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Nathan and Nat dive deep into the intricacies of book cover design and the evolving publishing landscape. They share their personal experiences working with different designers and publishing houses, from DIY approaches to traditional publishing partnerships. Nathan details his current journey working with an art director to create the perfect cover brief, while Nat offers insights from his experiences with both Penguin Random House and independent publishing.

The discussion explores the importance of clear communication with designers, understanding genre expectations, and the surprising realities of how book covers are actually created. They also touch on some fascinating industry challenges, including the complexities of rights management and merchandising in traditional publishing deals.

The conversation wraps up with an interesting tangent into the world of AI and coding, highlighting how technology is rapidly changing both the writing and software development industries.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] The cover design process
[02:30] Finding and selecting cover designers
[05:23] Conveying genre through cover design
[07:44] Working with an art director
[10:31] Components of a creative brief
[16:18] Cover design directions
[28:51] Penguin Random House cover process
[33:15] Scribe's cover design process
[36:24] Using stock images in book cover design
[39:52] Cover art licensing and merchandise rights
[42:43] Changes in publishing deals and author revenue streams
[46:17] Updates on our books
[51:16] Wrap-up and next episode preview

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