We've all heard the phrase 'Don't judge a book by a cover' meaning don't judge someone by the way they look. But you should judge a book by its cover. And here's why . . .
The book cover is the first thing a person sees when browsing for their next read. Whether online or in a store, the cover is going to draw that potential reader in or the opposite and they walk away. I can't stress how important it is that you get the book cover right. If you're traditionally published, or planning on going that way, you'll have experts to design it for you. Independent, you'll need to figure it out yourself. But the main thing is to realize that the reader is going to pick up your book or not based on that cover. It has to be perfect, all the way down to the fonts.
I've seen a rise in romance book covers with cartoonish characters lately, of books that have a high level of explicit sex. Misleading, yes, but a marketing genius idea? They're selling, so yes! Personally, I'm not sure what draws readers to those books. I only know from fellow readers that those books have a lot of spice. I have a preference for my own book covers not to show faces (except for The Gangster's Mistake, which fit my character perfectly). I want my readers to picture the characters in their own mind, not have a sneak peek, and possibly a wrong perception.
Regardless of whether landscape, cartoons, designs or people, that cover is a representation of the essence of your book and it should reach out and grab readers as much as the back blurb. A discussion for another day. I'm not an expert on book covers, but I am a reader and I will not pick up a book if the cover sucks.
How to Design a Book Cover
If you're an independent author, like I am, this is extremely important. I'm a writer, not an artist. There are many authors who are blessed to be able to do both. Not me. I can't draw to save my life unless we're playing a game of hangman and I'm drawing a stick figure. Not a big deal, there are plenty of options for getting a book cover. The most effective would be to hire an artist. Present them with the background on your book and they'll draw it up. You work with the artist to get it just right. Some are expensive, some are modestly sourced. You need to do your research there. There are pre-made covers, which I have done with mine. Covers where the background is available for purchase and I make the additions and changes to color and size, as well as the positioning of where I want things located. As I've said in previous blogs, you need to be careful with pre-made covers and do your research there, too. I go through Book Cover Zone, and as soon as I purchase the cover–it's marked as sold. It's mine. I'm able to name the artist in my copyright because I ask them for it after I purchase. And of course, if you're artistically able, you can design your own. I do not recommend that unless you have a background in art. I've seen many book covers that the author has done themselves without having a background in art, and um . . . no. Spend the money to get a cover elsewhere. Your job is to get your book into the hands of readers. If you aren't doing it, it might be the cover.
And don't forget about the inside! That's important, too!
Happy Reading!
Jodie