The Typography of Book Covers

Here are some book covers by debut authors or unknown authors.

Now okay the thumbnails are small, but the similarities are easy to spot.

First of all, how many of these books have you heard of?  I've heard of the one on the end, that's it.  I'm very intrigued by the first two.  Definitely by the first one.

So, some interesting covers.  Number three is very generic (a fantasy that has people on horseback riding through the mountains.  My Gods, I must buy this at once.  Yeah, not so much...)

But what do they have in common?

Try some more covers, not all fantasies this time.

Do you see what they have in common?

In the first four pictures, the book title is given far more importance than the author's name.  Because the title is the selling point in these cases.  "Oh, Fallow Blade," says the bookshop browser.  "I wonder what that's about."  In the second lot of four we see a shift to "Oh, the next Terry Pratchett/Dan Brown/ whoever book.  I have to buy that."

The Unique Selling Point or USP (seriously, if you want to market your books effectively, you will need to learn marketing.  And that means learning things like USPs and how to do market research and so on) alters in the second batch of books to be about the author.

Interestingly, even by book seven, Harry Potter was still considered of far more importance than JK Rowling.  That's the power of branding.

So, for the debut author it seems that you're title should be at the top of the book.  Should it?  Readers are subconsciously targeted by the layout of your cover.  If you give your name all the attention, it might suggest to readers that you are far more well known than you actually are.  And having the readers subconsciously thinking "Hmm, this is a popular author," can't be a bad thing, can it?

Oh, and it's not lying, it's marketing.  Well, it is lying, but marketing IS LYING.  And we are having to compete with companies that have multi-million pound turnovers per annum.  We need whatever help we can get.

What do you think?  Where's the title going on your next book cover?

These book images are all copyrighted.  I don't own the copyright.  I have used them simply for illustrative purposes.  I am not claiming to be the author or publisher of any of these books.  If you are the author or publisher of any of these books and you wish me to remove the image, please email me at Chriskelly82*AT*aol.com, replacing the *AT* with an @.

Thank you.   

 

Pick my Title

Yes, that's right; this is your chance to influence my title.  I have 2 options and can't decide, so I'm soliciting other opinions.


Oh, and if you'd like to read a synopsis, please go to the Pleasure and Death page by clicking the link above. 


So...



1) The Guns of Pleasure and Death



2) Pleasure and Death


Post a comment, let me know what you think.

My book cover requirements - book cover part 3

I've had four book covers done so far, all with the same artist. I give her a rundown of what the book is about, the feel of the book, the main characters, and then let her go to town. She always comes back with amazing designs. I've chosen to work with freelancers for art design, editing, and interior layout rather than do it myself, though. I just do the writing and publishing. :)

S.L.Armstrong left this as a comment on the previous post.

I'm going to do the same with The Guns of Pleasure and Death.

Let's see, synopsis.

16 year old Matilda Raleigh is deep in the Amazonian rainforest, searching for Manoa (El Dorado) with her father.  When they finally find the lost city, their entire party is killed by savage jungle tribes.  All of them except Matilda, who commits unspeakable evil to save her life.

72 year old Matilda Raleigh is dying from consumption.  After a lifetime of fighting evil, of trying to atone for her past, she is faced with one last quest; the evil magic wielded by those jungle savages has resurfaced, this time wielded by a power hungry madman, and she is the only one who can stop him.  But to stop him means committing an act so evil it will damn not only her, but 1500 innocent people to an eternity of Hell.

The book has a steampunk setting, but the general tone is very much sword and sorcery, a la Conan.

 Matilda Raleigh is a chain smoking, kick-ass Victorian behemoth, a woman who will not stay down and out for the count, wise-cracking, pistol-whipping, big-jacket-wearing old-style Hero with a capital haitch.

Now translate that into an image.

How to find a beta reader - part 1

I'm doing part 1 today.  I'll do part 2 in a few days time.


I mentioned before that the reason I have this blog is to detail everything in my adventures in Indie Publishing.  Well, now I've finished my novel I need beta readers.  And I'll post here with all my plans to get them.


And I'll post the results of my efforts in a couple of days.


Writing Groups


Okay, my first option is to ask in writers groups.  But you can't just pop up in these places and say "Hey, read my book."  Luckily I'm already a member in two online writing groups.  The first one is  mystical adventures and the second one I'm not going to name.

Mystical Adventures is a site where a small bunch of writers hang around and help each other procrastinate.  A great group of people.

The other site actually does critiques for each other, a chapter per month.

Internet Dating Sites

Well, not quite, but sites like Crit Partner Match are like dating sites for writers.  Join and post looking for your perfect partner.  Sounds simple, right?

Ask your friends

I kick about sometimes over at Superhero Nation so I asked there.  Why not?

Ask your family

Don't think you need to find beta readers online.  Sadly my family aren't readers.

And use your blog.

Anyone fancy being my beta reader?  Post a comment and let me know.



Are there any ways I've missed?  Post and let me know how you found your beta readers.