Dissecting a Book Cover

Some books from my Goodreads shelf

Picture yourself in the bookstore of your choice, the smell of coffee and paper wafting through the air, a light buzz of background noise filling your ears as you scan shelf after shelf. At last--there--you see it! The most beautiful book you've ever laid eyes on! And you knew, without a doubt, that that book must be yours.

Ever had a reaction like that? Probably not. Still, we've all felt that irresistible attraction to a beautiful book cover that makes us want to pick up the book and see what it's all about. More importantly, almost all of us have had some experience with a horribly designed, amateurish book cover that makes us want to run away as fast as possible.

As these reactions reveal, it's not just what's in the books, it's what's on them that counts. Therefore, in today's post, we'll be exploring the most basic and crucial elements of any successful book cover. You may not be designing your own book cover--for sanity's sake, I hope you aren't!--but you can still use the tips below to evaluate book covers and, when the time comes, to guide your own designer as you create your book cover. (Stay tuned for an announcement about my own book cover at the end of today's post!)

1. Readability

This is the absolute single factor that will make or break a cover. The title, the author's name, the text...it all needs to be legible! You all know how frustrating it is to try to squint and puzzle out, "Is that an 'i' or an 'l'? Is that curlicue a word or decoration? What does 'lmfori' spell, anyway?" The last thing you want is for your readers to be frustrated with your book before they even reach the first page!

So, in a nutshell: make it legible.

2. The Human Element

It's a psychologically proven fact that the human eye is drawn first to any human element in an image before looking at other items in the image. Don't believe me? Try it out on this image below:

Your eye was drawn to the person, right? The point here is that people are drawn to other people, and we can take advantage of that fact when creating and evaluating book cover designs. To put this fact into more tangible terms: potential readers will pick up your book or click on the link to the book and then read the book more often if your book cover has a human element on it. Don't ignore the power of the human factor.

3. A Sense of Genre

What are covers there for? Have you ever thought about why books have covers (other than to keep the dust and coffeestains off)? Here's your answer: book covers are a form of communication.

Your book covers exist to alert readers at a glance to the book's contents. If it's a scifi thriller, you might see a lot of steel surfaces but you won't see a girl in a ballgown on the cover. If it's a mystery, you might see a magnifying glass but you probably won't be seeing a Ranger, hooded and cloaked.

On the reading end, of course, we already know this fact subconsciously. What makes us pick up some books in the library and pass on others? A lot of times, it's because the covers have already alerted us to the material inside.

But as writers or designers, we need to realize that the cover of our book sets up expectations about what the readers will find inside. We need to utilize the cover as a first-glance tool, not just for catching a reader's attention, but to let them know what to expect inside.


And those are the most crucial considerations of cover design! I hope this post has increased your interested in the fascinating world of cover design. Let me know about any experiences you've had with covers in the comments--best, worst, or your own cover design process.

I mentioned above that I have an announcement to make. My cover designer, Scarlett Rugers, has completed a beautiful cover for my novel, Red Sun Blue Earth! I highly recommend Scarlett's work for anyone looking for a cover designer. And for those of you who don't know, my novel is the story of a teen girl who survives Japan's 2011 tsunami, and her search for her family in the aftermath. The book will be available on March 11, 2013, the two-year anniversary of Japan's tsunami.

What to Do When You're Self-Publishing

For those of you who don't know, I'm self-publishing my first novel, Red Sun Blue Earth, in only five weeks on March 11, 2013. It's the story of a teen girl caught in Japan's 2011 tsunami, and how she survives and tries to find her family. As you can imagine, my story has been consuming a lot of my thoughts and energy lately. I thought I'd take advantage of the things I've learned so far in the process and write a post on resources you can use when you've reached the self-publishing stage.

Mini story, "The Two Princess and Freddie," by yours truly

1. Get yourself a professional cover.
Seriously, folks, it's that important. The cover is your first impression, the first connection between your readers and your story. It's a method of communication in the same way that your first page is. Your cover could in fact make or break your story. Don't skimp here! Budget carefully so that you can hire the best.

The cover designer I'm using for Red Sun Blue Earth is Scarlett Rugers. I've been very impressed with her services thus far, and her prices are fairly reasonable for the industry. Here's a blog post on covers for self-published authors, and one on getting cover art. Other cover designers that I researched are Damonza and Historical Editorial. Self publishing companies such as CreateSpace also offer basic cover design, but not sure that I'd recommend using those resources. They may not offer professional quality covers or enough flexibility to get a cover you like.

2. You need feedback. Hire an editor, or at the very least have a team of test-readers edit and critique your book.
What I said above really says it all. The stereotype of self-published books is that they are poor quality and badly written. Who doesn't like busting stereotypes? So be sure to make your book the best it possibly can be by offering it up as a sacrificial offering to the eyes of editors and test readers who may butcher it but who will probably ensure that your book is better than it would've been on its own.

For my book, once I was finished with two drafts on my own, I got together a team of test readers from my favorite writing forum, HolyWorlds, who gave me some good feedback. I also got feedback from family and friends at this point. After incorporating their feedback in a third and fourth draft, I hired what's called an editorial evaluation, which is where editors give me their feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of my story in about a six or eight page Word document. (It's less detailed and more general than page-by-page editorial services, but since hiring a professional editor costs one or two thousand dollars or more, I needed to economize a bit!) I got the evaluation from CreateSpace, and was very pleased with the quality and depth of it. If you are looking for a full editor, I'd suggest the following resources as a starting point: Book Editing Associates, Through the Looking Glass, G-Revisions, Editorial Freelancers Association, and Hock's Editing Services.

3. Appearances matter, so be sure to format it or hire a formatter.
This one's a bit more basic. The technical details of preparing a Word document or manuscript to sell online can get a bit complex, so I'd recommend hiring someone to take care of it for you. However, it's definitely possible to DIY this one, especially if you've got an eye and the time for nitty-gritty details. Here's a tutorial that walks you through formatting your book in HTML. Although I haven't hired a formatter yet, I'm planning to use the skills of Aubrey Hansen, who has done some excellent formatting in books that I've read in the past. Plus she's extremely affordable.


There's more involved, of course, but these are the three major elements that every self-publishing author needs to deeply consider before the book becomes public. I may post later about other aspects of self-publishing to keep in mind. This is quite enough information to start off with, though, in my opinion!

Let me know in the comments if you've ever self-published, and what resources you've used, and if you have any questions on self-publishing or any tips to share from your experiences. Have a great week!

Top Blog Posts of 2012

The year 2012 is almost at an end--and what a year it has been! As we think over what this year has brought us, let's also look back at some of the highlights of the blog this past year. So, without further ado, here are the top 15 blog posts of 2012! (Posts are listed in chronological order.)

The Hows and Whys of Naming God in Your Fantasy Story

The Weapons in Fantasy Series -- Swords, Bows, Armor

The Fashion in Fantasy Series -- Females, Males, Shoes

The Villain Series -- 5 Ways to Kill Your Villain, Recipe for a Dark Lord

Easter and Fantasy

The Names Series -- Names in the Bible, How to Name Your Characters

Costs and Benefits of Self-Publishing

The Colors in Fantasy Series -- Tools, Opposites

So go ahead and click those links to read any posts you missed! And if you liked other posts from the blog, be sure to comment and let me know. I look forward to an even better 2013!

Review: Peter's Angel

Title: Peter’s Angel (first volume in the Peter’s Angel trilogy)

Author: Aubrey Hansen

Page Count: 336 pages

Stars: 4.5 of 5

• 4.5 = an excellent book that was gripping and enjoyable

Teaser: In the wake of a lost War for Independence, Peter Jameson, a young colonel, struggles to protect his tiny patriot state of Rhode Island from the oppression of New Britain. When New Britain invades, Peter finds himself leading his small cavalry against the massive British army. But war becomes the least of his worries when his own men kidnap him and hold him for ransom. Facing certain death, Peter is freed by a mysterious boy who vanishes without leaving his name. Peter determines to find his "angel" and reward him. But his rescuer has a secret of his own, and he will do anything to keep from being found.

That summary barely does anything to scratch the multifaceted surface of Peter's Angel, but it'll have to do for now until you read the book for yourself!

Age level: Teens and up (13+)

Violence: 2 of 5

• 2 = PG-level violence that's a minor theme in the book

Romance: 2 of 5

• 2 = romance is minor but present

Language: 0 of 5 (although language is implied in one scene)

Christian worldview: Peter’s Angel is an explicitly religious/Christian novel, which makes it particularly interesting to read and review. Altogether, I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle-yet-present thread of spiritual commentary throughout the story. It worked perfectly in light of the setting in alternate-American-colonial-times. Also, Hansen wove in discussions on courtship, swearing, and God’s role in world events in an extremely skillful way—some of the best I’ve read in Christian fiction. Peter’s Angel presents an excellent example of how to write a Christian book.

My Personal Opinion: First, a few comments about what bumped this book from 5-star status. The beginning felt a bit heavy and factual and, although interesting, it could’ve used a bit more conflict. Also, even considering that Peter’s Angel is a trilogy, the ending felt rather abrupt and made me very, very impatient for the next book.

Now for the good points. The concept itself is extremely fascinating. It’s historical fiction plus that sense of questioning and exploring reality, that sense of asking, “what if something had happened differently?” In terms of the writing, the characters were my favorite aspect of the book. Each voice was distinct and the use of details to differentiate the various characters worked well. Although the action may have been slow to start, once it did begin, there was an excellent balance of character and plot-driven conflict. The setting was well-crafted, and Hansen’s marvelous use of details made each scene spring to life before my eyes.

All in all, I’d highly recommend Peter’s Angel. If you’re at all interested in Christian fiction, I’d definitely suggest that you read Peter’s Angel, both for pleasure and to learn from a job well done!

Costs & Benefits of Self-Publishing

At one point or another, most of us will face the question that could determine the path of our writing career: “Should I try to publish traditionally or self-publish?” Right now, I’m debating about that question myself, so in today’s blog post I’ll consider the costs and benefits of self-publishing. Of course, every writer’s journey is different, and what works for some may not work for others. With that in mind, here we go.

Costs of Self-Publishing

• Lack of credibility. This is the single greatest drawback to self-publishing: when someone asks you, “So I hear you’re a published author?” you’ll have to reply, “Yes, I self-published.” And then you’ll hear the inevitable, “Oh. Then your book must not be that great.”

• Marketing yourself. While this is a drawback in that it takes more effort, energy, and boldness on your part, it also leaves room for a lot of freedom for you. You can market yourself however you want to. Additionally, keep in mind that most traditionally published authors are expected to market themselves to a great extent.

• Need for a certain amount of technical knowledge and connections to graphic designers, ebook formatters, etc. To be perfectly honest, self-publishing takes a bit of expertise—not that much, but a bit. I’d recommend finding a mentor who’s done it before to guide you through the process.

• Bearing the expenses yourself. It shouldn’t be that expensive—depending on whether you advertise at all and how much you pay for the graphic designer and other features—but you’ll still be paying out-of-pocket. And, sad to say, it might take a very long time before the profit accumulates enough to cover even a portion of your costs.

• Not as much editorial guidance. In traditional publishing, you’ll work with a professional editor to make sure your manuscript is truly the best it can be. With self-publishing, though, you need to find your own test-readers and line-editors and any other feedback that you need.

• No advance. I know most of us are not in it for the profit, but still…the thought of a nice tidy sum to reward all that hard work seems pretty beguiling. However, just to warn you, most advances for new authors are not that substantial anyway – especially when combined with positively feeble royalty rates (amounting to just a few percent per copy sold).

Benefits of Self-Publishing

• Control of elements like the cover, the title, the plot, the characters, the publication date, and so on. In fact, when you self-publish, you get to control absolutely everything. No more boring (or worse, completely mistaken) cover disasters here!

• A large percentage of the profit. Compared with miniscule royalty rates in traditional publishing, when you self-publish, you get most of the profit (even 80% or more).

• No waiting on others—the responsibility for progress is in your hands. This is both a scary thought and a motivating one. It's up to you.

• No need to wait for months or years of anxious querying to secure an agent and then have to face another round of months or years to secure a publisher.

• You can market your book however you want to, whenever you want to.

• Self-publishing is very flexible for length and genre of the book. If you have an out-of-the-box story that might not sell in traditional publishing, try self-publishing.

• All the rights. Forever. This includes the rights to sequels, to individual characters, and, yes, to movies.

Of course, there are many more considerations in self-publishing; this list is just the tip of the iceburg (to use a cliche). If you're interested in reading more on the subject, I found Aubrey Hanson's article about self-publishing very helpful.

What about you--what do you think are the greatest drawbacks and/or blessings of self-publishing?

All pictures courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.

Interview with J. Grace Pennington

Welcome, everyone, to the first interview on my blog. Today I’ll be interviewing J. Grace Pennington, a science fiction author who recently self-published her first book Firmament: Radialloy.

While our stories, styles of writing, and lives may be different, there’s always something to learn from others’ experiences. That’s why I asked Grace here today to answer a few questions from her perspective as a self-published author.

Grace, can you give us a thumbnail sketch of your story?

The year is 2320. Andi Lloyd is content with her life as the assistant to her adoptive father, a starship doctor, but her secure world turns upside down when she begins uncovering secrets from her past. When her father mysteriously starts losing his mind, she finds that she can no longer count on him to guide or help her. With mutiny breaking out on the ship, and two factions desperate for a valuable secret she holds, she must race to save her father and herself before time runs out.

Fascinating! I look forward to reading it.

What are some tips you have for writers?

Probably the biggest tips I have involve perseverance and hard work.  Somebody smart who invented the light bulb once said that "genius is about one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration", and that goes for writing, too.  Write when you're not inspired, write when you don't know what should go next, write when it's the last thing you want to be doing.  Writer's block actually doesn't exist.  When you feel "writer's block" strike, assess it.  Is it due to laziness, or a true lack of things to write?  If it's the former, press on bravely.  If the latter, work hard on planning what needs to be written.  But don't let yourself be conquered by a foe that doesn't exist!  Persevere.

Thanks for that encouragement, Grace.

What resources have been most helpful to you in your writing journey?

One of the most helpful things was the One Year Adventure Novel curriculum, which I went through with my sisters.  It taught me so much about story and how to make a story really work.  During high school I also did an online writing program called Write at Home for a few semesters, which was helpful in general writing skills.  But honestly, most of my help came from just reading, reading, reading, anything I could.  I noticed what was good and what was bad, and made mental notes with everything I read, to help me learn to tell good stories.

Sounds like good advice.

What made you want to self-publish? Do you have any advice for those trying to self-publish?

I've planned on self-publishing since I was about ten or eleven.  What always appealed to me most was the control that self-publishing allows.  The author gets to control the cover, the release date, how the book is marketed, everything.  The only downsides are that the author has to do all the work themselves, and that some people can be reluctant to buy a self-published book.  But in my opinion, the control is worth it.

I self-published through Amazon's CreateSpace, which is a very cost-effective way to do it.  They are a print-on-demand company, so you don't have to pay anything up front, and they automatically list your product on Amazon, so you don't have to worry about shipping or any of that.  Their books are good quality, too.  I'm planning on using them again in the future.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Sienna!

You’re welcome, and thanks for sharing, Grace! It was my pleasure.

You can purchase Firmament: Radialloy on Amazon, or order a signed copy from her website.

J. Grace Pennington is a homeschool graduate and a prolific writer, authoring novels, articles, film and book reviews, and screenplays. When she’s not writing you can usually find her working and playing with her family of eleven. Her greatest desire is to give glory to God with her writing.