There are some links to interesting articles about covers at the Pod-dy mouth site today (http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/) Anyone got any advice about covers? I'm thinking about changing the cover of my novel "Arise Beloved" (http://www.arisebeloved.com) Any suggestions? Any comments about my web site for the book, the cover, the back-cover blurb, anything?
Book Covers
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If a picture says a thousand words, a book cover can, too. That said, good packaging could only help when marketing one’s work. Unless an author has a creative control clause in their book contract, the publisher has ultimate say in determining how the jacket will read and look. While I try not to weigh the merit of a literary work by the title and cover, it could be a factor in what entices me to pull it off the shelf. It's the quality of the material inside a book’s cover that compels me to buy it. The book cover should stimulate the senses and give flavor to the story. Personally, I lean toward simple, mysterious, or poignant covers. A long title and cutesy or busy design could send me into extreme overload.
I’d be happy to take a peek at yours and PM my thoughts.
I’d be happy to take a peek at yours and PM my thoughts.
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New Cover for Arise Beloved
Thanks for the comment, Kiva. I've decided I do need to revise the cover and am working with a designer now to come up with a new one. The presnt one is at http://www.arisebeloved.com.
Thanks for the comment, Kiva. I've decided I do need to revise the cover and am working with a designer now to come up with a new one. The presnt one is at http://www.arisebeloved.com.
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Thanks for the affirmation. It is clean and attractive I think, but I don't think it tells much about the story inside the book. As someone told me, it could be a non-fiction book about bi-planes, although the title suggests more than that. (See http://www.arisebeloved.com) The first impression one gets when seeing a cover is a quick assessment of the story--even before looking at the book description on the back. If the cover illustration doesn't grab them as something they're interested in, i.e., airplanes, then they're unlikely to pick up the book and read the book's description. I spend a lot of time in bookstores--actually buying lots of books in bookstores as well as on the Internet, and with the hundreds of illustrations competing for my attention, I can't read the back of any but the ones I think I'd like to read--and I'm supposed to be a "sophisticated" buyer, reader, and reviewer of books. (http://wwwglynnsbooks.blogspot.com) How can I expect most people to be different from me when shopping for a good read by looking at covers. If I have to, I'll keep changing the cover until I get it right (as long as I can afford the cost)--whatever that turns out to be. Maybe when I've got more than two novels (For a look at the second attempt at a cover for the first See http://www.glynnsbooks.com) under my belt, I'll have enough experience to get it right the first time, but until then.........
is that picture on top your cover? quite frankly, it looks like it belongs on the cover of some dry nonfiction book. since your novel is about women pilots and gay pilots, i'd put some human faces on the cover the way they do in movie posters. honestly, the cover picture looks like something that would appeal to men, but the back blurb is something that would appeal to women. so i'm thinking that men will pick up your book thinking it's some macho book about planes and put it down when they see it has elements of romance and homosexuality. i'm not sure if very many women would look through a book with that cover. i'm making generalizations, of course. it's a nice picture but isn't quite strong enough to advertise the plot of your book
Book Cover
Black Pen,
I agree with your comments. That's why I'm working on a getting new cover. File the first attempt under "live and learn."
Glynn
Black Pen,
I agree with your comments. That's why I'm working on a getting new cover. File the first attempt under "live and learn."
Glynn
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