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Do You Judge A Book By Its Cover?
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Mary
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Jan 22, 2016 05:45AM
I'm wondering how much book covers REALLY matter. I buy books mostly because someone recommends them. But, I have certainly picked up a book in a bookstore, or Costco, or Target, and bought it. I wonder, was it the cover or the synopsis that made the sale? What about you?
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It matters. It can make someone pick up the book. No cover, however, can save a poor book. In fact, a great cover and poor story can turn potential readers into "one and done" purchasers.For me, a misleading cover is as bad as a misleading title. I think the cover and title should be consistent with and lead the reader into the story.
A.R. wrote: "It matters. It can make someone pick up the book. No cover, however, can save a poor book. In fact, a great cover and poor story can turn potential readers into "one and done" purchasers.For me, a..."
I think you're right. A few years ago, I worked in a bookstore. A novel called, LACE, literally flew off the shelves. The cover was amazing. But, lots of customers returned to tell me that the book didn't live up to the cover. And, yes, they were sorta peeved.
I recently read a book with a cover that I would not have picked (it was a gift) and really enjoyed the story - I would never have picked it because of its cover. I suppose I'm being shallow, but it is my money & the choice is huge :-o)
I don't judge the book by the cover, but the cover is what grabs my eye first.
Mary wrote: "was it the cover or the synopsis that made the sale?"The thing is you have to make a distinction: in traditional publishing, the author gets little say on either the cover OR the description - and gets edited on the contents often as well. The 'professional,' who often haven't read the full book, get those choices. The author, however, gets the blame.
Whereas an indie has complete control over what goes in and out (assuming they choose to retain that control), but may not be quite as professional. At the same time the author might be far more sincere.
Are you willing to take that choice? Read a bit into the sample? Look for books where the author's control matches the content?
PS I have an agenda - I'm one of those indies. One of the still rare ones who does everything herself. I'm curious. And learning. I think people can think for themselves, and decide what they like. I trust readers.
The cover might draw me, but it's the synopsis that will move me to decide whether or not I will read it.I'm guilty of having a cover that at first some women readers were hesitant to read at first, but really liked the story when they did. I'm trying to make a point with the cover, but no one gets it!!???
I guess my point is, authors sometimes choose covers for different reasons. Although I don't understand why the customers didn't read the blurb of LACE after swooning over the cover...
Geoff wrote: "I would never have picked it because of its cover. I suppose I'm being shallow, but it is my money & the choice is huge."Exactly. What do you do differently if the books you've been choosing turn out to be unsatisfactory?
Sturgeon's Law (paraphrased): 90% of EVERYTHING is garbage.
And yet we still find good stuff.
Alicia wrote: "Mary wrote: "was it the cover or the synopsis that made the sale?"The thing is you have to make a distinction: in traditional publishing, the author gets little say on either the cover OR the des..."
This may be one of my all-time favorite posts ever, anywhere.
Thank you, Alicia.
I couldn't possibly agree with you any more.
Cathy wrote: "This may be one of my all-time favorite posts ever, anywhere."Thanks, Cathy. I was very hesitant to post it, not because it isn't true, but because it sounds self-serving.
The author knows the story better than anyone.
It's usually the title that first catches my attention. Then I read a bit of the book. The cover generally has little impact on me.
I don't judge a book by its cover, but I can often quickly decide that a book isn't for me because of its cover. There are certain genres I don't read where the covers publishers give them reveal the genre immediately, so I can avoid them altogether. But I usually pick a book to read because of the blurb, the cover doesn't really matter much.
I guess I'm going to be the odd man out here, but when it comes to self-published books that I look at, if the cover looks hastily or shabbily done, I worry that what is inside the cover also didn't have the same level of scrutiny. It doesn't completely make or break my decision, but it certainly weighs pretty heavily.
Depends on the genre, but for Sci-Fi the cover matters a lot to me. I tend to buy in bookstores rather than online and if I don't like the cover, I'm not taking it off the shelf unless I already know the author. So, if you're a new(ish) writer, the blurbs etc. could be great but I'd never know because I never picked it up in the first place.I'm with Michael when it comes to indie books. If the cover is amateurish, I assume everything else is too and I move on.
Yes. I'm vain. If the cover doesn't attract me, I probably won't look at anything else.
As a reader, I do my homework to research books, but I always appreciate a nice cover.As an author, my rule is spent the money on editor and designer. They make you look good.....:-))
In a bookstore it's rare to see an unprofessional looking cover, so I don't tend to notice. But online, an amateurish looking cover indicates to me - which might be unfair - that the writing is amateurish, so that will put me off the book.
I read nearly all free books, and some unsightly covers hide wonderful content (and vice versa.) I am always tempted to write to the author and mention the cover, but hate to think they, or their closest friend, designed it and they like the way it looks.But with so many books to choose from, even within a genre, I do use book covers as a way to narrow the field initially. As a fantasy/sci-fi fan/medical and hi-tech thriller fan I do look twice at books with DNA strands, binary code, and radiation warning symbols on the cover. Conversely, I've noticed a recent spate of books with wolves/bears/abs on the covers, and I steer clear as I'm not a big paranormal-romance reader.
First impressions (covers) are important.
You can't not notice the cover: it's sitting there right in front of you from the first instant.And there are some covers that are perfect - and also convey something about the book that pulls you in.
I agree there are probably more (by far) bad indie covers than professional ones.
But there are plenty of horrible professional covers. If produced by a publisher, the authors are blamed whether they have any say or not. The reader assumes that, because the author's name is on the book, the author at least approved the cover. It makes sense - but it isn't true (ask traditionally published authors).
Unless you have enough money as an indie to buy a good cover or are hopelessly untalented in computer graphics, it is possible to learn enough (if you spend the time) to make competent-to-good covers. It's really worth the effort. But you must put in the work.
And educate yourself about design, font licenses, image licenses...
As I said, it's work. The results speak for themselves, I believe - but there is more soul in the cover, just as there is something special in 'read by the author' audiobooks.
A modicum of talent helps.
Mary wrote: "A.R. wrote: "It matters. It can make someone pick up the book. No cover, however, can save a poor book. In fact, a great cover and poor story can turn potential readers into "one and done" purchase..."Mary wrote: "A.R. wrote: "It matters. It can make someone pick up the book. No cover, however, can save a poor book. In fact, a great cover and poor story can turn potential readers into "one and done" purchase..."
Hey Geoff: I'm dying to know. What was wrong with the cover that you didn't want to pick up??
Joe wrote: "I don't judge the book by the cover, but the cover is what grabs my eye first."Hey Alicia. Love your posts. I, too, trust readers to find books that speak to them. But, I also think that authors tend to stink (or at least be less talented at) the promotion end of the business. So, trusting a pro to know what sells is good, no? Or do authors need to fight for a cover that they think conveys their story?
Tianna wrote: "Yes. I'm vain. If the cover doesn't attract me, I probably won't look at anything else."Willing to share what attracts you and why? I'm curious about the subliminal effects of covers.
Great post. I have just taken a book back to the library because I had read it before. It had a lively colourful cover, which made me pick it up in the first place and a blurb that didn't ring a bell. I didn't want to read it again.I'm interested in whether covers with people in are more popular than those without.
I choose covers for the books I write for two reasons, to fit the story and to make the reader curious. I love choosing my own covers. It's one of the perks of being an indie.
I certainly hope at least some people judge books by their covers, since the designer at my publishing house did an amazing job on mine (at least in my opinion) ;)
A.R. wrote: "It matters. It can make someone pick up the book. No cover, however, can save a poor book. In fact, a great cover and poor story can turn potential readers into "one and done" purchasers.For me, a..."
So true. Also if the cover looks very amateurish, it may turn me away from the purchase.
Julie wrote: "Great post. I have just taken a book back to the library because I had read it before. It had a lively colourful cover, which made me pick it up in the first place and a blurb that didn't ring a be..."Julie, this cracked me up. I had a book THREE times in my collection because the blurb sounded so great. I kept buying it from "Publishers Central Bureau" (remember their catalogs?) and it turned out, I didn't even like the book the first time. rofl
(It was a Rebecca West book.)
Back to covers: Fantasy books 'require' a great cover; ppl who read these books have lively imaginations, and I, for one, want to dream over the cover a bit while reading about fantastical creatures or far away lands. It doesn't have to be created/drawn/painted by a high-priced professional, there's so much copyright free material available that a great cover can be achieved at minimal cost, and it has to pay off in the long run for the author, when people are attracted to cover art/design/ lettering. It's a WELCOME mat.
Alicia wrote: "Mary wrote: "was it the cover or the synopsis that made the sale?"The thing is you have to make a distinction: in traditional publishing, the author gets little say on either the cover OR the des..."
I'm indie but I have a great cover designer to do my covers. I choose theme and images and she magics them into beuatiful covers.
btw, I discovered way too late into my branding that most people don't like to see bloke's faces on the covers as they like to make up their own images in their minds.
But I think on eBooks this probably isn't so bad, as once you've bought the book you don't get to see the cover.
Not like a paperback where you see it every time you pick the book up, or even if it's out on the table.
And yes, I do judge a book by its cover. Not solely but it is really important.
All the books (e.g. on Amazon) are in a great sea of other books. It needs to be able to stand out, grab your attention and draw your interest.
Only then will you read the blurb to see the content.
It needs to portray the story hidden inside in an enticing manner.
Tricksy! Hence me using a pro ;-)
Wonderful discussion.Covers matter a lot.
If a book has a cover that does not reflect what is inside, or a cover I don't want to be seen reading, it will influence if I pick it up initially IF I don't recognize the author or appreciate the title.
I use covers mainly to help me remember from a distance if I already own the book. So when covers get changed it can ness ne up.
Now with ebooks I guess I rarely notice the cover but a good cover helps with the promotional materials and print copies.
DJ Zippergirl wrote: "Julie wrote: "Great post. I have just taken a book back to the library because I had read it before. It had a lively colourful cover, which made me pick it up in the first place and a blurb that di..."LOVE the Welcome Mat image, DJ. You must be a writer. :)
Marta wrote: "I certainly hope at least some people judge books by their covers, since the designer at my publishing house did an amazing job on mine (at least in my opinion) ;)"You're SO right, Marta. Your book cover makes me hungry.
I review about 15-20 books per year. The appeal of the cover makes people notice your book and turn the first page. I truly believe that the cover generates over 50% of the reads.
Laura wrote: "Wonderful discussion.Covers matter a lot.
If a book has a cover that does not reflect what is inside, or a cover I don't want to be seen reading, it will influence if I pick it up initially IF I..."
I'm impressed by the amount of reviews you have done. Your input is very valuable and greatly appreciated!
Mahalo! :-))
Gracie wrote: "I review about 15-20 books per year. The appeal of the cover makes people notice your book and turn the first page. I truly believe that the cover generates over 50% of the reads."I agree with Gracie. For me personally, I have to like the cover. I will read unknown author, or pick up book on recommendation, but I have to like it. I also bought many books just catching my eye...:-)
And children's, travel or food books..... it's ALL ABOUT THE COVER. :-)))
Adam wrote: "Depends on the genre, but for Sci-Fi the cover matters a lot to me. I tend to buy in bookstores rather than online and if I don't like the cover, I'm not taking it off the shelf unless I already kn..."If you buy mostly in bookstores, you are unlikely to run into indie books - it's a rare indie author who makes the huge effort to get a book into brick & mortar stores, which don't want to deal with indies.
Mary wrote: "Joe wrote: "I don't judge the book by the cover, but the cover is what grabs my eye first."Hey Alicia. Love your posts. I, too, trust readers to find books that speak to them. But, I also think t..."
Waves. Hi, Mary.
Talent is very unevenly distributed - in books as in everything else.
But (of course there's a 'but') you may be able to tell if WORK has been put into a cover - because you've seen many, many covers in your lifetime.
Choosing a cover designer and sinking money into the cover is always an option.
You still have to write the book.
For indie work, I think what most readers get from a cover is a feeling for the judgment of the author, something that we hope is also displayed in the interior: if the author can't spell, did the author find and editor who could? If the author isn't good at/doesn't want to learn/doesn't care about layout and design and formatting - did the author arrange for someone else to do it?
In the indie world, what you see is the whole package put together by the author: if the author has the control, did it get exercised right?
For the first time in the history of publishing, the NAME on the book cover is responsible for the whole thing (in traditional publishing, authors have long complained about covers their publishers put on their books).
This is huge. You are being offered a quick look - at the author and his/her capabilities.
The choice - to do it/get someone else to do it - is the sole purview of the indie author. Money comes into it at some point, but it is still completely under the control of the author.
Think about that. I did when I self-published. A LOT.
Time and readers will tell.
Mimi wrote: I have to like the cover. I will read unknown author, or pick up book on recommendation, but I have to like it."I agree you have to like (or at least not actively dislike) the covers of books you choose to buy.
Covers are important for two things: warning you it's a genre you don't like - and signaling it's something you might not dislike.
Both are equally important. Romance readers and writers are very aware of the conventions of their genre, though I sometimes wonder if it's gotten to the ridiculous point. If you don't want to read a Romance, you will immediately know not to pick that book up - you won't even have to read the book description.
It's a lot harder to write mainstream fiction - covers vary quite a bit - but indies can still learn what not to signal by accident on a mainstream novel.
Educating yourself is required.
The only things you can judge a book by (if you haven't read it) are the cover, the synopsis and the authors reputation. So you sort of have to judge a book by its cover.
it took me awhile to update my covers because it's been 20 years since I bought new books in bookstores full price and I read a lot of old books 20 years older than me lolz. so my art choices were horribly dated T_T I'm a first 20 pages and blurb reader. cover art and titles don't always get me. I can spend hours looking at books
Alicia wrote: "Mimi wrote: I have to like the cover. I will read unknown author, or pick up book on recommendation, but I have to like it."I agree you have to like (or at least not actively dislike) the covers ..."
Well said! Amen! :-))
K.D. wrote: "The only things you can judge a book by (if you haven't read it) are the cover, the synopsis and the authors reputation. So you sort of have to judge a book by its cover."You got me laughing. Well said.
To all the writers, especially indie authors...., spend the money on your editor and your designer. :-)))
I admit most of the time I pick up a book is because the cover caught my eye, especially if it depicts the protagonist. Great artwork will make want to read the synopsis and the first chapter. However, no matter how wonderful the cover is, the characters and story is the deciding factor for me to buy it.
An interesting and professionally designed cover often indicates that the contents of the book may be interesting and professionally written. It incites me to take the time to read the blurb and usually the first couple of pages to see if it is worth buying.A dull and amateurishly designed cover often indicates that the contents of the book may be dull and amateurishly written. It discourages me from bothering to investigate further.
I don't think we all judge a book by it's cover but I'm sure we've all done it at some point. There are some people who could very likely decide on a book solely by judging it by it's cover and I think at times whether we want to or not, we instinctively find ourselves drawn to a book or turned off by it simply based on our first impressions which we get from seeing the cover.IMO, I am guilt of at times judging a book by it's cover but I am also a strong believer in a cover being the starting point and an essential key to what draws a reader in. A cover should not be poorly done but professionally done and with thought put into it. You want a person to see it, have their eyes pop out of their sockets and they just have to pick it up to find out what it's about.
The natural human tendency is to judge the cover however good or bad the content. The fact is, it's the cover that catches our attention first and it does a lot to initiate interest and set the mood, tone, style, or atmosphere of the book (especially if it's fiction). I'm personally very fond of books with digital art fantasy illustrations. That's why I illustrated my own cover :P Besides, the cover gives you an idea about what type of book you're getting. Of course, you can always just read it right then and there.
cover first, blub second, if it interests me I will read.
I have read great books with shitty covers and horrible books with amazing covers.
Pierre wrote: "That's why I illustrated my own cover :P"You're a Renaissance Man, Pierre. Sweet cover, and loved your trailer.
Elvisa wrote: "I have read great books with shitty covers and horrible books with amazing covers."And don't forget horrible books with shitty covers. rofl
DJ Zippergirl wrote: "Pierre wrote: "That's why I illustrated my own cover :P"You're a Renaissance Man, Pierre. Sweet cover, and loved your trailer."
Thank you so much for your kind words, DJ Zippergirl ^-^. You made my day.
I hate to say it but if I'm in a book store or rummaging through Kindle, I may judge a book by it's cover AND it's title. These are the two things we see first, much like when people say we "eat with our eyes." It has to be visually intriguing to pick it up and turn over to read the back.
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