Book Matters: Judge a book by its cover

Book Matters: Judge a book by its cover


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SALT LAKE CITY — We judge everything according to visual stimuli. If the aesthetic of an object is instantly pleasing then it earns the reward of our attention — whether it be magnificent architecture, a thriving colorful garden, a fashionable attractive person or a delicately crafted dessert.

Our further interest in something is first influenced by how and if it catches our eye. Many have said, "You can't judge a book by its cover," but I dare to contest. In the world of selling books, the cover is as important as content.


The front cover must stand out ... within a second or the sale may be lost.

–Irene Watson, author


When I walk into a bookstore — which I do far more often than is fiscally responsible — I immediately start browsing for covers that appeal to me. I look for the most interesting or most beautiful cover and then pick it up and read the summary.

My sister-in-law, a fellow bibliophile, and I have started many conversations with, "Did you see the cover of this book?" or "I bought this one just 'cause I liked the cover." And my husband told me he can remember his high school chemistry teacher relaying to her class that she chose the new textbook, from a myriad of choices, based solely on the cover she preferred.

The cover is the first and most important way to catch a reader's attention. It is also the first and most impacting indicator of content. The cover can give a potential reader the "feel" of the book in one concise image.

Irene Watson, in her article "How to create covers that sell," said, "The front cover must stand out ... within a second or the sale may be lost. Bottom line: what your book cover looks like is probably the most important aspect of the entire design and marketing process."


A good cover is like a magnet, and developing the right cover is an art and a science.

–Chris Schoebinger, Deseret Book


I recently talked with Chris Schoebinger, product director for Deseret Book and Richard Erickson, creative director for Shadow Mountain to learn all about how publishers develop eye-catching covers.

"We are trying to find good talent and then help others recognize it through the book cover," Schoebinger said. He explained that Deseret Book and Shadow Mountain accept less than 5 percent of the hundreds of manuscripts they receive each year.

A potential manuscript must meet the carefully-given approval of the Publishing Advisory Committee. Once this committee has approved a manuscript for publication, the design team immediately begins brainstorming for covers. This team consists of the artist or designer (in-house or freelance), art director, product director, typeface designer and creative director.

"We have a world-class design team," Schoebinger said. "This seasoned team really knows what works and also what might not work."

"A good cover is like a magnet," he said, "and developing the right cover is an art and a science. It's an art because it takes the right talent, and it's a science because there are so many things to consider and balance when developing a cover."

The team pulls the most important and significant details from the manuscript to represent the content. The team also decides what medium would fit best: art or photo, whether stock or from a photo shoot.

These specific ideas are then turned over to the artist. The artist is given a budget and a deadline. He or she then takes the ideas of the team and brings them to life.

"Sometimes it only takes a few drafts," said Erickson, "but other times we see 15 or 20 drafts."

"We spend a lot of time on the covers. We test and test and test," explained Schoebinger. "We test internally. We get input from national buyers. We watch the national trends and we pay attention to early feedback."

Schoebinger continued, "In a world where you have hundreds of thousands of books published every year, the No. 1 way to help a book get recognized is to have a killer book cover. It increases the sale potential exponentially."

When was the last time you picked up a book without first evaluating the cover? A fantastic cover is not a perfect guarantee that you will love the book — I've purchased many books based on the cover and been disappointed with the content — but the point is, I still bought it.

A book packaged and dressed in its finest will draw readers in and will get picked off the shelves. So, contrary to the old saying, you can judge a book by its cover — publishers are counting on it.

Next week: Dead, forgotten words


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About the Author: Teri Harman -----------------------------

Teri Harman writes and reads from home amid the chaos of three young children.
For more book reviews and book fun, visit her blog at book-matters.blogspot.com You can also follow Teri on Facebook (Book Matters) or Twitter (@bookmattersblog)

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