Comments on: Autopsy of a Bad Book Cover – Part 2 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166 Information and Insights into the World of Small Press Publishing. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:28:36 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Susan "Backpack45" Alcorn http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-151 Susan "Backpack45" Alcorn Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:28:54 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-151 Quite worthwhile postings, thank you for the tips. It's definitely difficult for a non-professional to figure out why something works, or doesn't. Quite worthwhile postings, thank you for the tips. It’s definitely difficult for a non-professional to figure out why something works, or doesn’t.

]]> By: Pete Masterson http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-145 Pete Masterson Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:06:58 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-145 I like the part where the designer was a famous "billboard designer" -- and the cover looks like a billboard with writing above and below. A book my wife brought home was published by a magazine publisher -- and the cover looked like a magazine cover. Way too busy for a book with too many distracting headlines (like for articles in a magazine). There is good reason to ensure that a cover designer is actually experienced at book cover design. You don't want a brochure designer, or a magazine designer, or a billboard designer -- you need a book cover designer. Now a designer without experience might be able to create a credible cover design, if you (as publisher) are well experienced in what works -- but if you're a neophyte -- then get a well qualified professional to help you. I like the part where the designer was a famous “billboard designer” — and the cover looks like a billboard with writing above and below.

A book my wife brought home was published by a magazine publisher — and the cover looked like a magazine cover. Way too busy for a book with too many distracting headlines (like for articles in a magazine).

There is good reason to ensure that a cover designer is actually experienced at book cover design. You don’t want a brochure designer, or a magazine designer, or a billboard designer — you need a book cover designer. Now a designer without experience might be able to create a credible cover design, if you (as publisher) are well experienced in what works — but if you’re a neophyte — then get a well qualified professional to help you.

]]> By: jcsimonds http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-53 jcsimonds Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:06:59 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-53 Precisely. A book is an idea wrapped in a package. Make sure that idea is honored by getting the best package (book design - both interior and exterior) you can. This does not mean you can't learn how to design a book yourself. But it does have some pitfalls if your nature is not visual. A design professional makes this task easier on you - but does cost money. Think of it this way: would you send your kid off his/her first day of school in an inside-out shirt, torn-up trousers and mismatched shoes? People would think you were a very bad parent. A book is your mind-child.. Don't send it out to fail or be ridiculed! Precisely. A book is an idea wrapped in a package. Make sure that idea is honored by getting the best package (book design – both interior and exterior) you can. This does not mean you can’t learn how to design a book yourself. But it does have some pitfalls if your nature is not visual. A design professional makes this task easier on you – but does cost money.

Think of it this way: would you send your kid off his/her first day of school in an inside-out shirt, torn-up trousers and mismatched shoes? People would think you were a very bad parent. A book is your mind-child.. Don’t send it out to fail or be ridiculed!

]]> By: Simplicity http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-52 Simplicity Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:57:25 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-52 Get an appropriate pro, let them do their best, then tell them yes or start over. Simple stuff. A writer may have to help market their book, but it seems well advised to have pros develop the marketing. Get an appropriate pro, let them do their best, then tell them yes or start over. Simple stuff. A writer may have to help market their book, but it seems well advised to have pros develop the marketing.

]]> By: mkChristiansen http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-51 mkChristiansen Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:34:53 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-51 Great article, thanks. But . . . check your grammar: "But it ran it's course...." Hm. Great article, thanks. But . . . check your grammar: “But it ran it’s course….” Hm.

]]> By: Judging a Book by Its Cover | Write a Great Book http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166&cpage=1#comment-48 Judging a Book by Its Cover | Write a Great Book Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:52:11 +0000 http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166#comment-48 [...] http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166 [...] [...] http://smallpressworld.com/blog/?p=166 [...]

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