I loved this post about the development of the Learning to See cover! It’s wonderful to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of this part of the process. Thanks for sharing it and making the creative decisions so visible. Can’t wait for the book!
I know, isn't it cool? Actually I've never seen this story with any other book. At the end of every year, the New York Times Book Review publishes a top-ten book covers of the year. They just list the books, with the covers, on a page together. It would be cool if they would also do a feature story where they picked one of the books and showed the creative process. Maybe, next year, my book will be one of the winners! Well, I should say, Emily Gutheinz's cover!
All of this is fascinating! Thank you for sharing about the design process. I look forward to, er, seeing your new book!
Have you watched the documentary series about Saturday Night Live that is on Peacock? I thought of you when I watched it. I suspect you would be particularly interested in the third episode -- "Written by: A Week Inside the Writers Room." It's a great documentary about a structured group creative process. Perhaps a subject for an article!
I'm glad you all like it! By coincidence, today's NEW YORK TIMES has a feature about a prominent book cover designer named Na Kim. It's interesting! She wrote an essay "When your favorite writer does not like your initial cover design" (about Jeffrey Eugenides) and it refers to a cover design trend: the bold and blocky Instagram era of book covers. They suggest that all book covers now look the same because online, the cover has to be legible even in a thumbnail image. MY book cover has bold, sort of blocky letters, but Emily made them look special in a creative new way!
I loved this post about the development of the Learning to See cover! It’s wonderful to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of this part of the process. Thanks for sharing it and making the creative decisions so visible. Can’t wait for the book!
I know, isn't it cool? Actually I've never seen this story with any other book. At the end of every year, the New York Times Book Review publishes a top-ten book covers of the year. They just list the books, with the covers, on a page together. It would be cool if they would also do a feature story where they picked one of the books and showed the creative process. Maybe, next year, my book will be one of the winners! Well, I should say, Emily Gutheinz's cover!
All of this is fascinating! Thank you for sharing about the design process. I look forward to, er, seeing your new book!
Have you watched the documentary series about Saturday Night Live that is on Peacock? I thought of you when I watched it. I suspect you would be particularly interested in the third episode -- "Written by: A Week Inside the Writers Room." It's a great documentary about a structured group creative process. Perhaps a subject for an article!
I watched one of them but I didn't see that episode. Thank you for letting me know, I'm going to add it to my watch list!
Keith this was fascinating to follow and I love the cover!
Ellen Winner
I know, isn't it cool to see how it happens? I wish I could see this for other books that I like
Great cover
Thank you! I love it!
I'm glad you all like it! By coincidence, today's NEW YORK TIMES has a feature about a prominent book cover designer named Na Kim. It's interesting! She wrote an essay "When your favorite writer does not like your initial cover design" (about Jeffrey Eugenides) and it refers to a cover design trend: the bold and blocky Instagram era of book covers. They suggest that all book covers now look the same because online, the cover has to be legible even in a thumbnail image. MY book cover has bold, sort of blocky letters, but Emily made them look special in a creative new way!
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/style/na-kim-fsg-paris-review-nicola-vassell.html?searchResultPosition=1