The old cliche, the title of today's post, doesn't fare well in our modern and impulsive world. The impact of a well designed book cover spans both traditional publishing and e-books. It is the first impression a would-be-buyer will see. It is the first kiss, the first touch of the love affair readers will embark on when reading what you have labored over to perfection. At this point, you've polished your manuscript to a high sheen, its time to dress it for the dance!
For those of you that are pursuing traditional publishing, you are familiar with what a query letter is. You are also familiar with how hard it is to condense a full sized manuscript down to 350 words or less while capturing all the goodies to reel in a literary agent! Now, think of doing that through illustration! Creating a book cover is not for the faint of heart. A lot depends on it. So my advice, this isn't something to pinch the pennies on. Get someone who designs book covers professionally.
If you are self-publishing, keep the fact in mind that e-books have different criteria than printed books. Your designer will know this. If they don't, deep six them and move on to one that does!
A good designer will try to capture the essence of your story in one compelling cover. It should convey the atmosphere and the heart of your book. Its all about imagery. It is what will capture the attention of the buyer. It is what entices them to read the blurb and buy your book. It is a visual representation of months of grueling work on your part! Don't waste it!
Research indicates, in today's fast paced society, you have about 3 seconds to grab someone's attention! Want your book on a display in the book store - you better have a stellar cover!
Here is a link to a video that I found informative and funny concerning book covers.
Remember, just because you've written your book and had it edited doesn't mean your job is done! Your job has just begun!
