Maggie Dana Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I've always known covers were important, but had no idea until last month, that major booksellers (in this case, Waterstones) actually had a major influence on covers prior to publication. Case in point: my own cover. My publisher had sent me the original version last September, but when I saw it displayed recently on Amazon and other sites, it was a little different than the version I saw. The sky was no longer beige like the sand, it was pale blue, and the woman's dress was a deeper, richer shade of pink. Apparently, all of Macmillan's covers (and probably those of other publishers) are run by the folks at Waterstones first. If they suggest changes, changes are made. In my case, Waterstones said the cover wasn't colourful enough. Clearly, booksellers have more clout in this area than do authors. I have to hope they know from whence they speak! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple95 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Maggie, I think the cover looks fine. Purple, as you might imagine, is my favorite color. (Look to the left at the pretty picture.) Pink is almost purple, so it's fine with me. So.......how do I go about getting an autographed copy? dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I guess it's that they know better than anyone what will catch people's eyes and sell better than others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I had to change the cover of my book about a year after initial publication, as the original one just wasn't working. Because the book was and is print on demand I decided I might as well make other changes at the same time. I also then increased the font size and added some extra pages of text. When I asked the staff at my local Waterstones what covers they preffered, I was told something red or orange with a strapline beneath the books title as to what the book was about. The designer did three different covers, all withn the same strapline, two in orange (one with the Christian cross and one with the Egyptian ankh - symbol of life as opposed to death) and one in blue with a much more classical feel. I asked everyone on my mailing list to vote as to which one they liked and of course my publisher and editor. The overwhelming majority liked the blue one, and so that's the one I chose. It has made a huge difference to sales, as it has a much more scholarly feel and the added pages make the book look and feel much more solid. The addition of reviews on to the back cover which compared it to a certain book by Richard Dawkins also helped ! My sales have probably increased tenfold since the new edition came out so it has certainly paid for itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie Dana Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Talisman: You must be really pleased with this. Well done to have had the foresight to make a significant change to your cover, and to add more pages, plus the endorsements. Every little bit helps, and in this rotten economy, authors need all the help they can get! Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I find covers are terribly important, otherwise the pages get all fluffy! Seriously though, I've heard that Waterstones will quite often commission their own covers (one that springs to mind is the "adult" cover they exclusively carried for Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I've had to change two covers. The changes made the books triple in sales. It's amazing how one image can appeal to some, and another image appeals to someone else. I blogged about it here. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I think the covers are vitally important as I know that at least 1/2 of the time it is the cover alone that draws me to a book, that makes me pick it up & look it over & potentially buy it. And...I know I am not alone in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I agree Ceinwenn, it's always the cover that initially draws me in as I just don't have time to browse lots of books and see what they're about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Library Nook Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I have to agree with others, although I moan to my class about judging books by covers sometimes book covers do just draw me in! I was in a booksshop yesterday and I was drawn to the most beautiful book on the shelf (not that I can remember now what it was!) and almost got it apart from the voice in my head that reminded me of how many TBR books I have on my shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Talisman: You must be really pleased with this. Well done to have had the foresight to make a significant change to your cover, and to add more pages, plus the endorsements. Every little bit helps, and in this rotten economy, authors need all the help they can get! Maggie Thanks Maggie - you should be pleased too about getting that link from The Bookseller ! Will have to ask Jane if I can write something for her ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notbryan.ryan Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Whilst the cover shouldn't matter, first impressions do count. I'd never by a book purely on the basis of the cover, but it has certainly made me pick books by previously unknown authors up and investigate them further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 The cover definitely draws me in first. Not just a picture or text but that actual colour of the cover can make a difference for me. For example, I bought Growing Up Again by Catriona McCloud because the cover was yellow and covered in flowers (and I'm glad I did because it was a good read). I try to look out for authors/titles I know but I do look at the covers (particuarly chick lit books). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elgin Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I think the cover art is as important as owning the actual book itself - perhaps it's the main reason I buy the book as a opposed to reading everything on my PC or a portable device. Same with CDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 A good, interesting, arresting cover goes a long way towards encouraging me to buy a book, and a bad one can definitely discourage me from buying others. The only thing I would say is that while I like a recurring theme and style being used for a series of books, I hate the way some authors who don't write series of books, but individual stand alone novels, seem to be made into an identifiable brand of books. The authors that spring to mind for this are Anita Shreve, Jodi Piccoult and Dan Brown - having read only one or two of each of their books and not liking any of them, it now instantly puts me off reading any more of any of theirs, and they're so easy to identify because of their brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Covers are certainly important for me when it comes to choosing a book - because ultimately the cover is what makes a book capture my attention. Without a good, stand-out cover, books will not get noticed in the stores unless they are from authors who you already know and trust - or not trust even. So yes, covers can be important, at least for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I don't care about the cover initially. I'm more interested in whats inside. However, if it was a good read and I want to add it to my permanent collection, then I will look for a nice cover/edition of the book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackStar Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 The cover and the title of the book, is a big importance for me, this is what draws me to the books. Especially if its a genre I wouldnt normally go for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 If I have enjoyed a book, and it has become one of my favorites, I've certainly bought a different version/cover, especially if I think the newer cover is more appropriate to the subject matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirinrob Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm like Adam, the cover doesn't really attract me - many books I read dont have 'pretty'' covers im more interseted in the innards. The expression 'Don't judge a book by its cover 'springs to mind.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I am always attracted by the cover first and then the title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewell Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 It makes a difference if the book is one of my favorites. I like the idea of having special additions or book that look good on display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well, the spine really is the deal breaker. As I've arranged my books by color, and there's only room on the "black" shelf, I cannot buy books with a spine in any other color than black at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I have a suggestion for books with black spines, ii...the Twilight series! (I'm so sorry, but I just read your post on the other thread and couldn't help myself ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I have a suggestion for books with black spines, ii...the Twilight series! (I'm so sorry, but I just read your post on the other thread and couldn't help myself ) *cracks up* I'd rather donate my Louboutins to charity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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