Why Authors should get to choose the covers for their books

Discussion in 'Traditional Publishing' started by MustWrite, May 7, 2014.

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  1. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    Yeah, but in every profession people screw up. Cops, lawyers, doctors. Publishers can make a marketing mistake, misread the market, or choose an ineffective cover that misrepresents the work. It happens in film all the time with poorly cut trailers, resulting in the wrong audience seeing the work and hating it, while the right audience is not interested. Besides, as an Author you want to be proud of the work, and not be ashamed by the bad cover. Bad covers happen to good publishers. It probably won't happen, but it might, and you wanna be able to put on the brakes if necessary and say, 'I don't think so.' It's not about saying what cover should be used, but what cover should not.

    Remember: You can't judge a book by it's cover, but that is how many people choose them.
     
  2. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    if mistakes are made [which is to be expected], it's your job to catch and correct them when you go over the 'proof copy' the publisher will send you... that will be the final edit before the book goes to print...
     
  3. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    I still can't see why this would be a concern, particularly if the book isn't currently under consideration for publication. Looks to me like a solution in search of a problem.
     
  4. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    I'm kinda on the fence ...

    I'm a pig headed and stubborn person who knows what's best for my covers - that's what I tell my reflection! I'm good enough with a computer and an editing program and I have a C&G certification in photography.

    On the other hand, I have no idea what constitutes a 'good' book cover, I only know what appeals to me personally. When I decided to do my book cover, I went through five designs - all different - and ended up choosing the last idea that I had. I think it works really well and have already started work on the necessary colour changes for book two but then what I came up with could - and probably has been - rubbished by a number of people.

    I'm guessing the publishers face the same deliberations from time to time. Yes, they may know what sells but they have to couple that with a cover that either represents the story or grabs a potential reader's attention enough to make them pick up the book, read the blurb and then buy it.

    I went for the latter.
     
  5. graphicsmyway

    graphicsmyway Banned

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    Good amazing cover attracts buyers i have experienced it, infact it can make and break a sale. My advice to writers/authors is to try and get one for their works, not even expensive.

    It is better to have no ecover at all rather than one that is poorly done.
     
  6. WeWill77

    WeWill77 New Member

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    The artist obviously takes suggestions and learns from everyone around them. But to force them to use a cover they disagree with corrupts the art itself. Unfortunately, this is a problem that's existed as long as art and money have.

    And it's why a lot of musicians (and other artists, I'm sure, but music is the example I know about) are moving toward self-releasing material. It's just not usually possible to do so.
     
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  7. Nightstar99

    Nightstar99 Senior Member

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    Stehen King probably gets to choose his covers. I guess we have to be happy that there is one.
     
  8. Darkwriter

    Darkwriter Member

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    Last edited: Dec 29, 2016
  9. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

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    I wonder who the small publisher was, because most larger publishers, as far as I know, have artists on staff and don't pay per cover. Frankly, I wouldn't buy the book based on either cover...
     
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  10. Darkwriter

    Darkwriter Member

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    I know David A. Riley, so I know who the publisher was and who they hired for the original cover, but don't feel as if it's my place to 'name and shame' anyone, especially not on a public forum. David felt sufficiently aggrieved to pull the book and re-do it. The second cover was done to a brief, but to be honest I wouldn't buy the book either as it's not the kind of thing I go for. More of a horror fan.
     
  11. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

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    That alone makes me think the publisher was not in the top tiers - authors can't just decide to pull a book.
     
  12. outsider

    outsider Contributor Contributor

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    Agreed, we all know the old adage about judging books by their covers but I think I'd be more inclined to open this novel if the cover was completely plain. These just look like cheap tat. Sorry if that's blunt but I'm saying it as I see it.
     
  13. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    Looks like it's tried too hard to be something it's not. But then, I'm not into that genre myself so I shouldn't really comment ...
     
  14. outsider

    outsider Contributor Contributor

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    Neither am I. Not really digging the whole fantasy scene at all. Maybe we should leave this thread never to return?:eek:
     
  15. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    LOL. It's not just fantasy covers that sometimes get it wrong. Look at the re-do of the cover above, take out the horse and the rider, lower the whole picture a little so you get less of the mist and more of the trees with the hazy sunshine softly illuminating a green patch in the middle of a forest.

    That's (to me) all you need. That would be enough to make me pick up the book and read the blurb.

    (not to mention the horse and rider looks like they've been cut and pasted in)

    Covers don't need to tell a story, they just need to grab the reader's attention. The cover is the bait, the blurb is the hook, the story reels them in and a good ending (whether it's a cliff hanger or not) will get the reading looking for more by the same author. Without good bait, you may as well pack up and go home.
     
  16. PensiveQuill

    PensiveQuill Senior Member

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    I don't think authors should choose their own covers actually. Several experiences in life have led me to believe that many people have questionable taste. Regardless of whether they are artistically inclined or not. My mother for example can't get enough purple and brown in her interior design, regardless of what decade we are in. Cover design, like product design, industrial design etc is a skill in itself and one few authors possess.
     
  17. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    Regardless of who does the cover, I still think the author should have the final say and should not be afraid to say "no that's not right" when it's clearly not right.

    After all, it's the author's name on the cover, not the cover designer's and although the cover designer's name may be inside, very few readers will take the time to look up who did the cover. (In my opinion) xx
     
  18. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

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    The author's "right of refusal" is something that can be negotiated in the contract - but it should be (IMO) far down on the priority list. I agree, an author should be able to reject a cover they absolutely disagree with (white-washing, for example), but it shouldn't be an automatic deal-breaker. We also have to remember that there is one other entity involved - the retailer. I have heard (on various forums) of retailers refusing to buy books because of the cover - and the publishers have redesigned them in order to get the books in the store.

    Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
     
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  19. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    That is very true. Nothing is ever simple and with some things, it's also down to having too many fingers in the pie.

    Looking at store-refused and redesigned for purpose book covers would make an interesting read!
     
  20. Chaos Inc.

    Chaos Inc. Active Member

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    If I were in a book store and saw those book covers I would have picked up at least 6 of them to see what they were about. They're obviously amateur but they got my attention. I don't think, however, the covers matched the content. I'd imagine a quirky, tongue-in-cheek story for most of them.
     
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  21. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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  22. Chaos Inc.

    Chaos Inc. Active Member

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    I noticed a lot of those book covers were changed to reflect details of the book that resonated with the readers after the book had been out for some time. I don't think for a moment that the fact that the character in Clockwork Orange wore only one fake eyelash would be such a profound thing when it was written. Because of this, it was showcased in the other cover. Same goes for the after-movie adaptations.
     
  23. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

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    Do you think a cover should be adapted after the book has been made into a movie?

    I'm undecided on that one.
     
  24. Chaos Inc.

    Chaos Inc. Active Member

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    That's up to the copyright holder. They will sell more books if they do.

    If the cover art is actually a work of art, you lose the soul of the piece by giving into commercialism. Some writers are in it for the money, others are in it for the art. It depends on who you are. You can't be wrong either way.
     
  25. AoA

    AoA Member

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    This is an example of something that would drive me insane as an author. This is why we need to have some basic ability to help with the cover. Even if it's just giving the artist a list of characters and settings with their respective descriptions. Especially if there are odd, non-existant creatures in the story. Mistakes like extra eyes shouldn't happen on the cover. Then again, who hasn't heard the "four eyes" insult? :confused:
     

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