You know, just a modicum of talent, time and effort could have made that a fantastic image. (in the original taking of the photo, which was obviously custom-shot.) Such a shame.
I suggest you read my book. Yes, the photo was from my camera phone, but you will understand why at the end of the book. But hey, a bad cover review is still free advertising so thank you!
From my photograph a well-respected graphic artist created the cover. I am more than pleased.
Linda Kay Simmons, Author
Linda: I see that you’re not happy with the criticism. However, what Nathan has told you is right. Creating or using a cover that someone has to understand, after they’ve read the book, is completely the wrong way to go about it. Nobody on earth will remember what your cover looks like, at that point and more importantly, are unlikely to care.
Your cover is clickbait. That’s it. It has NO other purpose. Its job is not to tell the story. That’s your story’s job. The job of the cover is to get people to click, to go to your sales page. Then it’s your description’s job to get them to open the LookInside and start reading–and then it’s your first chapter’s job to hook them. The cover plays only that very first initial role–CLICKBAIT. (Ask yourself this–what scenes, exactly, do the covers of Hunger Games or GOT depict? Quick–which ones? Yes, the correct answer is–none. What about the dreaded Twilight? What scene is that, with the apple? Yup, got it in one, again–none.)
(FYI, Amazon’s internal use statistics indicate that almost nobody, ever, flips back to see the cover of a book, once it’s bought. Not even when they load it to their device for the first time. Why? Because its job is done–they bought the book and now, they simply no longer care what the cover looks like. Unless they’re trying to see an artist’s rendering of a given ongoing character–but that’s not this, is it?)
Hell, I’m in the business of lublishing and I don’t flip back to see them, in my recreational reading. (Unless it’s a remarkable cover and I want to steal the artist for my customers….)
So, you can feel angry and as though we’re all talking trash here, but when was the last time you bought a book because the cover represented something that happened in a chapter that you hadn’t yet read? Especially–forgive me–an image that isn’t particularly good, that doesn’t particularly say “click me”?
Thanks, Myk. I doubt that the poster appreciates it, but I know that Nathan is only trying to help, and so too am I. I hope she hears it when the hurt wears off.
To the other advice, I would add: having the picture and title both showing/saying the same thing is redundant. In addition to re-shooting the picture using your camera’s high-speed setting instead of a flash, you could get a lot more customers if you changed the title to refer to some other aspect of your story (e.g. Favor The Dead). That’s kind of an easy way to double the click-bait potential right there.
I prefer my lamb on a stovetop.
You know, just a modicum of talent, time and effort could have made that a fantastic image. (in the original taking of the photo, which was obviously custom-shot.) Such a shame.
I suggest you read my book. Yes, the photo was from my camera phone, but you will understand why at the end of the book. But hey, a bad cover review is still free advertising so thank you!
From my photograph a well-respected graphic artist created the cover. I am more than pleased.
Linda Kay Simmons, Author
Tip: If someone has to read the book in order to appreciate the cover, you’re doing it backwards.
I see you like to have the last word. Good luck to you.
Especially when my last word is actually good advice that could help you, but you do you.
Linda: I see that you’re not happy with the criticism. However, what Nathan has told you is right. Creating or using a cover that someone has to understand, after they’ve read the book, is completely the wrong way to go about it. Nobody on earth will remember what your cover looks like, at that point and more importantly, are unlikely to care.
Your cover is clickbait. That’s it. It has NO other purpose. Its job is not to tell the story. That’s your story’s job. The job of the cover is to get people to click, to go to your sales page. Then it’s your description’s job to get them to open the LookInside and start reading–and then it’s your first chapter’s job to hook them. The cover plays only that very first initial role–CLICKBAIT. (Ask yourself this–what scenes, exactly, do the covers of Hunger Games or GOT depict? Quick–which ones? Yes, the correct answer is–none. What about the dreaded Twilight? What scene is that, with the apple? Yup, got it in one, again–none.)
(FYI, Amazon’s internal use statistics indicate that almost nobody, ever, flips back to see the cover of a book, once it’s bought. Not even when they load it to their device for the first time. Why? Because its job is done–they bought the book and now, they simply no longer care what the cover looks like. Unless they’re trying to see an artist’s rendering of a given ongoing character–but that’s not this, is it?)
Hell, I’m in the business of lublishing and I don’t flip back to see them, in my recreational reading. (Unless it’s a remarkable cover and I want to steal the artist for my customers….)
So, you can feel angry and as though we’re all talking trash here, but when was the last time you bought a book because the cover represented something that happened in a chapter that you hadn’t yet read? Especially–forgive me–an image that isn’t particularly good, that doesn’t particularly say “click me”?
You might find this article helpful, and no, it’s not mine: https://www.creativindie.com/8-cover-design-secrets-publishers-use-to-manipulate-readers-into-buying-books/ . It’s one of the absolute best things on the net, about book cover design. Ignore it if you choose–but your cover isn’t doing you any favor at all and more importantly, it’s certainly not helping your book.
Good luck.I mean it.
Brava, Hitch. Well said, all.
Thanks, Myk. I doubt that the poster appreciates it, but I know that Nathan is only trying to help, and so too am I. I hope she hears it when the hurt wears off.
To the other advice, I would add: having the picture and title both showing/saying the same thing is redundant. In addition to re-shooting the picture using your camera’s high-speed setting instead of a flash, you could get a lot more customers if you changed the title to refer to some other aspect of your story (e.g. Favor The Dead). That’s kind of an easy way to double the click-bait potential right there.