Can Covers Make or Break a Book?
“The book was GREAT, but the cover and title were…well….wrong–they cheapened the great story.”
That’s a line from a recent message I received from a reader about my debut book, The Preacher’s Bride.
I remember my reaction the very first time my publisher showed me the cover. “She’s wearing a bonnet,” I squeaked in mortification. “People will think the book is Amish.”
Since that time, I’ve learned a lot about book covers, primarily that their main job is to sell books, particularly to target genre readers. Bonnets and brides are popular among a large population of Christian fiction readers.
So having my character wear a bonnet and having “Bride” in the title was a surefire way for my publisher to garner attention for my book. Since I was a brand new author in a competitive market, I certainly needed all the help I could get. Fortunately for me, the bonnet and bride helped push the book to the CBA bestseller list.
Was the cover misleading? Was it all wrong (as the reader in the message above implied)? Did it cheapen the story?
I’m not sure that I agree entirely with the reader. The character likely did wear a bonnet since she was Puritan. And the story did center around her being a bride (she enters a marriage of convenience about halfway through the book). The model on the cover depicts the main character accurately, and the tone is somewhat serious which reflects the nature of the story. So I don’t believe the cover was misleading.
Was it wrong, though? That, my friends, is purely a matter of subjective opinion. What one reader loves another may not. In fact, recently on Facebook, I asked my readers what appeals to them regarding cover design (and put up this graphic of a number of upcoming releases).
The comments were so varied. Some readers said they like seeing faces, others said they don’t. Some said they like women in fancy dresses, and still others said they prefer landscapes. Some like an eye-catching picture, and others would rather have an eye-catching title.
Authors and publishers do everything they possibly can to study the market and determine overall trends so that a cover has the broadest appeal to the target audience. We as writers also try to craft our stories so that they connect with the largest population of our readers possible.
However, in the end, the cover won’t appeal to everyone, just the same way the story won’t appeal to everyone either.
Nowadays, I’m always amazed at the creativity and ingenuity displayed in so many covers. Of course every once in a while I run across a cover and cringe. But a “bad” cover doesn’t have to be a death knell for the story. It certainly can make the book more difficult to get noticed (especially for a debut author).
But I always think of my first impressions of The Hunger Games trilogy. The first time I saw Mockingjay, I thought to myself, “Why is everyone raving about THIS?” The cover did nothing to move me. And yet, once I read the stories, I was hooked.
On the flip side, the greatest, most creative cover in the word won’t guarantee a bestseller. An eye-catching cover that doesn’t deliver is sometimes worse for readers. They feel they’ve been tricked.
Obviously, the best thing for any writer is to have a superb cover with a superb story to back it up. That’s a win-win situation. But I always remind myself that ultimately readers care more about the story than the cover.
Speaking of covers, I just revealed the cover of my historical releasing in the fall. I’m rather fond of it! It’s my prayer that the cover will do its job to draw people, but that in the end the story itself will hook them.
What about YOU? What makes a cover appealing or unappealing to you?
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I am all over the place with cover admiration. I am a “color” person, so the color combinations and use of color always attract me. Having a person on that cover to visualize while I read can work both ways for me. If they somewhat favor the character(s), that’s a plus for me. But sometimes they don’t. The genre is also a factor for me. In other words, I want a suspense novel to look more dramatic than a contemporary romance. In the end, since I am a visual learner, I “picture” covers when I think of books, so they are important to me. And yours are always lovely!
What bothers me is sometimes the artist has not read or is not familiar with the book. For example, the heroine is described as a beautiful red head. The cover shows a blonde. Or, the setting is described, but the cover is way off base.
I do agree though: covers sell books. I prefer to order books by authors.
Hi Jody, the cover for Newton and Polly is outstanding! I think it will draw many new readers to that book and your others. I think the designers at WaterBrook do a wonderful job. I love the covers they designed for my Edwardian Brides Series.
Can’t say for sure what draws me to covers. I like them to be interesting to me. When Wanda Brunstetters Woman of Courage came out I was not drawn to the cover at all. Yet the story was one of her best releases as far as I was concerned. Sadly to say I’m one of those that are drawn to the cover like a magnet. If I hadn’t been familiar with Wandas writing I might not have read the book. Also for me I believe the tittle of the book matters a lot. Such as in Preachers Bride. With a picture of a modest and humble young lady draws me to this story between the covers of the book. Not sure this answers your question but that’s what I look for. The cover and tittle must beckon or call out to me, unless of coarse I’m familiar with the writer as I was with Wandas style of writing.
I do not think the cover ‘cheapened’ the story in The Preacher’s Bride. I think it fit the story and caught my eye. In today’s posting I even noticed the letter in her hand I had not noticed before. Covers do play a role but as you said it won’t please everyone. Each time I pick up the book to read I look at the cover thinking about where I am in the story and does it fit. The Preacher’s Bride cover reminds me of the decisions that were made and how those decisions would affect others. Sometimes the covers themselves tell a story. Love your books! Linda
I have never thought about it. I know I have been deceived by Amazon Christian books. The words and covers say Christian books and then when I start reading them there is a subtle or sometimes in your face sexual content. Because of this any cover that even has a hint of sexual undertone on the cover, I stay away from them. Thanks to Amazon, I do not trust books that say they are Christian books.
Books that have a happy cover of smiling people I really like cause it means the content will make me laugh and I love books with good humor in them. I also generally go for books with people in them because I can get a gist of what the book is about. I generally stay away from books with nature on the cover because I cannot tell from the cover what the book is about and have usually been disappointed.
For a book to catch my attention, the book cover needs to speak to me. It needs to be eye catching and attractive and convey an idea about what the book is about. The cover for your new book “Newton and Polly” is exactly what I am talking about. The cover is breathtaking, adventurous and mysterious at the same time, one of the best covers I have seen in a long time! Great job!
I think covers can go a long ways to draw a person to a book or to push the person away. When I was a young chap, many books just had plain covers with only the title and the authors name. I think a lot of those may have been non-fiction books for adults but I can’t imagine an adults being drawn to them unless they knew the author or heard good things about the book from someone else. I certainly look at the covers. The lighthouses on your Beacon of Hope series certainly caught my attention. I have enjoyed them immensely. Great choice for the covers!
What a great post! As an artist and photographer I feel strongly that book covers should reflect their content and quality. I’m completely turned off by unprofessional or amateurish design and Photoshop work. Another turn off for me is a model on a historical book’s cover that is too modern or contemporary looking or gives off that vibe. Other than that I love all types of covers and creative representations! I’m especially drawn to unique title design such as in Susan May Warren’s Christiansen Family series. It really ties all the covers together and unifies the look.
I think covers draw a reader in. I agree with other posts that the artist has no idea about the story. The Christian/Amish genre has taken the states by storm; but don’t jump on the bandwagon if you don’t have the beliefs & faith to support it.