Cover me! I’m going in . . .

Let’s be honest – as humans beings, it’s in our nature to judge things by their appearances. Before taking the time to assess the content, we decide whether or not something is visually stimulating. Presentation of people, food, surroundings, and most definitely books are all on the table when it comes to first impressions. Right or wrong, the wrapping matters.

Take a look at these three images for “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”:

I love the original. It’s inviting, tasteful and even the font tells me I’m in for quite the adventure. 

Aside from having nothing to do with the book, this second version can only be described as odd. I wonder who the target audience is.

I can’t imagine who would be drawn to read the book based on the current cover design without already knowing what adventures lay between the pages. This attempt looks like a cookie-cutter template gone wrong.

As an integral part of the reading experience, cover art is a complex business. For the month of May, I’m dedicating this blog to book covers. I’ve invited cover designers, readers, graphic artists, and writers to share their experiences in cover design. It’s going to be an interesting month.