We are getting close! My next book’s early release is just a few weeks away. I am finalizing the book cover design this week, and I’d like your help. The cover design process has been extremely valuable because I’ve made it open to the public. I shared three renderings of possible book cover designs earlier this month with my newsletter subscribers, then my writing groups, and then on LinkedIn and Twitter. Here are the original designs:

Original cover design renderings.
The cover on the left was widely selected over the other two – and the ‘losers’ basically tied for 2nd place.
While I didn’t include a field for extra comments on my initial survey, many people commented on social media and kindly took the time to email me their thoughts. The original title was All My Magazine Queries That Worked: A Guide for Freelance Journalists. Several people shared sentiments for removing “all my.” When telling people about the book and speaking at events, I noticed that the book isn’t just for anyone interested in journalism. Small business owners, professionals, and authors can benefit from writing for magazines too. That prompted me to refine the subtitle in the final options below.
Now I have three variations of the publicly-selected cover design that will be judged only by Write Naked subscribers and visitors. To make your selection, visit the survey link here by midnight on May 1, 2017. Here are your choices:
I will share the results soon, along with the book teaser video!
Reminder: If you’d like to hear my presentation on Why Authors Need Bylines in Magazines, I’m speaking at A Day for Writers this Saturday, May 6th in Sylva, North Carolina. Walk-in attendance is available, but it is helpful to the conference organizers to know in advance if you will be there as lunch is included for all. If you go, let’s have lunch there!
PLUS, everyone who attends the conference gets a first-edition-fancy-shmancy Write Naked tote:

First-ever Write Naked totes are swag at a writers conference next weekend!
Oh boy, that was fun! Love the totes! Wish I could be there!
Thx! You’ll be getting an advance digital copy soon!
That is so exciting! I like the winning cover. Congratulations!!
Thx, Erica! I’m looking forward to having all my queries in one place. 🙂
The winning cover is fabulous. The colors are really eye-catching.
Thanks! It was my non-writer husband’s least favorite, but I told him he’s not my target audience. 🙂
Great to meet you at the conference today. Look forward to your book and classes in the future.
~And thanks for the swag!!
Cara P
writeoutside.org
Good to meet you too, Cara! Was great to chat with you and Nancy yesterday. Love your blog! We have a few things in common–I’m from the NE too (Long Island) and I married my friend from high school. (We didn’t start dating until long after college.) Keep me posted if you’ll be in the Triangle area. I’ll be at Glenda’s Hayesville writer studio in August. Happy writing!
I appreciate the kind words. It means a lot coming from someone with the knowledge base and experience you do!
Long Island! I worked with and am friends with three different couples from Long Island, that I met in Wake Forest. Small World!
And as you know- best friends make the best spouses 😉
I met Nancy at the last the writer’s conference in Blue Ridge, GA a few weeks ago and we appreciated you taking the time to talk with us. You are a wealth of knowledge and easy to talk with. I do hope to see you in the future,and i hope to make it in August.
Looking forward to your book!
Love the current design and name. 🙂 I look forward to buying it and reviewing it on my blog. 🙂
Thanks! I got the edits back yesterday so will be publishing soon! 🙂