Do readers judge a book by its cover?

[Joe McCoubrey]

There’s a lot of research evidence out there to support the notion that more than 75% of book sales are earned by the quality of their covers. It’s easy to understand that a strong title and graphics will grab a buyer’s attention – and in a marketplace with more than a zillion titles floating around, an author needs all the edge he or she can get.

Let’s face it, there are some real turkeys out there and no matter what lies between the covers it’s unlikely these books will ever get more than the briefest of glances before a potential reader’s eye roams quickly to the next in line.

So how do authors give themselves a fighting chance of getting noticed? It’s simple – get a cover that makes people pause when they scan the bookshelves or run through the endless pages of listings on the Amazon website. SEE MORE AT: http://joemccoubrey.com/do-readers-judge-a-book-by-its-cover/

[Roberta Goodman]

I also couldn't agree more! My debut novel was published through a small independent publisher and when it came time to choose a cover I knew I wanted something that would convey the theme of my book. I purchased a photo through Getty Images and I sent it to the copy editor who was working on my book. I told her what I was trying to accomplish with the photo, but unfortunately she wasn't able to give me the cover I envisioned. She explained she wasn't a graphic artist and I understood that, so I told her I would work on it. Fortunately, for me, a good friend who's a software engineer/photographer offered to work on it for me. I sent him the photo and he worked his magic. I loved the finished product. My novel is a murder mystery that takes place in an apartment building during the worst blizzard in NYC's history.

  This is the original photo. Obviously, it's an apartment building during a snowstorm. I made sure not to break any copyright laws by purchasing it.

 

 

 

 This is the finished product. I believe it was worth the amount of money I paid to have it look professional. It conveys the feeling of isolation I was looking for.         

 

http://rogoodman.com

                       

[ManOfLaBook.com]

Great job.

That is a beautiful, professional cover.

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[John Brantingham]

The worst thing is when the book doesn't seem to have any relationship to the cover or the cover is in some way deceptive. I've heard some bad stories.

[Jacque McFadden]

I judged a book by its cover recently, but I got it anyway, and I was presently surprised. I do think it is true that the cover is what grabs attention first.

[Kim N]

I do judge a book by its cover sometimes.