I bought my
Kindle two years ago when I was rehabbing after a total knee replacement. The
discovery of easy-to-get books, some even free, was like an unending stream of
booze to a wino. I downloaded them by the dozen and read them the same way. I
found some authors I adore; I found others whose books, sadly, weren't ready for publication.
I continue
to read a lot of indie books, and I've made some observations about what does
and doesn't work for me as a reader. Today it's covers.
I understand
most people don't make a lot of money from their indie books, but like the old
adage says, you've gotta spend money to make money. Covers have always been the
first or second attention grabber for me (tied with titles). Whether in print
or electronic, a cover can make me look twice at a book or it can turn me off
one.
If it's in
print, I may go ahead and pick up a book with a really bad cover to read the
back blurb. If the blurb is interesting, or if I'm familiar with the author, I
may buy the book anyway. If it's electronic, unless the title really, truly
intrigues me or I know the author, I won't go any farther. It's way too easy to
skip to the next one on the list.
I know
authors who've gotten great covers for $15 – 200. Professional covers. Covers that
give you a feel for the book. Don't use your son's/niece's/friend's art unless
they are really talented artists. You can put together your own cover with
stock art, but don't just toss something on a page and publish it. You're a writer;
odds are, you know other writers. Get input. Print out a mockup and show it to
reader friends. Be selective with fonts and colors. If you have to, print out a
dozen different versions and stop strangers in bookstores for their opinion.
My least favorite cover ever wasn't on a digital book, but from a small press with a hero and heroine who looked like
plastic toys that melted and reformed in strange humanoid shapes. I have to say, I picked up the book because of the horrid cover. I had great sympathy for the author, because even a book full of blank pages deserved a better cover than that.
