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Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover
Sure, we've all heard that cliche, but how many of you buy a book based on the cover? Raising my hand. I'm guilty. Unless it's an auto-buy author for me (one whose book I'd buy no matter what the cover looks like), I pick up a book based on the cover. Second, I flip it over and read the back cover blurb. Third, the title might even affect my buy-or-not-buy decision.
Would you believe that many authors have no control over those factors? Sure, we're allowed and even encouraged to make suggestions, but then the art and/or marketing department (people who very likely have not read the book) determine what goes on the covers. Editors or editorial assistants write the back blurbs. (If I had to write them I'd need a padded cell.)
What does all that mean? It means that the characters the author has lived, breathed and slept with while writing and editing the story may not be the ones on the front of the book, and the blurb may not encapsulate the story/message in her head. As for the title... Nope, we don't get final say on those either. (I confess I'm not gifted with titles, so I often need help finding a caticher one.)
Is it bad to have others making these critical decisions? Probably not since the marketing/editorial folks are trained to know what appeals/sells and what doesn't. That doesn't mean there's never a bad cover. So I bow to their wisdom and experience.
I've been fortunate. I've never had an awful cover or blurb. (That doesn't mean I've never whined about one of mine.) I have had several which featured people or scenes which in no way reflected the story or characters inside, but the pictures usually do reflect the tone of the book and the Desire line. I can't write a book without pictures of my hero and heroine taped to the bookcase in front of my desk. I send those pix in with each manuscript. I also give descriptions I think would be appealing on the cover, but my covers are always a surprise.
For example: my June book PAYING THE PLAYBOY'S PRICE features a blue-suited, short-haired guy on the cover. The inside contains a burned out, former country music star, Harley-riding bar owner with a ponytail. Hmm. The outside features a good guy--probably the kind of guy my hero would like to be. The inside features a bad boy trying very hard to live down his less than admirable past. It's a good cover. It's just not my guy. Rex Tanner wouldn't be caught dead in a blue (almost purple) suit. But when lined up with the other covers in the series I see a very attractive package.
Other factors might influence the title or the cover shot. You can only have so many guys in a tux on the shelves each month. And the model I've had pasted to my bookcase very likely isn't available to pose for my cover shot. A word in an author's chosen title might be in too many other titles for the same time slot. Somebody's will have to change.
So next time you hit the bookstore or search for books online I suggest you do as the cliche says and don't judge a book by its cover. Instead peek at page 1 and read a paragraph or two, because chances are the cover art doesn't reflect the journey the author is about to deliver.
posted by Emilie Rose at 4:07 PM
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1 Comments:
misty wright said...
I agree Emilie! I covers don't tell the story at all sometimes. I have to read the back or the first chapter before making that buy. IF not on my auto buy list. Which you are!! :D
Misty
5:13 PM
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