Don’t judge a book by its cover. We’ve all heard this expression several times over the years. Whether you’re a passionate writer, avid read, or neither. I’m sure you’ve heard it on tv, in movies, from your high school English teacher. The fact is that while “don’t judge a book by its cover” is a popular phrase, we all do it. When you’re browsing the bookstore or online for an exhilarating read, the book cover is the first impression you get. The book can be the greatest young adult read of all time, but if the cover looks like a toddler drew it, no one will care to read it. The book might not communicate its plot well either and that is no fault of the reader. Everyone formulates an opinion when they first lay eyes on something and gather information from there. It’s the cover designer’s responsibility to make a decent cover.
Cover is a first impression. Make it count!
I earned my associate’s degree in graphic design and one project I did was designing a book cover. That probably gives you the impression that I designed my book cover, well you’d be wrong. I could’ve gone that route, but I didn’t have the expertise to design an eye-catching cover. So, I hired an experienced cover designer to help convey my story. Don’t judge a book on its cover is naivety. Even I’m guilty of this behavior, if something looks interesting, I’ll read it. However, if I find the cover boring, I probably won’t read it. I understand, I want to be an author, not a marketer, but if you’re self publishing, it’s a necessity. I’d much rather market my book than lose creative freedom, but to each their own. The book cover is the most important aspect of your physical book, even more so than the title. So, the next time you think about the expression ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, remember what my blog post taught you.