As much as writing a book is crucial to a writer’s need for expression, designing its book cover is crucial for its sales. It is the key determinant of whether or not a potential reader will pick/order your book in the first place. Here’s how I created my book cover after having written the book.

Since the cover image is dependent on or draws from the title of the book, I had to first finalise the title. I had written the book under a different title, something that was a good working title but not a marketable one. So, when the time came I drew up a list of 15 optional titles, consulted family and friends, and finally chose ‘The Sellout Nation’ as the title of my book. Now, I needed to package my product.

I did get in touch with some illustrators and got some initial designs based on my brief, but nothing that thrilled me terribly. Although they had the elements of the book, they were far from reflecting its personality. Or, perhaps, being an artist myself, I couldn’t bear to see another artist take control of that crucial 5×8 space, upon which the future of my book depended. So, I decided to do a version myself. Here are the 3 board points I jotted down before starting the book cover –

• It should be creative and catchy
• It should reflect the overall theme
• The image has to be as satirical as the book

When I started, I wasn’t too caught up in revealing the characters or drawing upon the visuals from the story. I wanted to capture the overall theme, that of a nation that has discarded the local philosophy of Swadeshi and has adopted Globalisation instead. Now, this is a complex thought, not easy to interpret! But I really struck gold when a rather ironic image appeared in my head, that of Bapu holding a burger. It was an outrageous thought, an unholy juxtaposition, almost hurting to the eyes. But that is exactly what I wanted to convey. It was my Eureka moment and I knew, whether it would make the readers laugh or take offense, I had my starting point.  

From thereon, the rest of the image flowed in, organically. I started picturing Bapu visiting India post Globalisation. I imagined that he has just stepped out of a shopping mall, having bought a burger and fries, and a pair of shoes on sale. From the opposite side, Pandit Nehru walks up with his purchase – bottles of Coco Kala. The two seem thrilled, like Indian tourists visiting a foreign country. But this is no foreign country; the footpath leads to the center of power, the North Block, from where local politicians are walking out of a gate that reads ‘Open Door’ (signifying the Open Door policy). On the sides are hutments, dwarfed by the tall glass buildings, highlighting the economic boom. And then, there is the kite bearing the tricolors, with its flight cut down and hanging precariously from the title unit, while the American flag waves on. By the time I was done with the rough layout, I had actually managed to summarise the theme of my 222-page book into a single image. 

As for the design, I wasn’t looking at creating a realistic image. I wanted a collage appeal, with cutouts placed loosely over each other, giving it a caricature feel. All the elements that you see on the book cover have been hand cut and pasted as paper collage first, and later photographed and digitally adapted for the final layout by my friend and digital artist Preeti Motwani. Even now, when holding the book, I feel like placing my finger on the different elements and moving them out of place like I used to while working with the cutouts. 

It took a few months before I received the first copy and finally saw the book cover. I was thrilled, my book finally had a face. I laughed, and so did those who I shared it with. It was creative, catchy, and compelling, and I dare say as sharp as the content of my book. Now, it’s out there for you to judge.

What do you think of my book cover? Leave a comment, share your thoughts.

Here are some work-in-progress pictures.