Hey Reader,

Longtime readers might remember when I used to do the 3@3. New readers, welcome to the explanation: a few years back, I used to go live once a week at 3pm and answer 3 questions that had been pre-submitted. It was all live, no editing, just raw talk. Turns out, I've got a pile of those clips sitting around, and honestly, most of the advice hasn't aged a day. Would I add some information or say it a bit different? Maybe. But these are still so solid, I decided to resurrect them and share them with you again!

The question this time:

What do you do if you have no idea what kind of cover would fit your book?

First thing I'll say: it's completely fine not to have any idea. You don't have to be a cover art expert to be an author. That's not your (main) job.

Your job first is cover research. Get clear on your genre and your subgenre, then your themes and tropes (second chance love and secret baby? Okay, good start!). Then go look at comp titles, the books actually selling well in your specific niche, and pay attention to what their covers have in common. Figures or no figures, clothed or not, color palettes, how big the title is versus the author name, whether there's a series logo. You're not copying anything, you're just figuring out what signals "this is a book in the genre you love" to the readers you want.

Once you've got that, your job shifts. Find a cover artist who already works in your subgenre, not just someone talented in general, and one who gives you an actual intake form to fill out. Then hand them your research and let them do what they're good at. A cover's job isn't just to help sell the book. It's to make a reader pause long enough (or even be eager) to find out more.

​You can watch my brand new video on cover art decision-making right here!​

And if you want a place to talk through your cover research or ask other authors what's working in your genre right now, Just Keep Writing is free and open to join whenever you need it: https://bookboss.angelajames.co/JKW​

And still curious: would you want live 3@3 back, or something like it, so you could bring your own questions?

Happy writing!

~Angela
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