Books wouldn’t be nearly as much fun to pick up if they didn’t have amazing covers. Covers give you a glimpse into the story, they set the scene, and they set expectations. And for me, book covers mean different things depending on if I’m looking at them as an author or a reader.
Reader View: If I see the back of a woman running away in the dark, I’m getting a mystery thriller, possibly some romance. These covers don’t do much for me, likely because I don’t read a ton in the genre. If I see a big ol’ sword in hand accompanied by anything foresty, I’m expecting an epic fantasy. If I see flowers or snakes or another inanimate object surrounding a sword then I’m expecting a different kind of fantasy, one likely written by a woman and there’s a good chance there’ll be kissing. If I see a solid colored cover with anything tech or medical related I’m expecting a thriller, hopefully sci-fi bent, especially if the image evokes robotics or machinery.
As a reader I clearly use covers to tell me what kind of book I’m checking out. I frequently pick up books because the cover art caught my eye, especially fantasy books with incredible art. There are many book covers out there deserving of their very own gilded-frame!
Author View: I’m looking at book covers to tell me what kind of press/publishing house produced them to then decide if it’s the right kind of look I’d want for my books. The covers with a photoshop image superimposed on a background with un-matching font isn’t a place I’m going to look into. Covers with the right tone for the genre, well matched font, and/or beautiful art are definitely places I’m checking out.
As an author I use covers as a quality gauge. The more professional looking the book, the more likely I am to put them on my list. Even if you have an agent it’s a good idea to do your homework and be knowledgeable of what types of books certain publishers produce. Then you’ll have an idea of what editors are more likely to enjoy reading your words. And when I say types of books I mean more than genre. Angry Robot is going to have a totally different fantasy flavor than say Wednesday Books.
So, how do you look at book covers?
