Hey all,
Apologies for not really blogging lately (apart from the occasional review), I've started my very first full time job and everything else seems to have been hurled out of the window!
Anyway, today I was thinking about book covers (whilst I was cleaning my kitchen - I'm just that cool!) and how important they can be.
Think about it, what is it that makes you pick a book up off the shelf? Sure, things like promotions or recommendations from friends are big factors, but if you're just randomly browsing the shelves, what is it that draws you to one book instead of another?
It has to be the cover.
A great one can make you pick up and read something that you would otherwise have passed by.
Or a bad one can make you miss out on something really great.
Recently, I had to read The Last Elf by Silvana De Mari for my MA course. When it arrived I
was less than excited because the cover was so dated and uninspiring. So I put it to the bottom of the pile and didn't read it for weeks. How foolish of me! When I did get around to it, I found that not only was it a moving and thoughtful story, it was also one that I could barely put down. I've since recommended it to my friends and family and they have all had the same reaction to the cover as I did.
Here, see what you think:
It's dated, isn't it?
So, what makes a good cover? This is obviously subjective but to me it's one that is bright and eye-catching - it has to be to compete with all the over covers jostling for position on the shelves! It should also sum up the novel and be aimed correctly at the target audience.
Some of the most clever covers that I've seen recently are the ones for the Skullduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy. They are bright and fun and give the reader an immediate idea of what will be inside. They also have coloured edges which is great as they will always stand out and each book in the series is a different colour.
Take a look at a couple:
Obviously you can't see the edges in these pictures but next time you're in a bookshop, take a look!
Another author who always has great covers is Terry Practchett. His novels, particularly the Discworld novels, always have bright, humorous jackets and they have a style that immediately tell you who the author is. And that is what you want, a signature style. Like this:
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer also have their own distinctive style with the black background and red picture.
So, why all these thoughts about covers?
Well, the MA course that I was on, has put together all of our manuscripts into one anthology which will be sent to all the agents and publishers in the UK. Then in May/June time we will all go up to London for a big launch and - hopefully! - some deals will be made. For this we needed a cover, both for the anthology as a whole and for our individual pieces. The university paired us up with people on the Art/Graphics MA and I got mine today!
I can't show you yet (everything is still heavily under wraps) but I will as soon as I can! Mine is really edgy and drawn like graffiti which reflects the story well. It's very odd seeing someone else's translation of something that I've carried around with me for months though!
Anyway, those are my rambling thoughts on book covers!
And hey, next time you're in a bookshop, take a risk on the book that doesn't have the best cover...you just might be surprised!
WG x
