Years ago, smaller publishers with limited resources had to make smart decisions on how they would spend their money when publishing a book. They had to decide what was most important: editing, designing or marketing. Many small publishers agree that they make their investment back when they spend the extra cash on design. While watching Chip Kidd on TEDTalks, he stressed the importance of a first impression. The design and cover of a book is what provides the first impression for potential readers.
Now in the e-book era many readers are turning to devices to purchase and read their books, rarely patronizing bookstores to purchase print copies of books. Although covers are still displayed when scrolling for books on Amazon, it doesn’t have the same effect it would on a shelf or elsewhere. Maud Newton, a popular book blogger stated, “People like to show off what they’re doing and what they like.” When you purchase a print book, you are allowing everyone to see what you are reading. In this era of sharing, especially on social media, people enjoy displaying their day to day activities, likes and dislikes. Often, I scan the subway to see what others are reading. A great book cover can entice me to ask questions about a book from the reader and could spark a social conversation we all long for. When a person is reading on a tablet it is very uninviting and often comes off discreet. The well-executed book cover is a form of free advertisement and increases the chances of the best form of advertisement: word of mouth. Still many people argue that book covers are no longer needed with more convenient marketing tools available and beneficial for both the publisher and reader.
I would disagree. Without book covers, unknown authors and unlikely top sellers will lose an edge and the opportunity they provide. Holly Schmidt, president of Ravenous Romance, an e-book publisher of romance and erotica, said that in one case the publisher was offering an anthology of stories about older women and younger men. The first version featured a digital cover image of a winsome woman. It barely sold any copies. The publisher put a new cover up online, this time showing the bare, muscular torsos of three young men and sales took off. The new cover “took a book that was pretty much a loser,” Ms. Schmidt said, “and made it into a pretty strong seller."
According to "Smashwords" founder Mark Coker, “there’s a clear connection between great covers and great sales.” Naturally humans process visuals faster than words. Images often leave us with an emotion. A book cover's role in society is to provide transparency between the author and the reader. An erotic book shouldn’t have images of children nor should children’s book have half-naked males or females on the cover. We expect integrity from authors and trust their design is cohesive with their story. Covers allow us to summarize a book with a glance rather than taking the time to read the synopsis. A book cover has been a tradition for a long time. It provides a sense of comfort for many readers. When you like a book cover, it is like getting a bonus, a piece of art to aesthetically enjoy, display in your home, collect or even have the author sign, given the opportunity.
Book design becoming less relevant allows authors to be on the same playing field. No longer will books with fancy or intriguing covers have an advantage. The cost of a design team will also be eliminated, making the publishing process cheaper and faster to complete. With book covers not being as popular, self-publishing will become a more attractive route for authors. Writers also may embrace e-books, making Amazon an even bigger threat for publishers. On the other hand, many things will be lost. The cover of a book is how an author brands him/herself and gives a personable touch to their project. The credibility of an author many times lies in how much effort they put in their complete package. When you have a physical book with an interesting cover, you have a constant reminder versus it sitting on your virtual library. The chances of getting unsolicited readers through recommendations will decrease. Most importantly, a piece of art will die and be missed.
