Self-Publishing Book Cover study

[Pamela Jo]

I thought this was interesting study in classic book covers.

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...-reimagined-as-vintage-paperbacks-in-pictures

 

[Jake E]

I thought this was interesting study in classic book covers.

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...-reimagined-as-vintage-paperbacks-in-pictures

The fight club one is very clever

 

[Vagabond Heart]

These are fab. Thank you for sharing them. X

 

[Josephine]

These are excellent!

 

[Matthew WP]

I thought this was interesting study in classic book covers.

Those are so cool! I have books on my shelf now that are ringers for that gallery!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Those are so cool! I have books on my shelf now that are ringers for that gallery!

I know, right? But they are powerful. They still work.

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

I don't get the Ladybird cover. I've seen the film, and this cover doesn't speak to me of the film. For me, the film promo art says it perfectly.

 

[Dan Payne]

I know, right? But they are powerful. They still work.

Nah. Nobody's going to buy any of these, not in the genre fiction area. Like anything else with fiction marketing (arguably, anything else with fiction in general) there are trends and expectations and if you're not meeting them, you're on an uphill battle from the start. Even the existing novels of Alien and Return of the Jedi, two books somewhere on my shelves, are more saleable with the movie artwork on the cover.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Nah. Nobody's going to buy any of these, not in the genre fiction area. Like anything else with fiction marketing (arguably, anything else with fiction in general) there are trends and expectations and if you're not meeting them, you're on an uphill battle from the start. Even the existing novels of Alien and Return of the Jedi, two books somewhere on my shelves, are more saleable with the movie artwork on the cover.

Since most of the people on Litopia are looking for ideas on how to design covers for their self-published books and dont have access to movie stills.... I'd say learning how and why these attract the eye is worthwhile. But suit yourself.

 

[Claire G]

Cold, hard marketing tactics or a work of art? What a sorry decision to have to make!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Cold, hard marketing tactics or a work of art? What a sorry decision to have to make!

Ah the trick is to do both. That is the illustrators skill. But then some do neither.

 

[Dan Payne]

Since most of the people on Litopia are looking for ideas on how to design covers for their self-published books and dont have access to movie stills.... I'd say learning how and why these attract the eye is worthwhile. But suit yourself.

I don't mean authors (particularly those here in Self Publishing) should go looking for movie stills on their brand new unfilmed books. But there are standards and expectations. A book is not in a vacuum, it must meet the buyers' expectations, and it's sitting on a shelf next to a hundred others with photorealistic graphics and brilliant typography. Covers need to be modern. These are not modern and would, anecdotally, not move people to the next phase: reading the blurb.

I am not a designer and only have one book so I claim no expertise, just what I've read from people who do know. Personally none of these covers appeal to me. I do have books with this style of cover, which I bought on the strength of the author's name, not because of the cover.

 

[Pamela Jo]

I don't mean authors (particularly those here in Self Publishing) should go looking for movie stills on their brand new unfilmed books. But there are standards and expectations. A book is not in a vacuum, it must meet the buyers' expectations, and it's sitting on a shelf next to a hundred others with photorealistic graphics and brilliant typography. Covers need to be modern. These are not modern and would, anecdotally, not move people to the next phase: reading the blurb.

I am not a designer and only have one book so I claim no expertise, just what I've read from people who do know. Personally none of these covers appeal to me. I do have books with this style of cover, which I bought on the strength of the author's name, not because of the cover.

These do teach design elements. And one of the things you learn in advertising is to look for what works, not what you personally like. There is a zen koan that essentially goes you cannot fill an already full cup.

 

[Dan Payne]

...And one of the things you learn in advertising is to look for what works, not what you personally like...

Absolutely true. Is there a single well-selling book published in the last ten years using a cover design anything like these? I'm not aware of it. As a self-publishing writer, I'll hire cover designers to create a design that matches the market. I'm perfectly happy to be wrong, but why risk it? Self publishing is hard enough without taking chances on the cover.