These Book Covers Taught Me 3 Things as a Creative
- Jess Write Jones
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 26
The other day I was working on a video for marketing purposes, and I was showcasing the book covers that I had created over the years. Seeing these brought me to 3 major lessons I've learned while on my journey of being a creative.
TBOF: The Book of Fools
The Book of Fools Part 1 was my first time seeing my dream come to life. When you dream about something for so long and then it happens--priceless!
Shout out to Sara B. for taking the pictures. Brie T. and Jon H. are the model on the book cover, and they also shot the book trailer. I don't know what happen to that footage but shout out to Kris H., who was the camera man and editor.
I designed the cover of the first book! 😏 Listen, I was trying to do everything on a budget, but the main lesson I learned is that you have to invest in your craft! Wait, I'm going to say it again for the people in the back,
I learned some valuable computer skills (I will crop, background remove, insert, export the hell out of a picture), but the biggest lesson I learned is that you have to invest in your dreams. Even if it means saving to invest, you have to invest in your craft so that you can see it at its best level. If you don't do it, who will?
And now I would like to take this time to give a shout out to my book cover designer, Lamar H. He has created three covers for me so far and I like his work. You get quality when you invest in yourself and choose the right people!
TBOF: The Definition of a Fool
I was still on a budget when I designed TBOF: The Definition of a Fool. 😏I hadn't learned the very valuable first lesson yet. I was out here trying to get my DMX on and drop two albums in one year. It didn't quite work out that way, but these books dropped back-to-back--quickly.
I want to give a huge shout-out to my excellent models: Amber W., Tykeem B., and last but not least DaShan B. I took the pictures this time with DaShan’s camera. If I remember correctly, I had his camera for so long and then he eventually gifted it to me...I still got it, too. The day we took those pictures; Amber was in her bag. She was giving acting, kicking chairs over all for the sake of the picture. I even used some of those pics from this shoot on another book cover. Tykeem had jumped in at the last minute, because I had decided I wanted another guy to be in the picture, and it all just came together. But the lesson is,
2.PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT YOUR CRAFT, BUT YOU GOTTA BE VOCAL ABOUT YOUR DREAMS!
I like to repeat myself sometimes so, let me say that again: PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT YOUR CRAFT, BUT YOU HAVE TO OPEN YO' MOUTH AND SAY SOMETHING! You just have to speak up and let them know what you are all about, because you would be surprised who supports you.
Signed the Teammate
Signed the Teammate, originally began as a Wattpad online story. Shout out to Amber W.! I told y'all she was in her bag during her photoshoot. I used a pic from her initial photoshoot for the advertisement for The Teammate.
If you're not familiar with the Wattpad platform, it's where a writer puts out chapters in real time. I had written that book so fast, but it was "seat of pants" type of writing. There was no rhyme or reason, just typing the first thing that came to mind. I loved it and wanted to turn it into a novel. So, I took it off Wattpad and that's where the first official book cover kicks in.
Shout out to one of my good girlfriends, Alisha D. I had a photoshoot with her, too and I used her pictures for this book and another book that I will be putting out soon.
By the time I put Alisha on the cover, honey, I had changed the name of the book, characters, the characters' names, the storyline--everything. So, when it finally came out, I had to tell people this ain't that, the online version is different from the book! I remember around this time I was trying to finish writing the novel, but I needed to design the book cover, still had to edit, still had to market to clear the confusion, and it was too much! I had finally devoured the truth--I can't do everything. Wait, I'm going to repeat this point for me, more than for you:
Here's the thing, you need people, and it's okay to ask for help. I can write, I can make decent book covers, I can market a little, but it takes away from what I really want to do--I, Jess Write! Having a squad, a team, or just reliable people to help, makes a world of difference. Had I had a team back then, I could have put this vision into overdrive a long time ago. But watch me work, because lessons are learned for a reason, and you better know it!
QUICK RECAP:
1. YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN YOUR CRAFT!
2. PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT YOUR CRAFT, BUT YOU GOTTA BE VOCAL ABOUT YOUR DREAMS! OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND LET FOLK KNOW!
3. YOU NEED A TEAM! YOU NEED A SQUAD THAT SEES YOUR VISION, BUT CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO ITS GROWTH!
OTHER THINGS TO NOTE:
a.) In the words of the late, great Aaliyah, "And if at first you don't succeed, then dust yourself off and try again, you can dust if off and try again, try again again, again." You see how many times I tried and tried.
b.) Strategically placed angels are a real thing. God sends people to help you and looking back, God sent the right people at the right times. I really appreciate everybody who was on the book covers, published or not, THANK YOU!
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