DATA-DRIVEN DESIGN FOR PUBLISHERS & INDIE AUTHORS…
Hi, I’m Sylvia Frost. 🙂 I’m an author and designer and since 2014, I’ve helped hundreds of authors writing in every genre make their publishing dreams real.
I’ve worked with authors publishers like Hachette and authors like Elana Johnson, Laura Thalassa, Jenna Wolfhart, Bella Andre, Clara Pines and many more…
My special sauce is that I am a data-driven designer. I rigorously analyze the Amazon top 100 and use FB Ads to dive deep into the details of what makes a best-selling cover. I’m lazer focused on creating you incredibly branded book covers that above all help you grab the attention of your ideal reader.
In 2019, I grew my studio by bringing on some amazing designers and illustrators who help me serve as many authors as possible.
Now I have a diverse team passionate about creating covers that sell, and a thriving community of authors in my Facebook Group The Book Brander Boutique.
A little bit more backstory about me — when I was eleven, I wanted to be an author. I remember going to the library and reading a book on publishing that told me almost no one gets to see their stories in print. To be an author, the book said, was to accept a life of constant rejection and poverty.
I read that and thought, “Yeah, no thanks.”
Thankfully, with the advent of online-publishing, now getting published is as easy as pushing a button. But getting readers? That’s another story.
If you’re reading this, and you’re like my typical client, you are well aware of how hard it can be to be a successful indie author. You’ve earned your battle-scars, dealing with one-star reviews, Amazon’s antics, writer’s block and marketing mishaps. You’re a pro, or you’re ready to jump the line and start publishing like one.
I’d love to help.
Well, me and the seal. 😉
I often get variants of a question: how did you make it? How did you manage to get to a level where you can be a full-time author?
There are different answers to that question. One is that I write fast, I improve every year, I have a defined voice and I write what my readers want to read. But there’s another one. That’s actually the one without which I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Early 2016, an author who wrote in my genre reached out to me. She said that my books were fun and engaging. But she told me something else: “however I think you’re losing readers because your covers aren’t that great.” She was right. I made them myself and they were horrible.
But the next time I entered a bookshop, I looked at the covers and realized how right she was. So I did what I could. I rebranded that next month.
About a week after the rebrand, I applied to bookbub and was accepted for a free feature on Cinderella. Over 30000 people got book one that week, and a good % of them read the rest, so I went from nothing to five figures.
So yeah, (how to be successful) there’s different answers to the question. But the one that matters? I write good stuff and I use covers that make the readers in the genre want to read them 
<3
The person who told me that? Sylvia Frost. Three years later, I still go to her for cover advice, and I work with her on several projects because she is one of the best at branding.
Deeply evocative, almost poetic in its ability to move emotion due to the wonderful photo and careful typography employed by the designer.
CUSTOM COVER DESIGN
JUNIOR DESIGNER
- Do you need an impactful cover that will hit genre trends on the nose? Have you bought a premade or gotten a first in series from Sylvia and now want to quickly and affordably turn it into a series? Are you in a rush and need a cover soon? If any of these apply to you, then booking with our junior designers may be the best bet for you.
- One ebook cover that is art-directed by Sylvia, but executed and designed by one of our talented staff designers.
- One finalized initial mockup with the option of a second if the first one doesn’t hit the mark.
- Three rounds of revision
- Unlimited free stock sourced from Shutterstock.com and other boutique providers composited into something unique.
- Genre targeted professional typography.
- Initial concept arrives within 7-14 days of project start date.
- **NOTE FOR COVERS WITH THREE OR MORE FIGURES there is a $75 surcharge.
SENIOR DESIGNER
- As passionate about books as they are about design, our senior designers bring a fresh perspective. If you’re in need of complex photomanipulation, and next-level design, and not on either a tight budget or a tight time-line (our senior designers often book months in advance) then this package is for you.
- One ebook cover that is done in collaboration between our Senior Designer and Sylvia.
- One finalized initial mockup with the option of a second if the first one doesn’t hit the mark.
- Three rounds of revision
- Unlimited free stock sourced from Shutterstock.com and other boutique providers composited into something unique.
- Genre targeted professional typography.
- Initial concept arrives within 7-14 days of project start date.
- **NOTE FOR COVERS WITH THREE OR MORE FIGURES there is a $75 surcharge.
CUSTOMS BY SYLVIA
- My strength as a designer is knowing how to visually represent what your readers want to see on a cover. The covers I create often don’t just meet trends, they make them. So if you want to stay ahead of the curve with a polished, uniquely branded cover, then booking with me is a good bet.
- One ebook cover designed to target your ideal reader with laser focus.
- One finalized initial mockup with the option of a second if the first one doesn’t hit the mark.
- Three rounds of revision.
- Unlimited free stock sourced from Shutterstock.com and other boutique providers composited into something unique.
- Genre targeted, professional typography.
- Initial concepts arrive within 10-18 days of project start date.
OTHER SERVICES
PAINTED ILLUSTRATION
That’s why this package is so special.
In collaboration Sylvia and Kateryna will create a one-of-a-kind cover, with both custom typography and artwork, that from the very beginning stages is created with the whole in cover mind. No more awkwardly trying to figure out where to put type. These digital paintings are designed to be covers from the very start.
Includes: Ebook Cover, Hardcover (or paperback) Layout, Type-Setting, Custom Illustration, Merchandising Rights.
Price: $1000+
Vector ILLUSTRATION
Price: $500
TYPOGRAPHY ONLY COVER
Price: $175
AUTHOR BRANDING
Are you ready to take your author brand to the next level? Do you need a cohesive visual identity that will immediately signal to readers exactly what makes your books special? If so, author branding might be right for you. We offer it in a few flavors, completely custom and trademarkable including a logo mark, or our “just branding package”, which may use assets that cannot be put on merch.
CUSTOM LOGO– $500
AUTHOR BRANDING — $250
MERCH & SWAG
MERCH — $350
*BOOKMARKS — $40
*BUSINESS CARD — $40
*Requires prexsisting branding or cover artwork and can not be sold for profit.
SOCIAL MEDIA & ADVERTISING
FACEBOOK ADS (5) — $150
AMAZON + Images (3) — $100
FACEBOOK & TWITTER BANNER — $75
ADDITIONAL FORMATS
PAPERBACKS –$50
PAPERBACK ALT FORMAT — $30
(If you’ve already done one paperback in one format, i.e on Amazon, and would like your paperback to be reformatted for another retailer, say Ingram.)
AMAZON HARDCOVER — $50
INGRAM HARDCOVER — $100
AUDIOBOOKS — $50
RADISH COVER –$40
TRANSLATION — $30
BOX-SET FLAT & 3D — $75
*PSD FILE — $150
*Subject to terms and conditions.
CONSULTING
$125/hour
THE TEAM
SYLVIA
Owner/Creative Director
CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR December 2023.
Sylvia Frost is an author and award winning book cover designer who lives with her husband and daughter in Chicago, IL. She has designed thousands of covers for New York Times Best Sellers and newbie authors alike.
Her favorite thing about the indie world is the revolutionary spirit and supportive community. She loves that it’s her job to help people take control of their destiny and publishing dreams and make them real.
In her own words she says:
“I love the joy of the “hunt” for new illustrators, designers and photographers. Watching them grow and evolve is so satisfying.
Beyond that, I also thrive when I push the limits of what a book cover can be.
A book cover that is made from video footage, why not?
High quality illustrations? Obviously.
Covers that integrate with full-fledged author branding? Yes, please.
What’s the next hot trend?
I don’t know.
Why don’t we set it? ;-)”
KATERYNA
Illustrator
CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR January 2024
Kateryna Viv is a book cover illustrator from Ukraine. She started her professional art journey in game development industry but always dreamed about creating book covers. She joined the Bookbrander team and the rest is history!
In her own words she says:
“I’ve wanted to be a book cover artist for years but this industry requires not only art skill but also the knowledge of cover design, trends, typography and many other nuances you can only acquire with years of experience. That’s why I love working with Bookbrander and Sylvia Frost, who provides me with invaluable feedback and art-direction, so that I can create covers that make readers crave to know the story behind them!”
DYANI
Chief Scheduling Officer
Dyani Sabin is the project manager for team Bookbrander, as well as a freelance science journalist and current MFA student in popular fiction at the Stonecoast Program at the University of Southern Maine. Originally from Ohio, she studied biology at Oberlin College, and has a master’s in science journalism from NYU. She’s gotten equally lost in both cornfields and libraries.
In her own words she says:
“Beyond getting early sneak peaks of covers, meeting authors in the inbox is my absolutely favorite part of the job. I can’t lie, I’m always delighted when I get to be the first person who gets to celebrate with an author over reclaimed rights so we can plan a flashy re-brand, or I get to mastermind a design schedule for a new series. I am really not a big Facebook person, so I’m not in the boutique much, but meeting you all in the email literally makes my day.”
KRIS
Junior Designer
CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR Feb 2023.
I am passionate about all things books. I obsessively read and listen to multiple books at a time, like I’m sure many of you do.
I have been designing book covers for seven years and am truly in love with the creation of something beautiful that sells books. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences with an emphasis in marketing. I am dedicated to committing this knowledge to every design created.
DANIEL
Junior Designer
CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR December 2023.
“My name is Daniel. I have been doing design for about 10 years. I am from Mexico, I really like animals and plants. Thanks to that I am inspired to create surrealist works of fantasy worlds for personal work.
My favorite type of covers to design are sweet romance, cozy mystery. The meaning of my job is that love and tranquility always exist.”
ERIC
Junior Designer
CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR December 2023.
Eric Wooten has a bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication/Graphic Design and has been designing professionally for seven years. He’s the probably the fastest designer on the Book Brander team! If you need something turned around on a tight timeline, be it paperback or cover, he’s your man!
FAQ
How far in advanced are you booked?
Each designers availability is listed on their cards above. If you want to work with any designer sooner than their listed availability, do get in touch, we offer rush rates.
If you would like to get on a waitlist, we do take new clients from that waitlist all the time whenever there are cancellations.
To get on the waitlist please email: thebookbrander@gmail.com.
What are your payment/refund/cancellation policies?
In order to reserve your spot, I require a non-refundable 10% downpayment. Upon the start of the project the next 50% is due, and the rest of the payment is due upon completion of the project. If you decide not to work with me for whatever reason before I begin work, I will refund anything paid over the deposit. Once work is begun no refunds will be given, unless I decide to cancel the project.
What is your turn around?
For custom designs, please give us 10-14 days to deliver initial concepts from the project start date. From that point, the number of changes, and the intensity of the changes, will decide the pace of the project. For extras and fulfillment of premades, expect a turn around of one week. However, if you’re in rush, let us know, and we can likely accommodate you for a small extra fee.