A few weeks ago, I posted an article about whether or not we should use images of people on our book covers. I also displayed two alternative covers for my upcoming novel Poison Bay — one with a person on it and one without.

Today I’m going to talk about the pros and cons of seeking feedback in this way, and some things I learned about how to make the most of it if you do decide to invite feedback for your own book covers.

There’s a lot of debate in self-publishing circles about whether book covers should have people on them or not, and how this impacts sales.

This is an issue close to my heart as I prepare to self-publish my debut novel. Read on for the process I’m going through to figure it out.

Today, we’re speaking to authors who have self-published different kinds of VISUAL BOOKS, including:

•Picture books for children

•Memoir

•History

•Coffee table books.

There are so many more options today, thanks to ebooks, print-on-demand, and new distribution options through online bookstores.

I’ve asked five authors from different countries to spill their secrets about how they’ve gone about the process, to inspire and help other authors who want to self-publish a visual book.

One of the reasons writers use pen names is not because of any need for privacy or secrecy, but purely to help readers differentiate between the different types of books they write.

This is a reason close to my own heart, and you’ll soon see why.

I’ve discovered that pen names are an issue occupying a lot of writers’ minds, since my previous Pen Name articles, 3 reasons for using a pen name, and How to choose a pen name continue to generate conversation.

That’s why I thought I’d walk you through the steps I’ve used to decide: Will I use a pen name for different genres? (You’ll have to read to the end to find out my answer! Oh, the suspense.)