sell their work since 2010 as a graphic designer and cover design artist. She was gracious enough to agree for an interview, taking a break from her busy schedule as a designer.
It is obvious you are a trained artist and designer. How did you come to apply your creativity and training to designing book covers?
I worked for a professional photography and photofinishing lab for several years. My job was photo retouching and restoration. Occasionally I also got to work on more creative projects. I have always loved graphic design and books. My loves of both lead me to my first cover design client in 2010.
Explain, if you can, the process of creating a cover that tells enough of the story to sell a book visually.
I don’t really think it is the goal of a cover to tell the story of a book. The cover should capture attention and create interest. The cover design needs to convey just enough detail to be relevant to the genre but also needs to be a good representation of the author. The overall layout and presentation needs to be professional and balanced. How literally the cover tells the story depends on the genre, target audience and desired tone.
How do you deal with the challenge of working with authors who have no ideas about design but want to control the process of creating a quality cover that will sell the book?
In those cases it takes brainstorming, flexibility and compromise to narrow down a focus for the design. This can mean research into what is selling in the genre and what designs have inspired the author. I have found that I can look for elements that are consistent in a genre and in the covers an author likes to begin a concept.
How would you describe a successful cover design? What elements make for a successful design?
A successful cover design should represent the genre and audience for the book. The design should be age appropriate, respectful and professional. I recommend avoiding sensitive or controversial images and/or text on a design. The cover should also have consistencies with an author’s other works. If the book looks well put together on the outside, readers will assume as much care was taken with the story inside as well.
What advice would you offer to authors searching for a cover designer?
Look for a designer with a professional website, longevity in the book industry and an extensive portfolio. Make sure the designer you are considering is easy to contact and has a reasonable service time for design. Ask when payment is required, what is included in the price and ask what the cost will be for edits later if needed. Look through the designer’s website and ask questions.
What guidance would you offer to authors regarding thinking about what they want for a cover design before contacting a designer?
Do your homework. Find designs in your genre that you like elements of. Those elements could be the tone, layout, model positioning, design style etc. Let your designer know what you like about each cover. Avoid sharing what you do not like and focus on sharing suggestions that do work. Include what your genre and/or sub genre are, the tone you want for the design, the feeling you want to convey and who your target audience is.
Many designers have a cover design request for that can be filled out with design details. Mine can be found here:
https://www.gobookcoverdesign.com/getting-started
What genre do you enjoy creating designs for the most?
I like mystery, suspense and horror the most. Horror and suspense books offer a lot of freedom in design and have very clear genre indicators. They also have less focus on models or specific characters. I also enjoy science fiction and urban fantasy.
What sets your covers apart from the work of other cover designers?
I think all designers have a look of their own. My experience with photography and background with printing help with retouching and color specifications a less experienced artist would be familiar with. I have typography and marketing training to help with author branding. My years in design have taught me several techniques and design skills. This experience allows me to create unique looks for all of my designs. My long involvement with the book industry also gives me a background and knowledge others may not have gained yet.
What is the most difficult aspect of designing covers that are effective?
The most difficult aspect is overcoming the assumption that good cover is all that is needed to sell a book. Marketing and networking play a major roll in sales, even with a prefect or effective cover. Another difficulty is that there is no right answer to the question “What will sell a book?”. As the market changes so do readers and what works right now may not work in a month, but may work again in 6 months.
For an individual considering a career path similar to yours, what advice do you have to offer?
New designers should strongly consider graphic design classes. They should design with professional level design programs and a desktop computer. The Adobe programs are still leaders in graphic design. Research and get familiar with online design resources. Personal photos will not work on designs. Be ready to work with stock photography providers or professional photographers.
What guidance can you offer for working with authors or clients in general in the field of design?
Much of the same advice as above. Design in high resolution with professional software. Work according to your skill level. Try more advanced projects as you learn. Ask questions to your peers and search online.
Of the countless covers you have designed, what designs have given you the most satisfaction as an artist?
I have always been very proud of the work I have done for author’s who found themselves without the same designer for books in a series. I love the challenge of matching the general design, model and branding to create a consistent look. Usually large publisher in-house designers did the first designs with the help of photographers on staff. It takes all of my design skills, resources and knowledge to recreate new book cover designs within these series.
To see examples of covers Robin has designed, visit her website. Or, you can check out these three examples below.
Here are a few examples of covers Robin has done for other authors.
For more links to contact Robin, pick a link listed below and click on it.
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