We were lucky to catch up with Sharon Brownlie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sharon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

In 2014, when I was on the verge of publishing my own book, I faced the reality that quality book covers were costly. Operating with a limited budget as an independent author, I decided to explore creating the cover myself. My journey began with extensive research on book cover creation, leading me to discover a wealth of instructional videos on YouTube. Although acquiring software like Photoshop required an investment, I wasn’t discouraged.

To my surprise, I found that I could create an impressive cover using Microsoft Word. Delighted by the results, my interest in design grew, and I stumbled upon GIMP, a software that felt like the right fit for me. After practicing briefly, I crafted my first professional book cover. The moment of pride came when I shared my design on Facebook, and another author expressed interest in purchasing it. The joy of being compensated for a passion project was fantastic! selling my book covers generated enough income for me to purchase necessary software like Photoshop and Daz 3 – which enables you to digitally create models. It also enable to pay for a website so I could showcase my work.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Born in Malta in 1962 to Scottish parents, my early life was marked by my father’s involvement with the British Army. My young adult years were being a single parent to two boys, alongside working in various routine roles. It wasn’t until my children were older that I decided to return to education at the age of 38, eventually earning a History MA Hons degree in my forties.

Post-graduation, I relocated to Spain to teach English as a Second Language, where I also began my journey in writing and painting, marking a significant shift in my career path. My literary efforts led to a publishing deal with Simon & Schuster for my debut book, providing me with the leisure to explore painting and sketching, albeit casually. Due to illness I found myself leaving Spain and coming to Scotland, where I now live. My real breakthrough came in 2014 when I discovered the potential of using my imagination for creating book covers through photo manipulation. My business isn’t running on a full-time basis yet, currently I still work part time as a tutor for university students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD.

Launching Aspire Book Covers in 2015, I aimed to offer indie authors both professional and accessible cover design services. The loyalty of my initial clients, who continue to seek my services, is a testament to my commitment. What fills me with immense pride is seeing their books adorned with Amazon’s orange Number 1# sticker, acknowledging the author’s effort and marketing prowess as well as my contribution.

The feedback from both returning and new clients, appreciating my ability to envision their concepts, patience, and communicative approach during the cover design process, often involving their direct input, has been incredibly rewarding.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My primary ambition is to devote myself entirely to managing Aspire Book Covers as a full-time endeavor. Currently, I am engaged in part-time work, but I am fortunate to have a substantial income from my graphic design venture, for which I am grateful. Nevertheless, my plan is to retire from my part-time job soon to fully commit to my business.

Previously, I’ve experimented with painting, and now, I am integrating this skill into the book covers I produce. My goal for the near future involves creating illustrated book covers, viewing my current work with Photoshop and my artistic endeavors as foundational steps in this direction.

Achieving any goal requires persistent practice, dedication, and the determination to continuously progress. Despite being 62 years old and occasionally doubting my capacity for these new ventures, I remind myself that age is inconsequential when it comes to pursuing a passion.

How did you build your audience on social media?

After enhancing my skills, I recognised the need to expand, seek out clients, and commit to hard work. Initially, I thought this would be straightforward, but as revenue from my business grew, so did my aspirations to continually elevate my operations. I am pleased to say that upskilling is part and parcel of the design industry.

Launching a website and Facebook page was my first step. I optimistically believed these efforts would suffice, recalling the adage “build it and they will come.” However, I quickly learned attracting customers wasn’t automatic. The competitive nature of book cover design, often inundated with new talent, meant I had to proactively make my services known.

I ventured into uncharted territory, engaging with Facebook groups frequented by authors—whether they were marketing their books, seeking publishing advice, or in search of book covers. These interactions led me to be aware that interior formatting was needed so I began to expanded my services in publishing and formatting, often incorporating interior images. Also, these FaceBook groups also allowed me to promote Aspire Book Covers by showcasing my premade designs. Despite this, I’ve yet to explore paid advertising, though it may become necessary.

Exploring TikTok and Instagram was next, though these platforms have been intimidating and, so far, haven’t led to sales. While my books have found success on Twitter (now X), attracting authors for cover designs there has been challenging, particularly as many have reportedly left the platform.

Notably, word-of-mouth referrals have been incredibly effective, underscored by an author’s testimony of finding me through such means! So, this is a great advertisement for me when an author discusses my work.

Currently content with my clientele as a part-time designer, I’m aware that transitioning to full-time will require revising my approach on the advertising front.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aspirebookcovers.com
• Instagram: @shazzieb.1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharonbrownliecovers/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sharon-brownlie-879399a7
• Twitter: @SLBrownlie
• Other: TT: www.tiktok.com/@sharonbrownlie