Putting the Cover BEFORE Writing the Book

Ok, you've heard of the expression "putting the cart before the horse, right?"  

Well, I've been having fun using Book Brush to design covers and back page matter to generate story ideas and THEN working the story from that point. Essentially, I've been coming up with story ideas from what I've been building onscreen. It's a unique approach...similar in concept to building the airplane while already flying.

I start with a front cover idea and then noodle on the story concept while working through that.

For me, the visual is MOST powerful. It's like the smell of writing.

After finishing the cover, I turn my attention to the back page and start working on that blurb..all with the front cover prominently displayed on the screen.

Maybe this is just a high level of plotting, but it's way more fun.

This is how I've developed several projects I'm working on.

It can even be used for short story ideas (with the idea in mind that a short story could be expanded into a fuller version, novel length creation.)

This is how my current WIP (non-fiction) project came into being "The Adventure Guide to Leadership," which is my FIRST venture into the world of non-fiction.

If you do not have access to Book Brush, there are other options out there.

So, give it a try. It is just a different way of brainstorming, but more visual in nature.