Dishing Junk is a feature on the PJV where we dish it out! The girls and I have realized that we need a place to sort of vent our book & book blogger troubles. It might be something small and inconsequential that we thought was inappropriate to mention in a review – or it might be a genre-wide gush. This is going to be where we dish it out.
Judging a book by its cover.
Authors might not want to believe it, but
People
Judge
Books
By Their
Cover
Yes! I do it. I judge a book by its cover. The fact that I look at an author’s cover and start to dry heave a little bit is not going to
tempt me to buy the book.
My logical interpretation of funky book covers usually goes back to a business analogy.
When I hire for a position at my company I do interviews. No matter how good that person’s references and experience is, if they come to the job interview dressed like a character from Star War or a total slob I’m not going to hire them…
Compare that to a book cover. I look at this cover and it looks like your ten year old drew it, why would I buy it? Even if you offer it for free, if the cover is shoddy, the writing will probably be shoddy…or at least that is how I view it. Call me wrong or a cover snob, but that is how I feel.
Here are some covers that inspired WTF moments…do you feel the same way?
The low resolution on this cover adds to the charm. So while it looks like a bad drawing, the low resolution makes me believe that it also might be a “Found it on the Internet” type of book cover.
I do believe that is marijuana filling up that car. If that doesn’t tempt you, maybe the awesome gradient in the background — or that fabulous lime green to teal blue outer glow around the car. Maybe that cool 3D text?? No, not tempted yet?
Is that really a human skull, with teeth missing and fake eyes pasted over the top of it? Really?
Visit the Parajunkee’s View Facebook page for more delectable covers and to weigh in on yes or no!
Do you judge books by their cover?
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Love this post:) I do think Titles sell the book…….Fans are always looking at the cover first on my page!! Great post!
Thanks Bella!
I agree and I like your interview analogy.
However, if I’m given a synopsis and possibly a sample of the writing and both are interesting and well written, and I see good reviews, I’m more likely to overlook a terrible cover (depending on how terrible the cover is). It’s like, if someone came into an interview dressed somewhat terribly and semi-trashy or unkempt, but had a wonderful resume and the references couldn’t stop gushing about how great the person was, I’d hire them, but if they are dressed in a trash bag, the high marks won’t help them.
There’s like a bad cover scale and if it’s only sort of bad, I’ll still read it.
Good point Megan. I sometimes try to look past it…but then sometimes the cover stops me in my tracks.
Yes. I so do it. All the time. One glance tells me if it’s self published or not. Not that I don’t like self-pubbed but I need to know going into it.
I agree! I feel like if a author doesn’t care enough to give their book a good cover, then they probably didn’t care when writing the book. Just how I feel when I see covers like that.
Is it bad that I just spurted phlob all over my laptop & screen due to at least one of those covers?
I’m a cover snob, too, if I’m honest. But then that’s because I rarely read blurbs (I like the element of surprise)–even more so if a book has come highly recommended by one of my trusted folk.
I have to agree, I can honestly say that I’m a cover hussy! LOL While I do take chances on new to me authors or genres, if the book cover looks anything like the ones posted it’s a little hard to look past the cover and read the book. First impressions are everything, even in the writing world!
I definitely judge books by their covers. I don’t do it on purpose! But when there are SO MANY books to choose from and you’re browsing through hundreds, you can’t help but scan through and stop on the ones whose covers catch your attention. Browsing books is a visual experience, in a store/library or online, with possibly the exception of scrolling through publisher catalogs full of forthcoming titles and synopses. People will naturally be drawn to what is appealing to look at. Why would a person not want to do everything they possibly could to make sure his/her cover is something people WANT to look at?
And like you said, a bad cover sort of screams unprofessional. Even if it isn’t true, it gives the impression that the contents inside have also not had much effort put into them either. I mean yeah there might be exceptions if I hear enough good things about something, but how much faster would word of mouth spread if the cover isn’t hideous?
One of the local lawyers around here’s commercial is like this. Instead of paying a crew to come in and film it properly, she did it herself in her office and the lighting and sound are awful. Why would I hire somebody who is okay with doing something so half-assed? I can’t even remember her name, but I can remember all of the other lawyers who have professional commercials running. Covers are a marketing tool just like commercials.
Want more readers? Hire a designer that knows your demographic. That’s my opinion, anyways.
There is no doubt that I judge a book by its cover. Now, I am willing to overlook the cover after seeing a few awesome reviews, but what would make a person pick up a book in a sea on millions if they are not drawn to the cover? Most people would say that they don’t judge by the cover, but do you believe that a person goes to the book store and starts with the first book on the shelf and goes through every synopsis until they find a winner?
I wholeheartedly agree! I do judge a book by its cover and like you, if the cover appears amateurishly made, I figure the writing is just as awful. If you want to be taken seriously, you must be professional and LOOK professional. Why are some writers to cheap to hire someone to design a cover for them? *shaking head*
Yes I do judge covers because they me to look at the book , where as these won’t have me reading them. yes I am a cover whore
Um wow! Those are some truly horrific covers!
I judge a book by its over all the time! It won’t make me buy it but it’ll certainly get me to read the summary on the back.
Some of those covers are truly WTF worthy, especially the second one. Although I gotta admit, I am intrigued. Car filled with weed, indeed.
Amber Elise @ Du Livre
Wow just Wow! I don’t even have words for those covers.
I definitely judge a book by it’s cover. It’s the first impression I get from an author. If a cover is creepy, weird, or unprofessional why would I waste my time on it. If they didn’t bother to make an appealing cover I will move on to an author that did.
Great post!!
HA, wow those are pretty bad!! I definitely judge books by their cover. There have been times that the cover has been the driving force behind why I’m reading a book. It sets the entire mental imagery, and even sets a tone for the book before you’ve even picked it up. They’re very important! And people will obviously make a judgement about something based on the first they see of it.
I hate to say it, but I TOTALLY judge books by their covers. Not to say I haven’t read some awesome books with terrible covers, but I feel like if an author LOVES the story then they should take a little extra time to really sell it to the readers. Like you said, if the cover isn’t good it makes me think that the content won’t be either.
Those have got to be the worst covers I’ve ever seen. I am a total cover snob and I feel bad sometimes because a really great story can be hidden behind a gross cover.
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t a huge fan of the cover of The Hunger Games at first but after I read the story I grew to really like it!
It made sense, right? It was very plain — but I think they wanted to be different to stand out.
Yes I do judge a book by its cover. If the cover doesn’t rock, I won’t even read the back cover synopsis. I’m grateful my book covers have been good.
Yes! I would cry if I wrote a book and my publisher came back with a terrible cover I had no control over. Kresley Cole was telling a story at her last signing in New Orleans about her first book and the cover. She said the book was about racing Clipper ships and the designer stuck a Galleon (I think that is what they are called) on the cover. Think Nina, Santa Maria that sort of thing…about 200 years prior to what she was writing about. And there was nothing she could do about it.
What. The. Hell. Those are the ugliest book covers I’ve ever seen. I’m a major book cover whore. The book cover is the only reason I read the synopsis to some books. Sometimes I don’t read the synopsis if I’m just quickly browsing the internet. If it’s pretty, I add it to Goodreads and I can figure out if I really want to read it later. If you can’t take the time to design a good cover or have one made, you probably didn’t take the time to write a good book.
Me too! I will take the time to read a synopsis on a review request if I haven’t heard of the author before and I like the cover etc. But, sometimes I just accept because of the cover. Terrible I know!
My thoughts with the cover design lead more to editors. If you are self-published and you can’t even hire a cover designer…I don’t think you hired an editor either. Non-edited books are usually something I can’t stand. Then when you get the free ones and they come back with — well what do you expect, it was Free (yes I had an author tell me that). My thoughts are — well I thought you were giving it away free to tempt me to read your other books which were not Free. I’m not going to read your other books now — because I expect more badly edited work.
It is what it is.
I am a complete and total cover snob. While I will read a book that someone recommends even if it has a less than stellar cover, I won’t be at all incentivized to pick up a book with a hideous one.
I’m even disinclined to pick up a book with a bland or boring cover. It’s why I stuck with Chick Lit LONG after it went out of style. Because those books and covers were just so pretty.
But in YA oh my gosh those covers can be stunning. I’ve often been lured in by a cover for a book I have only a slim chance of reading any time soon because of the amazing covers.
I’ve purchased many books because of their covers and walked away from just as many because of theirs.
And for some reason I have a strange aversion to most shades of yellow… maybe due to NY taxis, mustard and those awful 1970s stoves in older homes? – so most yellow books don’t stand a fighting chance with me.
BTW I love the new header and blog design. The quilting rocks. And speaking of… A book blog’s design is like a cover. I’m more likely to visit an easy on the eyes blog than one that’s not.
Oh and I just have to add, I keep moving the cursor over the creeptacular skull cover, then away. Then back. Then away. Because it enlarges, it looks like it’s pulsating and is some kind of low budget horror flick. Hover. Move away. Hover. Move away. Yikes. I’m morbidly fascinated.
P.S. Do not try it with the psychedelic car cover…. Grooooovy.
Ha ha ha — you crack me up. I bought a few plugins. I know! But one of them is a photo enhancer that one is zooooom… love it.
I didn’t realize covers this bad existed. I’m not really even sure what to make of that last one. What’s even worse is when a signed author has a terrible cover. I mean, at least money is spent on hiring an artist to design those covers. What’s the excuse?
I don’t know why this idea that people judge books by their cover is surprising people. It’s what first catches potential customers eyes. It’s not like we wander around bookstores reading the back of every book. We’d never make a purchase if we did that!
Excellent point Jackie! I think it is a form of denial. And yes, when authors pay designers for bad covers make things even worse. We have a saying in the print design industry 4 color ugly cost the same as 4 color pretty. Unfortunately.
I don’t think can help judging a book by it’s cover. I mean, there is a design on the cover to attic readers, so of course some judgement is going to happen. I definitely tend to pick up books if I think the cover is really pretty. What I try not to do is NOT read a book just because the cover is awful.
But I was very hesitant to read the Ghost and the Goth books because I hated the covers. I did finally read the first book, though, and was surprised with how much I liked it.
Those covers above, though, are really awful
Sorry, not “attic” but attract. I don’t know how I ended up typing attic.
I figured it out.
I think my take on things is more if they did it themselves. It just gives me a feel that maybe they just published their book as a side-thought instead of taking the extra steps to get it done right.
If I can recreate the cover using Microsoft WordArt and clipart, I’ll pass on the book! At least it is a way to weed out books I don’t have time to read! Great post!
That is a good way of looking at things. Some of the stuff I can recreate using Paint lol.
Yikes. That skull…
I’m ready to look past a bad cover if I’m intrigued by a sample chapter. But honestly, if you want to come across as a professional, then be professional in every aspect. Cover included. Professionally made covers aren’t THAT expensive.
I love what Ilsa J Bick said about the cover change for Ashes: it didn’t pop and stand out in a bookstore. I didn’t like the original cover and passed on the opportunity to participate in a blog tour. But I’m reading it now and love it.
Where can I find those books? I think I want to read them. HA! Wow… seriously, though. I have seen some mediocre covers but those definitely top the list.
I think marketing/advertising is a profession for a reason. There’s a reason books with amazing covers sell. I am guilty of buying books based solely on the cover, never reading the jacket flap at all. Thankfully I have yet to want to kick myself too hard for this, but still. If I hear a lot of praise about a book despite it’s cover not being well-done I would still pick it up. Covers like above, though? Not so much. I don’t think there’s enough praise in the world to get me to pick those up.
Great post!
Dude. Those cover honestly HURT MY EYES. Like I now feel sickly a little… O_o
I’ll chalk it up to the fact that shiny things easily distract me… I can’t help being attracted to a gorgeous cover. It doesn’t always make me read the book, but it at least gets me to the synopsis and possibly to read some reviews. There is a reason there’s an entire industry built around design! If writing is an art form then why would you humiliate it by using visually horrifying cover art to display it? That yellow cover in the post just hurts my eyes.
Mine too, chick. Mine too.
OMG I love this feature, Thank God I’m not the only one thinking and saying these things in my head. I wont read a book that has a terrible cover, I just can’t bring myself to do it. I guess I’m a book snob too lol. Thanks for posting this, now I know I’m not alone lol