How important is the right cover image?

[JSWolf]

If you want to see some truly awful covers, this is the blog for you...

http://lousybookcovers.tumblr.com/

[crich70]

Originally Posted by meeera

I've no trouble at all getting to anywhere that complies with the relevant accessibility codes. It's just that having only one place for wheelchair users to sit in a cinema, and having that one of the worst spots in the theatre, is a pretty rubbish thing to do to your customers. I don't see why I should pay them a fortune for it.

I can certainly agree with you in principle though I am fortunate enough not to have ended up in a wheelchair. From a young age I wore corrective shoes and spent time each yr around other kids who weren't so fortunate. Of course back in the 70's the accessibility codes weren't what they are now either.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by crich70

I can certainly agree with you in principle though I am fortunate enough not to have ended up in a wheelchair. From a young age I wore corrective shoes and spent time each yr around other kids who weren't so fortunate. Of course back in the 70's the accessibility codes weren't what they are now either.

I love my wheelchair, and count myself super lucky to have it. It makes my life better.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But if you know nothing about the book and nothing about the author, would you even get to reading the description of the book if it has a bad cover? That's where a bad cover fails to sell the book.

Of course I would get to reading the description. It's the single-most important thing for me to look at. Even the most fantastically well-done cover art is hardly ever indicative of the quality (let alone the nature) of the content of the book it adorns. It costs me nothing to divorce my appreciation (or lack thereof) of one from the other. I hate many of the covers of books I've loved over the years, and of the rest, the overwhelming majority are underwhelming to me. Least relevant part of a book in my opinion. Rather it wasn't there at all to be honest. I don't care how well singers can dance either.

Besides ... I don't do very much random book-browsing anyway. Nine times out of ten, the author or the book came up in conversation somewhere.

Say what you will, but I believe word of mouth about solid content is going to drive more horses to water than pretty covers will. Nobody's ever going to "shiny bauble" their book into a hit, in my opinion, so keep it simple and direct your focus on the part of the book that will have the most impact on its success.

[crich70]

True enough DiapDealer. As the saying goes "you can put a pig in a dress and add perfume and lipstick and all you will have is a pig in a dress wearing lipstick and perfume." I do think that a cover can help catch the eye though. In the days of the 'pulps' publishers used bright colors on the covers because otherwise the inks would soak into the pulp paper and look washed out. They obviously felt that if the cover looked washed out people would think that 'if the cover looks that bad I bet the stories are even worse.' They still had to have good stories or the buyer wouldn't come back for the next issue though.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Of course I would get to reading the description. It's the single-most important thing for me to look at. Even the most fantastically well-done cover art is hardly ever indicative of the quality (let alone the nature) of the content of the book it adorns. It costs me nothing to divorce my appreciation (or lack thereof) of one from the other. I hate many of the covers of books I've loved over the years, and of the rest, the overwhelming majority are underwhelming to me. Least relevant part of a book in my opinion. Rather it wasn't there at all to be honest. I don't care how well singers can dance either.

Besides ... I don't do very much random book-browsing anyway. Nine times out of ten, the author or the book came up in conversation somewhere.

Say what you will, but I believe word of mouth about solid content is going to drive more horses to water than pretty covers will. Nobody's ever going to "shiny bauble" their book into a hit, in my opinion, so keep it simple and direct your focus on the part of the book that will have the most impact on its success.

Diap:

Y'know--and I've said this before here on MR, and other places--6+ years ago, I would have agreed with you. When someone originally told me that great covers sold books, I laughed at that person. I was positively derisive, if my memory serves, saying something like "that's utter bosh, content sells books, not flashy covers." And you know what?

I was WRONG. Completely, utterly wrong.

Now, 5-6 years and 2500 books later, I can say, without blinking, that great covers absolutely DO sell books, and they sell them pretty damn skippy. A super cover will ABSOLUTELY move a mediocre book up in sales rank and up in sales. Far beyond anything it should have, by anyone's measure. Yes, the inverse is true: bad covers will KILL a great book.

I have real-live proof, even. I can't share it, publicly, but I can tell you this: we have a client with a series. Actually, several, but for the moment, one series, for this discussion. His/her (I'm going to say "his" hereafter) books are clearly identified: "Joe Jones Mystery 1," "Joe Jones Mystery 2," etc.

Now, I happen to be privy to his sales figures, and you'd think: if people liked his books, they would buy them all, right? Ummm, NO. He has one with a dark, somewhat unappealing, but not DREADFUL, cover. Simply an uninspired cover. And you know what? That book sells HALF of what the others do. HALF.

I know several clients--and I've read the books in question--that have very mediocre books. I don't mean, mediocre compared to Faulkner; I mean, mediocre compared to their own genre/group, etc. BUT, they had fabulous covers, and those books sell like little hotcakes.

So: sorry, but respectfully, in this I disagree with you. Book covers, in the digital, instant-gratification, buy-it-now-get-it-now age, are FAR FAR FAR more important than they were before (when we read blurbs, read the inside flap, etc.), and have a major impact on sales. What I said on my own website blog is accurate: Everything You Need to Know About Cover Design, You Can Learn in the Frozen Food Aisle of the Supermarket. Because people don't buy "TV Dinners" based on what's inside; they buy them based on who has the PRETTIEST picture ON THE BOX. Amazingly, the same is true of BOOKS.

That's my $.02, FWIW.

And this guy: http://www.creativindie.com/8-cover-...-buying-books/ does a wonderful job dissecting what makes covers WORK. Best article I've read on the topic--and that's saying a LOT, because I have read many (articles on the same topic).

Hitch

[crich70]

Interesting article Hitch. Thanks for posting the link. Did your client decide on the cover himself and not accept any contrary advice? I'd like to think that if I had someone helping me to get things published that I'd at least listen to their advice since they would have the experience of having helped others to reach the goal of publication.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

What I said on my own website blog is accurate: Everything You Need to Know About Cover Design, You Can Learn in the Frozen Food Aisle of the Supermarket. Because people don't buy "TV Dinners" based on what's inside; they buy them based on who has the PRETTIEST picture ON THE BOX. Amazingly, the same is true of BOOKS.

URL to that blog post please. Thanks.

[cromag]

Thanks for pointing out that article, Hitch. I've always known my covers are weak -- although I like my latest one better -- and I actually have a plan* to address them this year as soon as I finish two writing projects. The article was very helpful in getting me thinking along the right lines. In fact, I think I've just about settled on one.



*Well, 12 percent of a plan!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

URL to your that blog post please. Thanks.

the link to her site is in her sig

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

the link to her site is in her sig

Yes, I know. But I don't want to have to wade through the blog to find that one entry.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes, I know. But I don't want to have to wade through the blog to find that one entry.

WADE through? Ye gods, Wolfie, mon sweetie, you cut me to the quick.

The link is here, http://www.booknook.biz/bk_news/post...design_calypso , from, I think, 2010 (maybe the year before) but seriously, you've already read the gist:

Everything You Need to Know About Cover Design, You Can Learn in the Frozen Food Aisle of the Supermarket. Because people don't buy "TV Dinners" based on what's inside; they buy them based on who has the PRETTIEST picture ON THE BOX. Amazingly, the same is true of BOOKS.

...which is what I said in the blog entry, and moreover, that other guy's article--positively brilliant on the topic. Far better than anything I ever wrote!

And when I wrote that, I didn't have the facts and figures I have now, to back me up on it. (Yes: the ones I can't release, I suck, I know--you'll have to trust me on it). That author? That book was the SECOND in his series of 5--so no other reasoning makes sense.

@Crich:

I didn't have the relationship with that author then that I do now; if I had, I would have told him that I thought the cover was a mistake. That was in early 2010, I think, and the psychology of covers wasn't as apparent to me then as it is now--or as clear, I mean. The psychology, I'd already seen, but the actual mechanics of it, the stuff that the other guy talks about in his (brilliant) blog post--that I didn't have a real grasp on yet. I was still at the (guy at the art gallery) stage of "I know what I like when I see it," kind of thing.

Hope that helps.

Hitch

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

WADE through? Ye gods, Wolfie, mon sweetie, you cut me to the quick.

The link is here, http://www.booknook.biz/bk_news/post...design_calypso , from, I think, 2010 (maybe the year before) but seriously, you've already read the gist:

Thank you. I'm just being lazy which is why I didn't want to have to try to find the blog post. I'll read it later this weekend. I'm going back to bed.

[crich70]

@Crich:

I didn't have the relationship with that author then that I do now; if I had, I would have told him that I thought the cover was a mistake. That was in early 2010, I think, and the psychology of covers wasn't as apparent to me then as it is now--or as clear, I mean. The psychology, I'd already seen, but the actual mechanics of it, the stuff that the other guy talks about in his (brilliant) blog post--that I didn't have a real grasp on yet. I was still at the (guy at the art gallery) stage of "I know what I like when I see it," kind of thing.

Hope that helps.

Hitch

Ah ok. I wasn't trying to be critical of anyone. Just wondered why he might not have paid attention to any advice given. I'm sure there are those who when given good advice still insist they know best (no matter the situation) and go ahead and do whatever they want anyway.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Diap:

Y'know--and I've said this before here on MR, and other places--6+ years ago, I would have agreed with you. When someone originally told me that great covers sold books, I laughed at that person. I was positively derisive, if my memory serves, saying something like "that's utter bosh, content sells books, not flashy covers." And you know what?

I was WRONG. Completely, utterly wrong.

.
.
.

That's my $.02, FWIW.

And this guy: http://www.creativindie.com/8-cover-...-buying-books/ does a wonderful job dissecting what makes covers WORK. Best article I've read on the topic--and that's saying a LOT, because I have read many (articles on the same topic).

Hitch

I've no reason to doubt your findings, Hitch; you've always been a straight-shooter. But I'd be lying if I said they didn't sadden me greatly if true. It implies that the book-buying public at large, are freakin' raccoons rather than readers. Shouldn't surprise me, I guess, but still. If you don't mind, I'm going to go hug a few great books with nondescript covers.