When It Comes To Cover Art, How Much Say Do Writers Have?

Case studies that prove the answer varies from "none" to "a lot"

When you publish a novel with a major publisher, the publisher has the final say over the novel’s cover art. A book cover is considered a sales tool, a way to reel in readers. And since publishers are the ones fronting the cost of publishing your novel, they’re the ones most invested in how your novel is advertised.

Social media will have you believe that publishers are dead set on foisting terrible book covers on defenseless writers, or that writers have full control over the face their novel presents to the world. But the truth lies somewhere in between.

Let me share my own experience negotiating cover art for novels I’ve published with two major publishers. I’ll also throw in some of my friends’ experiences. I hope that will give you a clearer picture of how the process works!