I Commissioned Character Art for My Debut Novel -- Here's What Happened

Character Art Reveal, my tips on how to go about it, and HUGE list of Resources for Writers and Readers

Writing a book is a long, hard journey. You put in countless hours no one sees. You sacrifice in untold ways to make time for this hobby (you hope) will become a career one day.

So after signing a contract with my publisher, I gave myself a treat, a reward, a present.

I commissioned some character art.

Working with the artist (Seaborn Studios) to bring my characters to life was an absolute deeeelight! I’m here to show off my FMC from my 1917 inspired YA fantasy and talk about some similarities she and I share!

Isla’s Character Art Reveal

Isla Edenvane (Age 17)

• Loves the theater

• Good at lying

• Caught between two worlds

• A junior nurse in the Ghlasmorrian Army Nurse Corps

• Strong swimmer

• Panic attacks

• Afraid she will be institutionalized if her secret is discovered

• Strengths: intuitive, compassionate, intelligent and brave

It was so much fun to see Isla—who has lived in my head for years—out in the physical world! It made it all feel more real.

Though Isla and I are different in many ways, writing her character helped me process my own past experiences with panic attacks and parental loss. Despite these shadows, Isla perseveres, she hopes, she laughs, she cries, she loves, and doesn’t become embittered by her circumstance.

The Author/Artist Communication Process

To help you see behind-the-scenes of what it was like to bring this art piece to life, I created this collage.

Are you interested in commissioning art?

I’ve had a few authors reach out to me asking about the process of commission a human artist. The following are the main questions I got and my responses.

Where do you find human artists?

Lots of places.

Initially, I hired two artists on Fivver—both later bounced/ghosted me without finishing the commissions (I got refunded, thankfully). Also, the communication was horrible. There were no check-ins and no preliminary sketches. I suppose there could be good ones on Fivver, but I don’t think I’ll return to find out.

Here is a list my publisher has compiled of human artists for hire.

It is a time consuming (and fun) process, looking at the portfolios, contacting artists and describing your project. I have a folder now of my characters descriptions, along with a few reference photos of faces, hair, clothing, etc. saved for when I want to commission more.

How do I know if the artist is open to commissions?

Artists do book out so bear this in mind. Often they will state on their Instagram profiles if they are open or closed to commissions so you can check that too.

Example:

I like when the artists makes their pricing clear on their Instagram or website, but not all artists do this. When in doubt, you can always shoot them an email or DM to learn if it’s within your budget.

Full body art will often cost more than a bust (like mine) and a more detailed background also plays into the final price. Also, ask about “commercial rights” because you may need them depending on your plans for the art.

Artists (I happened to notice are) open to commissions right now:

Susanna Fullerton

Inkbird Art

Shayndl

honeyypears

aimee.illustrates

cludi_a_

Bethany's Golden List For Writers and Readers

If you’re new here, once a month I send out my “golden list.” It’s all the info I’ve curated over the past few months via knocks on doors, whispered passwords, and meetings in smokey clubs with people who go by nicknames. It’s dangerous work so hope it’s helpful.

#HumanVoicesOnly Online Event is April 17th!

I participated in this event last year with audiobook narrator Candace Fitzgerald and it was AWESOME! I sent her a short paragraph from my WIP (work-in-progress) and she made an Instagram Reel narrating it.

Why? It’s the art communities response to Meta stealing millions of books to train its AI models and KDP pushing it’s “virtual voice” audiobooks over human narrators.

If you’d like to participate search these hashtags on IG #humanvoicesonly #dothewritething #hirehuman #genaiistheft #humanvoice #audiobooknarrator #narratorsofinstagram and reach out to a participating narrator to read a portion of your WIP or published book for the event!

Anthology and Lit Journal Submission Openings

Bellevue Literary Review - “Bellevue Literary Review seeks high-caliber, unpublished work, broadly and creatively related to our themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body.”

Prairie Schooner - Prairie Schooner publishes short stories, poems, imaginative essays of general interest, and reviews of current books of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. We read submissions from September 1st to May 1st of each year.

First Fruit Press- this anthology is run by author Brittney Tucker. She is seeking fiction stories of any genre but the submission must be centered around “your area’s local legends and hometown lore.” Submissions must be 3k-5k words. Deadline is April 15, 2025.

Yolk Literary - is seeking submissions until May 31, 2025 for their digital publication.

Twenty Hills is open to anthology, poetry, and short story submissions.

Hen Dragon Press is looking for stories with Aesop's Fables Elements.

Contests and Award Nominations Currently Open

Realm Makers Readers Choice Award nominations will open between March 15- April 15. Readers can enter up to three (3) favorites!

6th Annual Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest - Seeks unpublished manuscripts across 10 categories. Awarding $25,000, agent and publisher circulation.

Substack’s Short Story Competition - A monthly, ongoing competition. No entry fee. The winner will receive roughly $7,000! See the link for details.

Free (or nearly!) E-books and Audiobooks

1. SPFBO Finalist Sale is April 5th - 8th - 100+ ebooks from award-nominated authors on sale for 99c each!

2. Audiobooks ARCS that are currently free if you fill out this form: WE COULD BE VILLAINS & We WILL BE HEROES, INTO THE CHURN & INTO THE FIRE, A DAUGHTER OF THE TROLLS

3. I have a discount code! If you want to buy anything from my publisher’s store simply add my code “Alcott” and you’ll get 10% off. I actually love this shop because, in addition to books, it has so many pieces of original art and classic characters bookmarks.

Traditional Publishers Currently Open to Unagented Authors

*I have vetted the information about these publishers to the best of my abilities; however, always use discretion and perform your own research before submitting. Submission guidelines and policies may change, so ensure you verify each publisher's requirements and only submit if you meet those requirements.

Whimsical Publishing - Whimsical Publishing (my wonderful publisher!) is accepting submissions for the following criteria ONLY:

• Young Adult (YA), New Adult (NA), or Adult (Closed door romance fiction – fades to black, and/or kissing only)

• Middle Grade (MG) & Children

• Works that have not been published before

Dragon Bone Publishing - is open until April 30th to novel and novella submissions. “We're looking for YA, NA, and Adult novels and novellas that fit into speculative genres, particularly bold science fiction and fantasy that bend and combine genres, like cozy fantasy/sci-fi, horror fantasy/sci-fi, etc. At this time, we're looking for novellas between 15-50k and novels between 50k…and 100k.”

Owls Nest Publishers - A small press geared toward kidlit (ages 8-18). See link for submission details!

Quills & Quartos Publishing
Quills & Quartos Publishing was founded in 2019. They started with a very specific vision, to focus on publishing the best Austenesque romance fiction.

Everything With Words - Genres: MG and YA fiction over 40K words. Type: General market. Details: UK publisher, I personally think their covers are really beautiful.

Castle Bridge Media - Details: Castle Bridge Media is an independent publisher of predominantly genre books, with particular interest in horror, science fiction, thriller, and fantasy. We also dabble in non-fiction titles as well. However, regardless of the genre, if the work is good, we will consider it. Novels should generally run between 80,000 and 120,000 words.

Brother Mockingbird - Will open to unsolicited submissions February through March 2025. Genres: Action/Adventure, Chick Lit, Commercial, Contemporary, Crime/Detective/Cozies, Historical, Horror, Humor/Satire, Literary, Multicultural, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Upmarket, Western, Women's Fiction, Young Adult.

Enclave Publishing is accepting adult and YA manuscripts for Christian speculative fiction.

Andrew McMeel Publishing - Type: General Market. Genres: Poetry, inspiration, humor, children’s books, comics and illustrated humor. Details: Review their catalog to ensure a good fit.

Mountain Brook Fire - This publisher hasn’t opened to unsolicited queries in years, and I just happened to check and — voilà! They are currently seeking fantasy and science fiction. “Manuscripts need not be explicitly “Christian”–in fact, we prefer general market. However, we’re looking for fiction that is clean. Books having a Christian worldview without having a faith thread are appreciated.”

Storm Publishing - “We’re excited by gripping, dramatic stories that have us turning the pages and by real, flawed and passionate heroes who make us care. Those ingredients matter more than anything else.”

Next Chapter - “is a Rapid Versatile Publisher (RVP) that combines the professionalism and quality of traditional publishing with the creative freedom of independent publishing.” MY NOTE: A friend was published through them and said her experience has been super positive.

Kingsley Publishers accept submissions for consideration “from a wide range of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, biographical, memoirs, Christian books, and children’s books. "It's important to read through our submission guidelines before sending in your manuscript to ensure it meets our specifications.”

Olympia Publishers - Open to both hybrid and traditional contracts.

Auctus Publishers - winner of Best Book of YA Agath Awards in 2020. Auctus is a traditional publisher seeking submissions from a wide range of genres, both fiction and non-fiction but not academic.

Clavis Publishing - Do you think your story or art is right for Clavis’ list of books for babies, toddlers and children? We want to hear about it! Submit your manuscript or artwork and we will gladly take a look.

Conclusion

Have you ever hired an artist or are you interested in hiring one? I’d love to hear from you!

Light,

Bethany