Ok, So I pretty much decided to sell my finished book on Lulu.com. Well, that is until I get a publisher or agent. I figure the sales might attract them if they are significant enough. I haven't made the book available to the public yet. First I want to make sure everything is in perfect order. So, first of all, here are three images of the coverart for the book. Keep in mind that:
1. It's a fairly dark book with some themes of horror. It hosts vampires as well as other supernatural entities.
2. It's set in medieval times.
3. Two brothers are the main characters.
4. Each cover is laid out like this: Back Flap - Back Cover - Spline - Front Cover - Front Flap
So tell me which of these coverarts work and which dont. Even if you think all of them are rubbish, feel free to say so. I need the advice. And why. Give critique. Thanks.
This one depicts some of the major characters. My friend tells me that it gives the book a cartoony look and I should not go for that.
So I changed the coverart based on my friend's advice and came up with this. Both the sword and the weird symbols are integral to the book's story.
This is the same as above but in a darker shade, because the book itself is dark.
Also, if anyone wants to give me the downside of using 'Lulu till I get an agent or publisher', please feel welcome to. Also, any sales or marketing tips would be most appreciated.
If I'm being honest I'm not keen on any of those as covers. My fave is the middle one though because it's not too dark and I'm not keen on them portraits on the first cover. I think they're all a bit too cluttered though.
And btw you share the exact name with a chap from my old secondary school, don't know how common a name it is mind!
@ James May - Thanks for being honest. All of them are cluttered or just the portrait? Should I go for a simple black theme? And I dont know. Shahan's fairly common nowadays.
@ Old Man Clayton - Haha, I didnt see what you said. You can leave your comment no matter how harsh it is. I dont mind.
No, it wasn't anything harsh. I was going to ask if the small font was that hard-to-read olde english script as well but enlarged the photo and saw that it wasn't. Looks good! Though I'm not sure if the overly-complicated scroll look it what you want. Just make it less prominent and it will be better. Just a few wrinkles and tears and stuff. Over-the-top design usually doesn't go well on book covers.
@ OldManClayton - Thanks. How about if I remove the sword from the 2nd one and just leave the weird symbols. Or if I leave the sword and remove the weird symbols. That would make it less cluttered and less complicated, right?
@ Adam Phant - It does. Click it and the image should enlarge.
It would look better if you picked one, yes... but I was also talking about the crumbling scroll look-- it's good but the texture is a little too detailed and the color varies quite a bit. I'm no expert, but if it's at all possible to simplify the pattern, I'd try it.
Originally Posted by \/\/olf @ Adam Phant - It does. Click it and the image should enlarge.
Duh. It's hard to read even when it's enlarged. If it weren't for the title of this thread, I'd think the book is titled, "Olo Ltlan'(some sort of squiggly o) Tale: (Capitalized squiggly O)acceo beact." It isn't a clear font. This is not something that can be immediately read. You need to use a better font. Preferably, something that doesn't make the S's look like distorted O's and the R's distinctly different from the C's.
The teaser text on the back is too strong, appearance-wise. The text itself reads like the start of a bad summary that breaks off into something to try and tease the teacher. You shouldn't give away your characters right away, so you should definitely cut out the 3rd and 4th paragraphs. Cut out every direct mention of their father getting murdered and any names that aren't the main characters'. Honestly, if you cut out everything below the 2nd paragraph and removed "the mysterious murder of their father" then it would sound much better. The 1st paragraph needs a rewrite regardless; Supposition makes for a very cheesy tease.
The panel that describes yourself reads like an auto-biography. No one cares about your life story, they only care about your writing credentials. You can cut out the entire first paragraph of it and it would read much better.
Thanks, WereWoof. Your support is most appreciated. So I took Adam Phant's advice as well as everyone else's. I came up with these. I did try to simplify the background but it did not look very good. I'll post the image of that too if you guys want. But anyway, here are the results. I did ask a bunch of people if they could tell what was written (olde English Text) and all of them could understand so that won't be changing.
Both the sword & symbols.
Alternate
Just the sword.
Alternate
Just the Symbol.
Alternate
So, what do you guys think? Better, worse? Comments?
Well, the "simplified" didn't turn out so simplified. I'd say just keep the original brown paper look. (second to last, I think it was) I do like the one with only the symbols and not the sword better. Much less crowded.
The summary seems to be a lot better, but the reference to the Sacred Heart at the end was out of nowhere. You might as well leave it out because we already know as much about it from the title of the book.
I really like the cover with just the symbol, and in its regular form, no alternate. IT looks mysterious, the sword, and the picture of people look silly in my opinion.
@ Matthew Wiese - Thanks. Most people are of the same opinion so thats good
however, it turns out that one of my relatives knows a few publishers. I'm gonna try them first and then, if nothing works out, self publish it as planned. But still, thanks for the all the help
Advertisement
Post Reply
Edited by \/\/olf
I was going to ask if the small font was that hard-to-read olde english script as well but enlarged the photo and saw that it wasn't. 
Though I'm not sure if the overly-complicated scroll look it what you want. Just make it less prominent and it will be better. Just a few wrinkles and tears and stuff. Over-the-top design usually doesn't go well on book covers. 
In fact, I can read it no prob. Get contacts. And what do you have against his autobiography being said?
Looks just fine. 
I'd say just keep the original brown paper look. (second to last, I think it was) I do like the one with only the symbols and not the sword better. 
