Don't judge a book by it's cover

Joy736 · 01-14-2012, 01:15 PM

I must admit I used to judge a book by its cover or overall appearance (book looked cheap/childish etc.) when I read physical books. I noticed that, since I got my reader, I enjoy my books so much more, because I don't get annoyed by whatever I dislike about the book's appearance anymore.
This is one of the things I like about e-reading. And I wonder if anyone else feels the same.

HarryT · 01-14-2012, 01:26 PM

Assuming that you mean "its cover", rather than "it's cover" then yes, I too would never judge a book by the cover image.

BeccaPrice · 01-14-2012, 01:51 PM

I can read my romances without being embarrassed by the covers!

HarryT · 01-14-2012, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I can read my romances without being embarrassed by the covers!

Yes, that's a huge benefit of ebooks for certain types of books, I agree

.

Joy736 · 01-14-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Assuming that you mean "its cover", rather than "it's cover" then yes, I too would never judge a book by the cover image.

Sorry Harry, ofcourse I do mean "its cover". Can you tell English is not my native language?

6charlong · 01-14-2012, 02:02 PM

I'm one of people that like to have a couple of book covers and switch them from time to time. It lets me control my book reader's appearance while protecting it from damage. My current favorite is m-edge because I like the study design and light weight of their Go Jackets and their book light is the best I've found. Their customer designed covers include some really good ones.

I have some Oberon Design covers too. They're beautiful but a little heavy for me.

The first book cover I ever got was for a PRS-500. I put it on for protection but over time I found that I liked it more for the appearance and because it gave me something to get hold of.

As for the covers on paper books, I used to hate the way the covers got dogeared and the images wore off just from holding them, and how they got kind of cracked along the spine. They look great when they're new but that great appearance wore off before I finished reading them. I never liked having to re-read old paperbacks due to their shabby covers. For awhile I tried putting commercially made covers on my paperbacks to preserve the covers but it never worked out for me, the paper cover underneath usually seemed to get torn and those covers made the paperback hard to hold.

Anyway, I'm with you on getting a good durable cover for my book reader.

banjobama · 01-14-2012, 04:27 PM

I also enjoy not getting drawn in by covers. It's something I never thought about 'til after I stopped doing it. The worst is getting "tricked" into buying a book with an amazing cover, then finding out the book is not what you expected at all.

Now I go totally off the book description and the reviews. A nice cover doesn't hurt but I barely look at it.

rdfry · 01-14-2012, 05:08 PM

I don't know I'm kinda lured in by ones with pretty colors.

carpetmojo · 01-14-2012, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, that's a huge benefit of ebooks for certain types of books, I agree

.

Yes, I found all those plain brown covers a little worrying too.....

RDaneel54 · 01-14-2012, 06:28 PM

I like that folks don't know what I'm reading, but it annoys me when I can't judge others because they have an ereader.

QuantumIguana · 01-14-2012, 07:13 PM

I judge a book by its cover - to an extent. If I see a book and it has a really amateurish cover, I'll probably avoid it. A cover won't persuade me to read it, but it might persuade me not to read it.

mrscoach · 01-14-2012, 09:46 PM

I agree with QuantumIguana (cool name, BTW) that I have bypassed some books because of the crappy cover, but I don't buy because of a cool cover, either. Usually if I hate the cover I find I don't like the description, either.

I used to hate when the cover didn't mesh with what was inside the book. Yes, I'm talking romances, but if someone is described in the book, shouldn't they look like that ON THE COVER? I remember thinking once "who the crap is on the cover? It isn't the hero"

Bookworm_Girl · 01-14-2012, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I judge a book by its cover - to an extent. If I see a book and it has a really amateurish cover, I'll probably avoid it. A cover won't persuade me to read it, but it might persuade me not to read it.

Me too.

rdjack21 · 01-14-2012, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I judge a book by its cover - to an extent. If I see a book and it has a really amateurish cover, I'll probably avoid it. A cover won't persuade me to read it, but it might persuade me not to read it.

Agree completely!
I have found that I prefer a Indy book that has a nice cover because to an extent it tells me that if the Author cared enough about his product to put some thought into the cover that they most likely also cared enough to have the book edited. So I guess you could say that I equate an Indy E-Book with a nice cover with an Author that is trying to produce a professional product and those without a nice cover as more amateurish. As a consumer I'm much more willing to spend my money on a professional product than on a amateur product. Now that does not mean I all against the amateur it just means I'm not willing to spend as much on it. For me that translates into that I'm willing to pay $0.99 for the amateur stuff any thing above that and you better have a good cover (true there are always exceptions but not many).

GA Russell · 01-15-2012, 02:08 AM

I was taught as a child not to judge a book by its cover, and I have been surprised by how many folks here admit to doing that.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I have started writing my first novel. I plan for it to have a simple cover. Perhaps that will hurt sales, but I want the book to be appreciated for its text without any pre-judgment due to its cover.

01-14-2012, 01:15 PM	#1
Joy736 Addict Posts: 311 Karma: 1078442 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Don't judge a book by its cover I must admit I used to judge a book by its cover or overall appearance (book looked cheap/childish etc.) when I read physical books. I noticed that, since I got my reader, I enjoy my books so much more, because I don't get annoyed by whatever I dislike about the book's appearance anymore. This is one of the things I like about e-reading. And I wonder if anyone else feels the same. Last edited by Joy736; 01-14-2012 at 01:55 PM.

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01-14-2012, 01:26 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Assuming that you mean "its cover", rather than "it's cover" then yes, I too would never judge a book by the cover image.

01-14-2012, 01:51 PM	#3
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	I can read my romances without being embarrassed by the covers!

01-14-2012, 02:02 PM	#6
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	I'm one of people that like to have a couple of book covers and switch them from time to time. It lets me control my book reader's appearance while protecting it from damage. My current favorite is m-edge because I like the study design and light weight of their Go Jackets and their book light is the best I've found. Their customer designed covers include some really good ones. I have some Oberon Design covers too. They're beautiful but a little heavy for me. The first book cover I ever got was for a PRS-500. I put it on for protection but over time I found that I liked it more for the appearance and because it gave me something to get hold of. As for the covers on paper books, I used to hate the way the covers got dogeared and the images wore off just from holding them, and how they got kind of cracked along the spine. They look great when they're new but that great appearance wore off before I finished reading them. I never liked having to re-read old paperbacks due to their shabby covers. For awhile I tried putting commercially made covers on my paperbacks to preserve the covers but it never worked out for me, the paper cover underneath usually seemed to get torn and those covers made the paperback hard to hold. Anyway, I'm with you on getting a good durable cover for my book reader.

01-14-2012, 04:27 PM	#7
banjobama Busy Read'n Posts: 980 Karma: 5039283 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Auburn, WA Device: Pocketbook Touch Lux 5	I also enjoy not getting drawn in by covers. It's something I never thought about 'til after I stopped doing it. The worst is getting "tricked" into buying a book with an amazing cover, then finding out the book is not what you expected at all. Now I go totally off the book description and the reviews. A nice cover doesn't hurt but I barely look at it.

01-14-2012, 05:08 PM	#8
rdfry loving the books Posts: 374 Karma: 18825402 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: DFW Device: Rooted Nook, Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, Galaxy Note 5, 2 Fire 7s Note 8	I don't know I'm kinda lured in by ones with pretty colors.

01-14-2012, 06:28 PM	#10
RDaneel54 Aging Positronic Brain Posts: 633 Karma: 2155452 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Aurora (when off-Earth) Device: Amazon Oasis; iPhone, iPad Mini	I like that folks don't know what I'm reading, but it annoys me when I can't judge others because they have an ereader.

01-14-2012, 07:13 PM	#11
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I judge a book by its cover - to an extent. If I see a book and it has a really amateurish cover, I'll probably avoid it. A cover won't persuade me to read it, but it might persuade me not to read it.

01-14-2012, 09:46 PM	#12
mrscoach Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	I agree with QuantumIguana (cool name, BTW) that I have bypassed some books because of the crappy cover, but I don't buy because of a cool cover, either. Usually if I hate the cover I find I don't like the description, either. I used to hate when the cover didn't mesh with what was inside the book. Yes, I'm talking romances, but if someone is described in the book, shouldn't they look like that ON THE COVER? I remember thinking once "who the crap is on the cover? It isn't the hero"

01-15-2012, 02:08 AM	#15
GA Russell Argos win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,676 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I was taught as a child not to judge a book by its cover, and I have been surprised by how many folks here admit to doing that. As I mentioned elsewhere, I have started writing my first novel. I plan for it to have a simple cover. Perhaps that will hurt sales, but I want the book to be appreciated for its text without any pre-judgment due to its cover.

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