27/03/2013 – Book covers and blind dates – by author Sherry Stanfield

You’re probably wondering what book covers have to do with blind dates.  If you’re an author, the answer is everything.  Have you ever heard the saying:  “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”?  Just like a blind date, an author’s only chance to grab a reader’s attention is with their book cover, their first impression if you will.

“Different strokes for different folks” is another popular saying, and a very true one.  When the reader goes looking for the next great read, they usually search first by genre or topic, then by title and then … you guessed it, they look at the cover.  Now, I’m going to pick on the guys for a minute.  You’re “shopping” around for a new relationship, and just like an author’s book title, your friend tells you this unknown person is exactly what your looking for.  Being the risk taker that you are, you take your friend’s word for it and show up for the blind date.  I guarantee you, just as in shopping for books, this is what happens next:  the first impression begins…

1.  Visual Appeal – Presentation is vital to book sales – compatibility, appropriateness, and cleanliness.  If an author chooses the wrong book cover, it could instantly turn off the reader.  It’s very important to “dress” your book for the occasion.  You wouldn’t show up for a formal date in shorts and a t-shirt, so why would you “dress” your book incorrectly.  It must be compatible and appropriate for your genre (the occasion) as well as the inside content.  Make sure the image is clean, fresh and unique, the same as your book.  One last note, if you’re an erotica writer as I am, you may want to consider how your cover will affect the readers comfort level in public.

2.  Introduction – Your book cover comprises both the front and back covers.  Once you have passed the front cover inspection, most readers turn it over and read the synopsis of your book.  It is detrimental for an author to be forthcoming with what they are offering the reader.  The two covers should go hand and hand, after all, they are bound to one another.   Put your best summary forward.  Just like a blind date, give them a brief glimpse, sell yourself so to speak. And finally,

3.  Substance -  So, you’ve grabbed their attention.  Great!  Now, are you worth it?  Book covers and blind dates are one in the same, they lead to one thing … relationships.  You want to engage your reader and keep them interested.  You want them to fall in love with your characters and with your work.  How you do that, well, that’s entirely another post! So choose well my fellow authors.  Please leave your comments and thoughts, both authors and readers.  I would love to hear from you.  To subscribe to future posts, here is the link:  http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheTemptationTrilogy