Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
Yesterday I had a little epiphany that made me just the teensiest bit less enthusiastic about the brave new world of e-books.
I was flipping through the books I have on my Kindle Fire—hundreds of them already—and I suddenly noticed that I was looking at book cover images that were one-half inch high. If I chose a different view, I could seem them at one-inch high. If I clicked on one, I could see it four inches high.
Suddenly I wondered what I was missing by not having actual books with covers that I could see in detail. Many of the books I’ve read on my Kindle, I never paid attention to the cover (mostly because I could hardly see it.)
I started to wonder if I would have approached these books differently if I’d held them in my hands and seen the detailed cover art first. Maybe, looking at the cover, I’d have had a better feel for the book right from the beginning. I would have understood something about the tone and the feel of the book. I’d have known what kind of book I was reading. I’d have context.
A book cover may not be worth a thousand words, but close.
And it hit me once again in a whole new way that when we go to strictly digital books, we’re losing something. I won’t talk about all the things we’re losing and gaining (because I know it’s a trade off and I do love my e-books), but this makes me a tiny bit sad.
Book covers are a whole art form unto themselves. There are people who are incredibly talented at this specific art form—creating a visual design that sets a tone and prepares a reader for the words within the cover. How sad to think that we may be moving to an era where far less effort will be expended on actual cover design—and even when the effort is made, many people will only see it in a one-inch thumbnail.
It’s not just that we judge a book by its cover—it’s more than that. The cover design tells us at a glance information that it would take several minutes (or more) to get in words. It can do this on a subconscious level, too, helping us to instantly recognize books that are “for us” and reject the ones that aren’t.
I can only hope that with the iPad and other technologies that have the capacity to show a beautiful image with clarity and definition, that book covers won’t become a thing of the past but will simply be viewed in a new way. And I hope publishers and even self-publishers continue to put a priority on quality cover design, because no matter whether it’s viewed on paper or digitally, I believe the cover of a book is an integral and important part of the whole reading experience.
How important is a book cover in your buying or reading decision?
By Rachelle Gardner on May 17, 2012 in Blog | 0 Comments
Blogger: Rachel Kent
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Blogger: Wendy Lawton
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Blogger: Mary Keeley
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Blogger: Rachel Kent
Twitter and Facebook Tips
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Blogger: Wendy Lawton
A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about interpreting rejection letters and confusing feedback. You can find that blog here.
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Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Before dipping into the Bible and its big buts, today is another kind of big: the Big Announcement about who won the Kindle Fire for subscribing to our blog. We feel honored that you would devote a…
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Blogger: Mary Keeley
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