‘Never judge a book by its cover’ goes the old proverb. Which is frankly ridiculous, because how else is a book going to attract a reader?
It’s been a long-held adage in the self-publishing world–well, as long as that’s been around, so about 5 years–that having a professional-quality cover for your work is an absolute must. In case you were doubtful, this article has some industry professionals backing up that advice, along with some interesting observations on reader psychology.
I’m not sure why the title of the article says 2013, though. Did I miss the last few months of 2012 somehow?
(Via Passive Voice.)
DAN HARRIS: 10% SCI, 90% FI 
Change that to a “professional-quality” cover for your book, and I can agree.
Oops! That’s actually what I meant to type. Fingers not fast enough to keep up with brain 🙂
Well, just because readers seem to judge books by their covers alone doesn’t mean they should. From an author’s perspective, all that matters is that many readers won’t give their book a second chance if the cover is unappealing. For readers, I would hope they start to realize that cover art should be only one factor to weigh when considering whether to purchase and read a book (blurb, reviews, sample chapter, and price are other factors). Your cover looks great, though.
You’re absolutely right–it’s only one factor in a purchase, but it’s very much the first factor. I think maybe even more so now with online shopping, as opposed to bookstore browsing.
Glad you like my cover! Thanks 🙂