Recounting My Writing Journey: Chapter 8, Part 2/3

Bound

Hi everyone! I'd hoped to get this post out sooner than this evening, but it's been a very busy weekend! Today, I'd like to share part 2 of what I've learned in the process of writing and publishing Bound. Today, we'll cover the production process.

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Cover Design
I've been designing my own covers in one form or another since my first book, but this is the first book cover in which I really took time to layer the art on there. I also used my own art in Accidentally External and Clairvoyance, but for this one, I took it a step further. I layered on an image of a red dahlia, which is supposed to represent strength and perseverance, as Lane and Alec have to persevere through a lot of challenges in the book. It's also meant to represent their strong bond. 

In my cover design, I drew Alec's falchion and one of Lane's arrows. The smoke and black texturing are meant to represent the magic within the book, and the kind of smoky white that surrounds the weapons is meant to represent the bond that ties the two of them together. 

This is the first book that I've designed my own title font for. It's the first book that I've had the opportunity to design a dust jacket for, and on that dust jacket I was able to incorporate some of the wonderful beta reader feedback I received. I also had the awesome opportunity of designing a laminate hardcover that would be under the dust jacket (see center book in last week's image to see what it looks like - or buy a copy and have a chance to admire it close up). 

This cover went through several versions before it ended up here, and I'm really glad that I didn't stick with one of my earlier designs. This one looks so beautiful on the shelf! 


Interior Design
There are a lot of things that I learned how to do when it came to designing the interior of this book. Some of these are things that I've wanted to do in the past, but I just hadn't given them a shot. Here's what I was able to do with the interior:

• In the process of writing this book, I drew a map to help me keep all the locations and timeframes straight as my characters traveled across the continent. I kept working to develop this map, and I was able to include it in the front and back of the book. (Not on the inside cover, but it's the first thing you'll see when you open the pages of the book). I love opening fantasy books to find a map of the world within, and I'm so happy I was able to do one myself!
• I used the same images I created for the front of the book to...
  • Create a title page
  • Create chapter headers
  • Create scene break graphics​
• In the interior design process for this book, I was able to express my appreciation in an acknowledgements page. There were a lot of people to thank! I was also able to add in additional materials, including...
  • Additional lore for the story
  • Instructions for the dice game I created for the story
  • An announcement for the tentative release date for the second book
  • A content warnings page 

Ebook Design
There's not a ton that I did differently for my ebook design. My ebook won't officially release for this book until March of 2025, but the file is all ready to go. In my ebook, I still hyperlinked all of the chapters so they are easily accessible. This time, I was able to add some additional layers of protection for my files, and I decided to do the ebook in full color, so all internal graphics and maps are bright, vivid, full color images. 


​Using IngramSpark
Boy, I could do a whole series of posts just on what I've learned from using IngramSpark, and perhaps one day I will. For now, though, I'll give you the quick version. In August of 2023, I was able to attend some sessions of an author summit that Eric Van Der Hope was hosting. In it, I heard a handful of speakers talk about using IngramSpark either in replacement of or alongside Kindle Direct Publishing. I decided to do some research, and with this book, I thought I'd give it a try. 

I decided to purchase my own ISBNs from Bowker rather than going with the typical free option from either KDP or IngramSpark, as I really wanted to be able to explore my options for marketing and distribution. Then, I made an account with IngramSpark, got the book files in, filled in all my metadata information (I'll definitely be talking more about this in a future post), and ordered my proof copy. 

Typically, I have some minor adjustments I want to make to the cover at this point, and I clear up any errors I catch. I also do a complete line edit with the physical copy, because I find I catch errors much more easily on paper than I do on a screen. This time, I still did my complete line edit, but I actually made quite a few aesthetic changes to my cover once I saw what it would actually look like in person. The cover redesign process was lengthy and arduous at first, but once I figured out how to use IngramSpark's cover design template tool, it was a breeze! 

I absolutely love using IngramSpark, and thought I'll probably be using it alongside KDP, I've really loved the experience, and I've found that going this route (with my purchased ISBN and utilizing IngramSpark for distribution) has allowed my book to become more easily accessible to retailers like Barnes and Noble. 

Okie dokie, that's about it for now. To those of you who read all the way to the end, thank you! I'm happy to have you on this journey with me. If you're interested in learning more with me, check back next week, where I'll share what I've learned in the marketing/PR world as I've worked to market this book! 

Have a wonderful week, and I'll see you next time.