Some of you know that I take great pride in my book covers, and don’t like to skimp on quality.
My Gutsy Story® Anthology # 2: Inspirational Short Stories About Taking Chances and Changing Your Life
I love the professional work done by Michele DeFilippo and Ronda Rawlins at 1106 Design. This year, I almost decided to SAVE MONEY and go with a cheaper design for our 2nd Anthology in the series, but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to skimp on quality.
Why?
Because I believe book design experts know more about book covers,and what sells a book than I do. Here’s a post I wrote on how to choose a book cover that sells based on the first Anthology in the series:
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: True Stories of Love, Courage and Adventure From Around the World
has won 4 Awards, including the prestigious:
My Gutsy Story® Anthology: True Stories of Love, Courage and Adventure From Around the World, has been named a 2013 Benjamin Franklin Award Silver Honoree Winner.
Is the cover important?
I just found a blog post on this topic by Cathi Stevenson on “What Sells a Book.”
She mentions an interesting case of where a book cover was redesigned, and it actually became a big hit after that. (see the quote from her post below.)
“In the March 2006 meeting of the Association of American Publishers, Marcella Smith, director of small press relations for Barnes and Noble, discussed the remake of the cover for The Little Book That Beats the Market (Wiley, 2005).
In the March 24, issue of Publisher’s Weekly Daily, Smith is quoted as saying the original book jacket was pale blue and featured a dollar sign. After discussing the cover with buyers, the publisher decided to change the book jacket to a more classic dark blue with white lettering, which they felt better suited a traditional business audience. It became a hit and the jacket was credited with the book’s increased popularity.”
Stevenson explains that most indie authors aren’t in brick and mortar bookstores, but sell online. So she then goes on to ask the question:
“So, do online covers matter? I’d have to say yes. First of all, it’s quite easy to weed out books that are self-published when the cover is obviously amateurish. One can only assume if there was no effort put into professional design, then there probably wasn’t much effort invested in editing, or layout or even research and story development. The cover is a necessary bit of polish, like a well-pressed suit.
Since covers are often only displayed at one or two inches online, a book cover is pretty much at the mercy of good advertising techniques to get the click-through on a page filled with similar books. An easily-read title and strong use of color are going to play a role.”–Cathi Stevenson
Stevenson stresses how a good blog and a professional product is going to help the indie author sell his 2nd book.
Look at our 1st Anthology cover (top cover) and decide which of the 2nd covers (below the butterfly cover) we should go with for our 2nd Anthology to be published this Fall.
PLEASE HELP ME BY VOTING FOR THE COVER THAT WOULD MAKE YOU BUY THE BOOK.
(PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS)
ANSWER # 1 RED COVER
ANSWER # 2 PALM TREE COVER
VOTE for your favorite JULY 2014 “My Gutsy Story®” ON THE RIGHT SIDEBAR.
You have from now until August 13th to vote on the sidebar, (only one vote per person) and the winner will be announced on August 14th, and will select a prize from our generous sponsors.
Hi, Sonia. I like Cover #1 better, but I choose Cover #2 because the colors coordinate better with the first edition’s cover. Either way, you can’t go wrong :-).
Java,
Thanks. I find it tough myself to decide. I agree with you though.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Choosing a Book Cover That Sells
The red cover is a delightfully upbeat. It is a nice complement to the blue you have already been using. Unless your goal is to have a constant colour and design that is readily identified as yours.
But what do Bears know about anything, really?
Blessings and Bear hugs
Rob-bear recently posted..IN WHICH BEAR ENCOUNTERS SOMETHING STRANGE
Bear,
I love the red, but many prefer the palm tree. Very confused!!! Thank you for running over.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Choosing a Book Cover That Sells
Hi Sonia. Thanks for your kind words. We’re delighted that you came back to 1106 Design for this cover.
Let me start by saying that either cover is “safe” in the objective sense. The title is clearly visible and the typography is well executed, so you can’t make a mistake.
We like Cover #2 best for a purely subjective reason: mood. In #2 the color harmony “hangs together” from top to bottom, imparting a more tranquil feel than #1. But…perhaps you don’t want tranquility!
It will be interesting to see which cover wins out in this social media “focus group.” It’s wonderful that this sort of research, once available only at high cost to ad agencies, is now at our fingertips. Good Luck!
Michele DeFilippo recently posted..Five Simple Steps to Test Your Book’s Salability Factor
Michele, Yes, you’re right. We can poll people more easily. Love both covers myself.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Choosing a Book Cover That Sells
I like #2 also! More in line with previous covers.
Red Gutsy is sort of ‘shouts’.
I like the 2nd choice best. The red is indeed pretty, but the palm trees are keeping more with what I personally perceive as your “brand.” I think Michele DeFilippo expressed it perfectly.