They say, don’t judge a book by its cover, yet I let a community of fabulous readers do just that—judge a book cover before its release.
How did that go?
Well, you be the judge…
An Image Tells A Thousand Words
So how the heck do you convert an 80,000-word novel into a simple picture!?!?
Yet, it’s done all the time.
At this stage, the story was written, edited and formatted for proofreading. By then, I was brain-fried, living with a book hangover.
“…brain-fried living with a book hangover…”
I knew the story intimately, but trying to convey one teeny tiny part into a picture is tough.
But it was time to…
Dress-up My Digital Darling
Writing is a solo world of black words flashing across a white screen. Words are then trimmed and packaged with a pretty cover, like a wrapped gift just for you.
If done right, that gift keeps on giving and lives on keeper-shelves of many book lovers globally.
If not, it’s forgotten and left to gain dust out the back somewhere.
But covers had to start somewhere, right?
The Brief Bits About Book Covers
While foraging the library of inspiration (the internet), I discovered (as a total side-venture into procrastination) books were a luxury item read by so few and admired by many. You’d assumed with this sort of reverence their book covers would be considered an art form.
Err… nope.
Back then, intricate hand-drawn pages were delivered, not by authors—but by pen-wielding monks and those first book covers started out as simple cloth wrapping to protect the pages. They were like a one-time use of an ancient bubble wrap. Nothing more.
Hence (what dost though!) the birthing era of the dust jacket.
Typically, in the 1890s covers evolved to breathe above the nose-diving depth of dust until marketers worked out they were throwing out perfectly good advertising real estate. This was when the first slogans of ‘BUY MY BOOK’ began and has haunted us ever since.
Covers were cut from the cloth before Penguin’s paperbacks arrived in 1935 with their bright orange cardboard covers. Those classic covers are still seen today.
Trends shifted toward illustrations that graced covers to match the Hollywood glamour in the 1940s that bears an uncanny resemblance with today’s illustrative Chick-lit covers.
The illustrative covers continued through the 1950s until the psychedelic abstracts started curling page corners in the 60s at the same time photographic images showed up.
…psychedelic abstracts started curling page corners in the 60s at the same time photographic images showed up…
The immoral, immortal, objectionable, unknowable, and desirable book covers ultimately became today’s optimal sales pitches for stories. Some are so amazing, I have a Pinterest Page dedicated to this art form.
So, back to my story…
Community Loathes or Loves—its a Cover Story.
It was a spur-of-the-moment research expedition that began with hiding in my local library…sort of like shifting from one writing cave to another. Anyway, there I was surrounded by walls of books whispering over my shoulder while I wrestled with Photoshop trying to find the perfect fit for my latest story.
It was there the queen of the covers approached me and I showed her my first cover draft.
Queen of the Covers
Who are the cover queens?
Hundreds of book covers whiz by librarians on a day-to-day basis, and their insight is priceless.
When I showed my draft cover to the Librarian her reactions were restrained in a professional and non-judgemental manner—thank god!
Gold Mined Among the Glue
Like a sword-swinging princess cutting her way through the labyrinth, the Librarian guided me to the section where the genre of my story would sit.
‘ Like a sword-swinging princess cutting through the corridors, the Librarian guided me… ‘
Priceless gems stood before me between metal shelves like musty mud walls in a miner’s cave. Symbols and styles were discussed as inspiration spilled through me like a drunken muse powering up to tackle the impossible.
Along with head-tilting, eyebrow-raising moments over abstract covers, colours, amid head-scratching-huh!
So, worthy mentions for this exercise were:
♦ The term, ‘no offence but…’ sucks!
♦ Would it be Instagram worthy?
♦Topped by the wisest of words: ‘Does it suit the story?’
Covering the Popularity Parade
It’s like finding a dress for the ball with those perfect shoes that make the outfit. The font styles and colours all coming together in the hope you’d want to try it on for size.
Draft after draft, images and styles were teamed together for that perfect tailored look.
We are still talking about books, right?
And like a beauty pageant, I primped these book covers for final judgement in their own personal parade.
By that time, a group of wonderful women had come into my tiny corner of the library world to curl up on the couch while their playful children filled the room with energy and laughter.
I swallowed my spine, spun the laptop around, and let them look at the cover drafts I’d barely finished creating—it was so new, if they’d been painted they’d be glistening with wet ink!
As a creative, I rarely let my artwork leave my yard, so this, while in draft mode was HUGE!
Yet, somehow this brief moment of bravado allowed me to find the courage to ask other readers for their opinions.
Okay, now just call me crazy, because that’s when I allowed the carnage of the covers to begin…
“…that’s when I allowed the carnage of the covers to begin…”
It Was A Reader’s Roasting
Insights from readers are worth more than any high-priced marketing guru. In my area, I doubt there is one this far north. But what I do have access to is some fabulous supportive readers from around the globe.
Pinch me, it’s true!
Those I approached, offered me their priceless pieces of opinions, to discover what they liked and disliked. There is nothing worse than being roasted by readers who always have the final say after release day, so I vowed to learn quickly.
Mothers, librarians, lawyers, professional readers, book bloggers, military wives, farmers, check-out specialists of the supermarket, and teachers birthed WINTER’S WALK. This network of nurturing readers offered their opinion and the final product came about by their willingness to share with me.
For that, I am eternally grateful.
Now, you tell me?
From six, the final cover was selected and released to go with the story that was designed to be devoured by today’s busy woman during her lunch break, offering her a brief escape to Happily Ever After. I’m pretty sure, that’s You!
So now it’s your turn to read the story, then let me know if the cover fits before the fashion-forward digital divas considers this cover outdated.
**All still images relating to this post’s topic are via the talented & fabulous photographers at https://unsplash.com/ Thanks guys.
#Escape2HEA #WintersWalk
