Seth Godin (internet marketing guru and all around interesting guy) weighs in on book covers in a recent blog post.
Tactically, the cover sells the back cover, the back cover sells the flap and by then you’ve sold the book.
This is a new thought for me, and an interesting one. I’ve found that one of the easiest ways to tell a good designer from a great designer is by the quality of their back covers. Mine are fairly horrible. Something to work on.
Also note that this isn’t the first time Godin has mentioned book covers:
• Do you judge a book by its cover
• Judging a book by its cover (Wherein he calls a Chip Kidd cover “lousy”)
Turn of the Century! I bought that book because I loved the cover! Never read the book…
every bodies taste is different. One person will really respond to a purple haze, lotus goddess with dripping honey nectar barely salvaged from the pit of bad Photoshop jobs—and another will find it so repulsive it makes them slightly gag.
fyi: Many times the back cover is designed in house without the cover designers input because of scheduling issues….unfortunately. Nothing is worse than getting your book in the mail and then turning it over and being disappointed.
Kimberly – interesting point, thanks.
I’ll have to keep that in mind when perusing the book store from atop my high horse.