In trying to decide on a book cover, I conducted a very scientific poll to gather input. It consisted of me emailing family members and asking random people on the internet to choose their favorite cover
. Thirty or so people replied back. Age range: 13 to 59. About two-thirds were women.
Since I didn't intend the poll to be a study of gender differences, the results surprised me. Only one male voted for Purple Starry Head. Two women voted for Brunette in the Wind. That's a striking gender divide. I'd love to know the reason. Do you think it's just a color palette thing or something deeper?
Received 90% of the male vote.
The two covers are designed to give off different vibes.
In the aftermath of a comet hitting the Earth, Brunette in the Wind plays off of the ongoing chaos and decline of civilization.
On the other hand, Purple Starry Head captures the main character's determination to hold onto her dreams and work for a brighter future.
Received 90% of the female vote.
I wasn't surprised that most of the men steered away from the purple and pink cover. But I expected the female vote to be more divided.
Anyway, I would need a larger number of participants to draw any definite conclusions. But I just did a blog post on this, so I thought I'd share.