Why Good Graphic Design is Crucial to Authors

"You can't judge a book by its cover."

So states the old adage.

But if we were all completely honest, who doesn't judge a book by its cover?  The cover and overall look of the book is often the deciding factor of whether or not the book is purchased.  If a lot of thought, time and effort were put into making the cover as eye-catching as possible, the chances of someone being attracted enough to buy the book are that much higher.  On the other hand, if a title and author name are simply slapped on a photo, depending on the photo, the cover won't hold nearly as much appeal.

There may be a few instances in which people give the book the benefit of the doubt.  And in such cases, the author is very fortunate—and more power to them!  But how often does this happen?  The impression made by the cover of the book reflects on the author and the writing.  If the cover is sloppy, readers will naturally assume that the writing must be sloppy as well.  For example, if I took this photo:

And turned it into this:

Not bad, right?  Kind of intriguing?  But what does it look like this book would be about?  Maybe a Cinderella retelling?  It's rather vague.  A cover is supposed to be somewhat vague; the point is to make readers curious.  But not so much that they have no idea what they're getting into.  For all they know, the writing style is as simple as the cover.

And the title seems rather out of place; how does the photo fit with the word 'midnight', other than the fact that the watch hand is pointing to twelve?  That would probably be enough, but we're going for something that really packs a punch and hits the feel of the book home.

So, let's try something else.

Same photo, same fonts.  So how does this do a better job of capturing the feel of the book?

What does it look like to you?  Now, instead of simply a Cinderella retelling, how about mystery and darkness, with some suspense thrown in?  Plus a color scheme that fits the title.  A single photo can be changed drastically in order to catch the reader's eye and pique their curiosity.

Of course, different people are attracted to different styles.  Those that prefer fantasy aren't as likely to pick up a book that is clearly historical, and vice versa.  And that's okay.  Because if you write a fantasy book, your target audience is the fantasy lovers, not the historical lovers.  Your cover should not only attract a reader, but the right kind of reader.  If it looks like a historical by the cover, then not only will it be picked up by the wrong reader, but it might be avoided by the right one.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."  Who we are on the outside should reflect who we are on the inside, just like a book.  If what's inside the book is more beautiful than the outside, who will know?  And if our acts don't reflect who we are in Christ, how will we shine His light?

So when creating—or purchasing—a cover for your book, don't just pick what looks nice; go for the gold.  Show clearly the theme and/or genre of the book.  Pack that punch.