Getting Inside Book Covers and Story Lines

Book Covers and Story Lines by JL Redington

One of the most important parts of marketing your books are the covers.  A cover has to tell the story in a picture, capture the readers attention and interest with a glance.  A boring cover will not sell books!

I’ve changed the covers on my YA series once and have been really happy with the results.  I like to match a series together with like covers and colors.  I don’t come up with my own covers, I have them made for me, but I do proof them and approve them before the final file is sent to me.

Nicole Sanders at Trevino Creative (www.trevinocreative.com) does my covers for me and she does an excellent job. 

I’m often asked where I come up with my story lines.  In this series, Passions in the Park,  I’ve wondered if my children will ever let me babysit my grandchildren again!  My daughter laughed when I told her that.  Some of the scenes are fairly graphic as the series goes on.  So where did that come from?

I get an idea for a story and then play with the story in my head, creating different scenarios until I find how I want to start it.  Nothing much happens with the story until my fingers hit the keyboard and then I’m off and running.  I’m typing as fast as I can to keep up with the movie that plays in my mind and the time flies by. 

I usually write one or two chapters to see where the story takes me and then I begin writing my chapter headings so I can stay focused on the story line and not let it run away with me.  Often, however, those headings will change and the book progresses, maybe moving them in the order I originally put them and possibly dropping or adding headings, as well.  It’s always a work in progress and definitely not something I am rigid with.

Coming up with the story for me is the best part of writing.  When I finish a book I often give myself a week to chill and let my mind unwind from the book I’ve just finished.  That is the best time for a new story to start, and they come when I least expect it.  I have to keep a recorder with me (I mostly use the one on my phone, because it never leaves my side) to store ideas and thoughts that come when I don’t have paper, pencil or keyboard at hand. 

If a story doesn’t come, I allow myself to enjoy the down time and don’t get stressed about it.  I know there’s a movie floating around in my head somewhere and when the time is right it will float to the top of the heap!  J  My brain hasn’t let me down yet.

I love writing books.  I love the stories that come to me and stay with me until the final page.  It’s a gift I am forever thankful for.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the book for yourself and check out our review of Love Me Anyway later today!