Well done, you’ve simultaneously managed to insult both the author and the talented artist that was commissioned to design this book cover. Why not rather than wasting your time spreading negativity online, actually read this book and discover how brilliant it is?
While comments like this don’t actually DESERVE responses, I’m feeling generous.
1) In what way did I insult the author? I didn’t mention the author at all. For that matter, in what way did I insult the actual artist? My contention is that the finished product isn’t very good, certainly not up to professional standards. Is that a personal insult? Has the qualification for “insult” fallen so low that any assessment less than “GOSH IT’S BRILLIANT I WUVS IT” is now an insult? For that matter, why did you not leave a similar comment for each of the 12,000+ covers posted on this site? Oh, that’s right. You’re personally invested in the author and/or the illustrator, and thus you need to stand up and scold on their behalf. It’s not that we’re not giving great art its due, it’s that Waah someone didn’t think my friend was the bestest.
2) “Rather than wasting your time…” Who are you to say what’s a waste of my time, and the time of anyone patronizing this site? The world is full of video game addicts, sports aficionados, model railroad hobbyists, and people who kept up with the Kardashians. By what absolute moral authority do you determine what qualifies as a “waste” of time? It amuses me to spend a few hours a week managing this site, and it amuses the visitors, and none of us need to justify ourselves to your scolding.
More than that, it actual fills a valuable educational function, by showing indie publishers the pitfalls of less than professional covers; many authors have expressed gratitude for the resource. Just because YOU find no value in it doesn’t mean that there ISN’T any value in it. You are not the objective arbiter of worthy time use.
3) “…spreading negativity online…” I literally laughed at this. I can only imagine that you’ve magnanimously spared a moment from your 24/7 crusade against shouting down the political vituperation splitting the nation, antisemitism, controversies of gender identity, religious condemnation, and the holy wars stemming from the recent elevation of Dr Pepper to the #2 soda spot in order to scold us for our contribution to “negativity online.” Unless, of course, you’re really not concerned about actual negativity online — certainly not enough to crusade against it in all its forms; you’re just butthurt that we didn’t love something your friend did, and wanted to wrap yourself in a flag of right thinking.
4) “Why not … actually read this book and discover how brilliant it is?” I own literally 5,000+ unread books, in print and ebook. The statistics I can find easily say that there were over four million — FOUR MILLION — new books published in 2022 alone. Why would I seek out a book with substandard cover design — a book which literally only attracts the attention of someone like me who’s seeking out bad covers — for my dollars and reading time? Indie publishers need to hook their desired audience by visually indicating “this is the kind of book you like.” Expecting readers to discover a book *despite* the cover isn’t just unrealistic; it’s stupid.
Have I covered all of your meant-to-be-cutting-but-actually-bog-standard complaints?
Pandering to the entitled, minimum-effort generation does no one any favors. We must all be challenged to put forth our best work in order to earn the praise and success we seek. It’s astounding to me how little self respect and the satisfaction of a job well done mean to people these days.
“I scribbled something. Where’s my check?”
Well done, you’ve simultaneously managed to insult both the author and the talented artist that was commissioned to design this book cover. Why not rather than wasting your time spreading negativity online, actually read this book and discover how brilliant it is?
While comments like this don’t actually DESERVE responses, I’m feeling generous.
1) In what way did I insult the author? I didn’t mention the author at all. For that matter, in what way did I insult the actual artist? My contention is that the finished product isn’t very good, certainly not up to professional standards. Is that a personal insult? Has the qualification for “insult” fallen so low that any assessment less than “GOSH IT’S BRILLIANT I WUVS IT” is now an insult? For that matter, why did you not leave a similar comment for each of the 12,000+ covers posted on this site? Oh, that’s right. You’re personally invested in the author and/or the illustrator, and thus you need to stand up and scold on their behalf. It’s not that we’re not giving great art its due, it’s that Waah someone didn’t think my friend was the bestest.
2) “Rather than wasting your time…” Who are you to say what’s a waste of my time, and the time of anyone patronizing this site? The world is full of video game addicts, sports aficionados, model railroad hobbyists, and people who kept up with the Kardashians. By what absolute moral authority do you determine what qualifies as a “waste” of time? It amuses me to spend a few hours a week managing this site, and it amuses the visitors, and none of us need to justify ourselves to your scolding.
More than that, it actual fills a valuable educational function, by showing indie publishers the pitfalls of less than professional covers; many authors have expressed gratitude for the resource. Just because YOU find no value in it doesn’t mean that there ISN’T any value in it. You are not the objective arbiter of worthy time use.
3) “…spreading negativity online…” I literally laughed at this. I can only imagine that you’ve magnanimously spared a moment from your 24/7 crusade against shouting down the political vituperation splitting the nation, antisemitism, controversies of gender identity, religious condemnation, and the holy wars stemming from the recent elevation of Dr Pepper to the #2 soda spot in order to scold us for our contribution to “negativity online.” Unless, of course, you’re really not concerned about actual negativity online — certainly not enough to crusade against it in all its forms; you’re just butthurt that we didn’t love something your friend did, and wanted to wrap yourself in a flag of right thinking.
4) “Why not … actually read this book and discover how brilliant it is?” I own literally 5,000+ unread books, in print and ebook. The statistics I can find easily say that there were over four million — FOUR MILLION — new books published in 2022 alone. Why would I seek out a book with substandard cover design — a book which literally only attracts the attention of someone like me who’s seeking out bad covers — for my dollars and reading time? Indie publishers need to hook their desired audience by visually indicating “this is the kind of book you like.” Expecting readers to discover a book *despite* the cover isn’t just unrealistic; it’s stupid.
Have I covered all of your meant-to-be-cutting-but-actually-bog-standard complaints?
Bravo!
Pandering to the entitled, minimum-effort generation does no one any favors. We must all be challenged to put forth our best work in order to earn the praise and success we seek. It’s astounding to me how little self respect and the satisfaction of a job well done mean to people these days.
“I scribbled something. Where’s my check?”
Swan legs in the Cthuluvian Universe?