Monday, February 1, 2016

Book Covers - Your Chance to Vote or Have A Say

I'm not sure exactly what is the worst part of being a writer.
  1. Writing the story
  2. Editing the story
  3. Getting a book cover
  4. Publishing the book
  5. Marketing the book
Actually, I think the easiest part is writing the book.  From that point on, it is all downhill and complete and utter stress for any author.  Sure, if you get a contract with a major - or minor - book publisher, the cover is usually handled by the publisher, as is publishing the book.  Marketing is still a lot on the author but there is some marketing by the publisher.

But, what about us Indie authors?  We have to do it all.  I'm basically an Indie author.

So, I'm putting together a collection of short stories I've written over the years, some of which have been published in various venues: magazines and anthology collections.

After some major re-adjusting of the titles and heavy thought, I finally found a shred of a theme thread to which I could move forward with my book cover. A cover should indicate in some manner what is inside. I attempted a cover of my own but was told to get a professional cover if I wanted to present a professional image.

I contacted my last cover designer, a gentleman in Germany, whose name is Karl Müller.  He has offered me two possibilities - for starters. (Edit update) He sent me a third possibility.

Option 1: Doors w/ shadowed skull

Option 2: Skull w/ doors shadowed within skull
Option 3: Skulls w/ doors and a single D for the words

Now, my dilemma.  Which do I choose ... or do I ask for another possibility?

Actually, I was thinking Option 2 but have the font changed to that used on Option 1, and keep it as "A Short Story Collection."  I don't know if it just me, but it seems the letters are clearer on the first option.  Maybe it won't be the same on option 2. (Edit update) With the new addition, I think I like #3 the best now.

By the way, if you haven't figured it out by now, the theme I found in my short stories was "death" but in many faceted ways.  Some were outright deaths, others involved vampires or paranormal type characters, while other stories were a mental twist.  Sorry I can't be more precise than that, but if I did, I'd be ruining a few of the stories.  Let's just say it is a "form" of death.

I'm terrible in making decisions. Help me.  Vote for the one you think is a better choice.  Your possibilities are:
  1. Option 1 - as is.
  2. Option 2 - as is.
  3. Option 3 - as is.
  4. Option 1 - different font
  5. Option 2 - different font
  6. Option 3 - different font done as a single D
  7. Something totally different - and please give a suggestion.
As to why I'm asking for suggestions.  Karl is just starting to make book covers and he tries to give the author what they want via their suggestions.  I told Karl it was an anthology about death and how there are many doors to different kinds of deaths.  So, if you think a different cover would be better, please give me an idea of what to tell him.  Thanks.

I look forward to your input...

Until next I ramble on...

20 comments:

  1. My vote is #4 - option 1 with a darker font....I like working on cover. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. Darker font - do you mean creepier? Not color, I'm sure.

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  2. Replies
    1. Thanks for the input. Option 3 is good? Wasn't sure what 6 meant - which is option 3 with a different font.

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  3. I like your choice, Bob. Option 2, with the font from option 1, but make the color of the text bright red, so that it catches the eye. The color of the text in option 3 is good, but the font is too hard to read, especially in a thumbnail.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the input. I usually look for what a thumbnail will appear. I do like option 2 with option 1 font. Mulling...

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  4. I vote for #3. The words punch in the bright red and this will be important in small previews. It also makes me want to walk thru that door. I was an art major in college, so working on my own covers gives me an outlet for that part of my brain. Good luck.

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    Replies
    1. #3 is my favorite but as noted by Bud earlier, difficult to read in a thumbnail.

      Delete
  5. The graphic in #2 & #3 is great (with the door). The font in #1 is easier to read and will show up better in a small size if you make it bright red like in #3.

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    Replies
    1. Seems everyone prefers the brighter red of #3. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Let me start with, I don't read those kind of stories so my thoughts probably are not relevant. If I was going to click on a book with the title, I would be attracted to a cover with more than one door. The teeth don't work for me.

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    Replies
    1. I take it you didn't notice the doors (portals) in the nasal cavity on 2 and 3 -- or the big doors on option 1?

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  7. Love the brighter red of 3, and the picture, though the font of 1 is great. Not good at making decisions myself!

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  8. I would go with the brighter colour of #e, but change to a simpler font that's easier to read when the image is shrunk down to the size of a thumbnail on Amazon. I'm not sure what the image is behind the ghostly skull, but at a small size, that will be lost, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Almost everything gets lost in a thumbnail. LOL. Option 1 is doorways with a ghostly skull. #2 and #3 are, I think, the same skull with the doorways in the nasal cavity. Weird.

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  9. wow all these comments are all over the place. I vote #4. The other two I first see is teeth, not the door. But I like the brighter fonts of #2 and #3.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean - teeth, but the votes are going that way.

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  10. Replies
    1. Thanks, Darin. I think a final version is now in the works.

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