The Big (Stupid?) Idea: Do It All Myself
When I first started writing my memoir, I had this brilliant stupid idea: I was going to do everything myself. Yes, including the book cover.
I figured—why not? I had some basic Photoshop skills, a decent eye for design, and a working knowledge of Canva thanks to my Sims modding days. So I turned to AI and generated an image for the cover of Extraordinary Machine.
It wasn’t great.
Garbled Text and a Messy Heart
While I loved the floral aesthetic and the concept: a mechanical heart surrounded by gears, the final image looked messy. And AI, at the time, wasn’t great at rendering readable text; it has actually improved in the months since then.
I spent two hours in Canva trying to make it work. But eventually, I had to face the truth: this wasn’t my lane. My lane is storytelling. I needed help from someone with artistic talent.
Finding Help: Enter Reedsy (and Avoiding Fiverr Fails)
I discovered Reedsy, a platform that connects writers with freelance professionals, including cover designers, editors, audiobook narrators, and more. The process is simple:
- Write a pitch for your book
- Choose five professionals whose work speaks to you
- Wait and hope that at least one replies, fits your budget, and vibes with your vision
I also checked out Fiverr, but it was a no for me. While there are some legit artists on there, it’s also flooded with scammers and Canva bandits passing off stolen work. I literally saw someone using a Toni Morrison cover in their portfolio. Absolutely not.
Love at First Scroll: Finding Nick Low
On Reedsy, I found five artists I liked—but one stood out immediately. Nick Low, an American expat living in Sydney, just like me.
His art was stunning: vibrant, emotional, and rich with depictions of Black women and joy.
I hadn’t thought about it consciously before picking an illustrator. Still, I realised in that moment that it was meaningful to collaborate with a fellow person of colour on something as personal as my memoir about my life.
And I realised that even if Nick didn’t take the job, I still thought that I’d love to buy his artwork and hang it in my apartment.
I sent him my pitch. He replied within a few hours. He got it—all of it. The heart of the story, the symbolism of the mechanical heart, and the shared experience of being people of colour in Australia. His price was fair, and his energy was warm. Still, I did my due diligence and waited to hear from others.
Only one other artist from Reedsy replied and immediately talked down to me. While I was transparent about this being my first book, he was oddly condescending and treated me as if I were an idiot.
Nick, on the other hand, treated me like a creative equal.
Collaboration Magic: Building the Cover
Saying yes to Nick was one of the best decisions I’ve made so far on this self-publishing journey.
He was patient, kind, and intuitive. He never once made me feel foolish or inexperienced. We worked collaboratively; he created the initial mockups, and from there, we refined the design together through several iterations.
And then… the final version arrived.
I cried.
Why This Cover Means So Much
Writing Extraordinary Machine has been a painful, healing, raw, and empowering experience. It’s a memoir about my trauma, my mother, my Nana, and my becoming. There have been days when I’ve questioned everything, as recently as this weekend.
But one thing that has kept me going is the image in my head: me, holding this book in my hands.
That image got me through the hard chapters. And now, thanks to Nick’s incredible talent, that image is real.
Meet the Artist
Nick Low is a brilliant painter and illustrator!
Please support him and follow his work on Instagram at @NickLowPaints, visit his website here, or explore his Reedsy profile if you’re a creative looking for stunning artwork.
I can’t wait to fill my apartment with some of his art.
The Reveal: Extraordinary Machine Cover
Final Thoughts: Let Yourself Be Helped
To my fellow writers, artists, and stubborn DIY-ers: you don’t have to do it all alone (I wrote more about this here: DIY vs. Outsourcing: What I’m Doing Myself for My Memoir (and What I’m Not)). Let those who are brilliant in their respective fields do their thing. You’ll end up with something better than you ever imagined, and you’ll make meaningful connections along the way.
This book is my heart. And now, it has a face.
✨ Want to Follow the Journey?
Extraordinary Machine is still in progress—but the heart is beating and the story is coming to life.
If you want a front-row seat to the writing process, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, or just want to cheer me on as I build this dream:
Follow me on Instagram and Threads at @brittanybrownwrites
Let’s make something extraordinary—together. 💛
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