Illustrators, take note of which publishers are crediting their illustrators on book covers and including their names in publicity. Those are much more likely to be the ones you want to work for. #PicturesMeanBusiness

Illustrators, get it in writing in your contract that you’ll be included in your book’s publicity, metadata and on the front cover. I recently sent back a contract missing this; they’d promised it, but editors can leave halfway through projects; designers, publicists can forget

I should add, most publishers will be absolutely fine with this. In theory, at least, most support #PicturesMeanBusiness: it’s a win-win situation for the publisher and illustrator (and writer and readers)

How is #PicturesMeanBusiness win-win?
*Publishers tap into illustrator fanbases
*Publishers build illustrator loyalty
*Readers who come to books through pictures have potential hero
*Greater event reach
*Publisher builds reputation of supporting illustrators
*Better searchability

What do I mean by searchability? Say an illustrator wins an award. People then look up books by that illustrator to buy. Publishers, you want your book to be the first thing that pops up in their search, and if your illustrator's unlisted, they won't find your book. Lost sales.

How is #PicturesMeanBusiness win-win for writers?
*You get the illustrators' fans!
*Illustrator images help social media posts go further
*Less chance your illustrator will dump you mid-series
*Crediting your illustrator makes you look clued-in and generous to other illustrators

One last tip for illustrators: sometimes we work by committee and end up *loathing* the final image. Please still accept credit for your work even if you hate it, you don't have to put it in your portfolio. Asking *not* to be credited sets a precedent that affects colleagues.

(I feel I need to add this, because it does happen on very rare occasions. It's why I can't automatically assume it's a publisher's choice not to credit... but it almost always is the publisher.)