If there is one thing that I have a love and hate relationship for, it’s book covers! Book covers are the #1 selling point of your book. Think about it, especially if you are an eReader, you are glossing over hundreds of those tiny thumb nails and looking for that one that jumps out at you. How many times does that pay off? Do great covers always make for great books? Does the cover deliver what you expect inside? How important is the cover to you? I’m asking because I WANT TO KNOW!
Okay, I’ve had some pretty good success with book covers, especially on my fantasy books. One of the best parts about writing a book is getting all of this cool art done and I enjoy it. Lucky for me, I’ve found some great people to work with and they have delivered and been reliable. In the case of cover art, I deal with many freelance artists. Many of them are professional artists with a day job, but they do projects like mine on the side. Sometimes I have to wait awhile to get a new piece of artwork too. That’s another reason why my works get spread-out between a series. I’m waiting. Sometimes for months. I have to plan for it. And what happens if you are in the middle of a series and you lose an artist. Oops, that’s a problem to keep up the cover art consistent.
Let’s start with fantasy. I like to have the characters on the covers. It’s hard to pull off, but readers like to have a basis. But how much art is too much art? Is that why you buy the book? I’ve had a great deal of success with the Chronicles of Dragon. I Actually designed that cover with the Logo and the Scales, which I think is original and classic. Does it peak your interest more than a cover with artwork?
Do you have a cover in mind that drew you to my work? Or was it the excerpt? A review? Of course, maybe, just maybe it was that dazzling author photo on mine and it’s wonderful blurb. Haha! Honestly, doing an author bio is one of the worst things to do, but I’d be curious to hear that if that is a factor, what you like about it?
So, I have a ton of artwork, a multitude of covers, and covers that I’ve taken out into a field and shot and killed. And I don’t really want to kill any more, that get’s expensive. But I do want to make sure that there isn’t something missing that might catch the readers eye. A cover change can make all the difference in the world. Believe it or not their are examples of dogs being turned into bestsellers from this change. In my case, I feel that some of my stories/series might be getting overlooked because of the covers. Maybe they are too busy, too boring, and I’m considering some other looks. And this won’t be the first time that I’ve reached out to readers to get an opinion. Usually a cover change works out to be a good thing. And over a course of a few years, that’ s not a bad idea. Harry Potter just got a new look. (Oh, and be ready for my blog on JK Rowling). I want to reach as many readers as possible. With that said, I’m pretty comfortable on the Fantasy books above, but it’s the ones below that I’m not so certain about. I think they might be missing something. Sometimes you see a character on the book and you don’t really identify with them and it’s a turn off. So, no faces? If you don’t like, you move on, right? Tell me what you think about the Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files. I like the lettering, but not characters on the covers so much. It’s in that strange paranormal, urban, dark fantasy genre that is typically dominated by women writers. My characters, Sidney Shaw and John Smoke, fight a lot of monsters and kick a truck load of arse, but I’m not sure that being conveyed to the reader. Particularly my readers. Geez, my books wouldn’t be my books without some serious bullet’s flying and butt whooping’s going on. It’s still action, action, action.
With all of that said, just give me some feedback on the selling points that grab you? Title? Cover? Synopsis? Excerpt from the book? Author Bio? Name a few things that makes a book stand out.
Do these zombie books have any appeal to you? I swear they are awesome!
Thanks for the input everyone! Also, I want to know what your favorite covers of mine are. Thanks.
Craig
What draws me to a cover? I guess first, I have to be able to read it. It also has to be eye catching. Ha! I feel the same way you do about the Supernatural Bounty Hunter covers. Don’t really care for the characters on the cover. They don’t envision what I see in my head at all. My favorite covers of yours is probably a tie between DarkSlayer and Dragon! The covers should intrigue me to want to read the book. With that being said, I want to say THANK YOU for continuing Dragon’s journey!!!! Also, thank you for letting Venir continue to be the Darkslayer. You had me worried there right before the second series started. The story was still great, just hard to visualize him NOT being The Darkslayer. Thanks for keeping us entertained with you books. I love all of them (I’ve read most of the books except the Zombie series). I will get to those too!
Hi Adrienne, I really appreciate you hanging in there with me for such a long time. Thanks to all of your comments I feel like we go back a long way. As for DS, yep, taking the axe away from him was a hard thing to do. IT was a big transition. But for DS and Dragon, I kept at it because you guys wanted it. Actually, I was going to keep up with DS, but not Nath, but I got badgered for it and I’m glad I got back at it again. The hardest part about doing the fantasy books isn’t the writing, it’s getting the artwork done. That’s why I’ve tried some other series with covers that are a little easier to design. And here’s a glimpse into the future. Once Series #2 is done for DS and DRagon, I’m going to start them both up again when they are younger. THink of them as prequels. Have you read Clash of Heroes? Nath and Venir together.
As for the Bounty Hunter Files, I just got a new cover look in today that I think you are really going to like. I’m thrilled with it, so pay attention to Facebook to see this new update.
For me its the author. I have 3 favorite authors at the moment. Yours truely
James Paterson. And sit Terry Pratchett!
And this is why you are one of my favorite readers Glen! Thanks.
A poor cover repels me. The blurb tells me if my interests align with the story. If I have made it thus far, reviews tell me if the story is well written enough to give it a try.
Thanks for the response Roger. I’ve seen what I consider to be some pretty poor cover that do quite well and that baffles me. I try my best to put out the best covers I can. The Darkslayer’s been through 5 cover looks I think.
Deadly accurate answer. You’ve hit the buylsele!
The story blurb draws me first, then the cover artwork. Too plain or too fantastical puts me off if the story line is a maybe. But then I like what is inside, not only the outside, just like when I meet people I guess.
Even as a reader of the DS series and the Dragon Chronicles I have been a little hesitant to read The Supernatural Bounty Hunters due to the covers. Strange as that may seem. It appears to be focused towards young female readers as in those who like the Twilight books or something similar. I like the non stop action in the books and wasn’t sure if you went a different direction or not for that series. I like the Zombie covers, especially them hidden in shadow, and each book being dominated by one color on the cover.
I love the classic look and logo above with the DS series, especially on the Omninbus, but the artwork on the individual books is awesome too.
Personally I check the cover and title first, if it grabs my attention i read the synopsis (which hopefully is good). If i read the book and like it then i will check out the author and try some more from him/her.
I am a horror reader normally until I came across the free version of DS . Loved the characters and non stop action and bought the rest of the series. Got me into reading fantasy books again, thank you.
OK, that my two cents :)
I have just recently discovered your books! I love thesmokeseriesyou have quickly become one of my favorite authors,I just read so fast that it seems like it’s over so quickly! Indoor pay much attention to covers, except to read them if possible. The book description and the author definitely influence Mr reading decisions. And the length of the book. The bigger the better!!! Your work I as awesome. My ,sister and nieces have also been reading the smoke series Dixie made them aware of it!!!