Now let's talk covers. You might think that digital publishing makes covers less important, and that might be true, but it doesn't make them not important. A book needs a cover even if it's an ebook. But an ebook does have different requirements, in that it has less room to have an impact. I've been thinking about this lately, because I plan to put some of my novels on the Kindle platform, and thus I need to get covers for them.
Ergo, today's post is actually a poll, to sample how folks feel about book covers in general and ebook covers in particular. Anyone with an LJ account can answer; if you don't have an account, feel free to comment anyway! Or do both! Just like a lot of ebooks, it's free.
In a spec fic book, what is your favorite kind of cover?
Something clearly painted (not from a photo)
5(50.0%)
Photographic, but it's OK if it's altered
1(10.0%)
Some mix of the two above, including a montage
0(0.0%)
Clever use of typography/graphic design
0(0.0%)
Something else I will mention in a comment
0(0.0%)
I don't have a favorite; I just know when I see a good cover
4(40.0%)
I don't read spec fic of any kind
0(0.0%)
What design element do you find makes the most compelling cover?
The protagonist(s) and possibly secondary characters
4(40.0%)
The setting (landscape, castle, etc.)
2(20.0%)
A single object (crown, starship, dragon, etc)
1(10.0%)
It's not the objects, it's the use of color and the design itself
2(20.0%)
Anything radically different from other covers
1(10.0%)
What's most important to you, as a reader, about the cover?
It should tell me the genre or even the subgenre
2(20.0%)
It should give me a clue as to what's most important in the story
2(20.0%)
It should accurately reflect the story (i.e., if there's a blonde woman in a fur bikini on the cover, she had better be a main character in the story)
2(20.0%)
It should be interesting
3(30.0%)
It should be attractive
1(10.0%)
What genres/categories do you read? (please click all that apply)
Science fiction
9(19.6%)
Fantasy
9(19.6%)
Mystery
4(8.7%)
Romance
1(2.2%)
Historical fiction
7(15.2%)
Thrillers
3(6.5%)
Horror
2(4.3%)
Nonfiction
4(8.7%)
Mainstream
7(15.2%)
Do you ever read/buy ebooks?
Yes, a lot
3(30.0%)
I have bought a few, but not many
4(40.0%)
I only "buy" them if they're free
0(0.0%)
Nope, don't have any ebooks
3(30.0%)
If you have bought ebooks, or downloaded them for free, how much are you influenced by the cover?
Cover? There was a cover?
1(12.5%)
A little. It's hard to see detail, but I still check the cover
2(25.0%)
I don't care that much, but the cover has to look professional
3(37.5%)
The cover matters just as much as for print?
2(25.0%)
