A few days ago, I received five sample book covers from my publisher. Being included in the cover design process is one of the reasons I am thrilled that She Writes Press is publishing my book. Most publishers make all of the decisions about a book’s design without any input from authors, which often leads to very unhappy authors. I wonder how many smiling authors holding up their published book for photographs actually hate the cover.
Right now I am looking at five sample covers I printed and taped onto the wall near my desk. Five beautiful designs… so which one do I choose?
What makes a good cover? For me, the cover needs to show the mood as well as the story. Mood can be shown with the colors and the right font while the story can be reflected in a simple image or symbol. For example, when I had my publishing company, Medusa’s Muse, I published a book called The Radical Housewife. The author, Shannon Drury, found a designer she liked and they worked together to create the book’s cover. A simple frying pan held in one, rubber gloved fist captured the energy and mood, as well as showing that the book was about a mid-western feminist housewife. I still love this cover (and the book).
Another important consideration for the way a cover is designed is how it will look as a postage size image on Amazon. Which colors and images will stand out on a computer screen as a reader scrolls through thousands of book covers? A book doesn’t just have to capture the eye on a bookstore shelf, it must compete online.
I’m now staring at the book covers for Raising Rhia, wondering which one captures the story best. I’m drawn to the picture of a single yellow flower with petals that rain down like tears. But I also like the bright red poppy on a blue background with a small picture of Rhia smiling inside a heart shaped locket. To help with this decision I’ve asked friends to tell me which they like best and I’ve discovered that no single cover stands out more amongst my friends. A lot of people like the cover with the illustrated hand holding a single flower, which isn’t my favorite. They say it looks like a cover you see hung in the window of Barnes and Noble. One friend, a graphic designer, talked about the fonts, which made me look at the details of each cover more. How do I choose the best one?
While looking at the covers, I feel both thrilled and terrified. There is my name, Terena Scott, on each one. I wrote a book and it will be launched next Spring. I hope it is found by the people who will benefit from reading my book, because that’s why I wrote it. With that in mind, I need to decide on the cover that will call to them. But which one?
What covers compel you to pick up a book and open it to the first page?