Cover feedback

[WasatchWind]

Hello all,

I recently did a thread where I asked for critiques of my cover:

I got some good feedback, and I've decided to come forward with a new one:

Obviously, featuring an actual merperson I think makes the cover better, as it demonstrates what my story is about. It also has my username at the bottom, as was recommended. I'm trying to decide whether I want the Title to be in all caps or not. With all caps, I'm still keeping the larger R and C. A drop shadow is also something I might try to figure out on the title.

So, what do you think?

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Second cover looks better like an actual novel cover and not just a picture with text slapped on.

See if you can fit the Title in All Caps. I'm not sure if it seems a bit weird if the author's name is more pronounced looking than the title. You want the people to focus on the title first.

Then again, I'm not too great with covers so maybe additional feedback is needed.

Cover looks really nice, the second one. It also gives intrigue to the story too.

 

[WasatchWind]

Second cover looks better like an actual novel cover and not just a picture with text slapped on.

See if you can fit the Title in All Caps. I'm not sure if it seems a bit weird if the author's name is more pronounced looking than the title. You want the people to focus on the title first.

Then again, I'm not too great with covers so maybe additional feedback is needed.

Cover looks really nice, the second one. It also gives intrigue to the story too.

Not sure how much you know of my story, but what does each cover seem to indicate to you, as far as what the story is?

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Not sure how much you know of my story, but what does each cover seem to indicate to you, as far as what the story is?

1st cover could be anything. It looks very clear the image than the second cover image though. 1st cover could be a romance at the beach, a sport story about surfing, a survival thriller story on the ocean, a contemporary story, some story involving ocean and stuff, etc. It is kinda generic.

2nd cover tells you what its about mermaids and merpeople. It is more interesting though, because that figure is a silhouette and so is the top of the cave or landscape, so this creates a bit of a mystery cause you can't exactly tell what it is. 2nd cover fits more because its more related to the story about instead of something that seems generic. It also looks like someone took time to design the cover (hopefully artist got credit) so it looks like there's more effort into making the story cover, so that is also a plus too. Cover looks like an actual published book I might be take a look to see if it's interesting to rad. Only downside is 2nd cover is not as clear as 1st cover.

 

[WasatchWind]

1st cover could be anything. It looks very clear the image than the second cover image though. 1st cover could be a romance at the beach, a sport story about surfing, a survival thriller story on the ocean, a contemporary story, some story involving ocean and stuff, etc. It is kinda generic.

2nd cover tells you what its about mermaids and merpeople. It is more interesting though, because that figure is a silhouette and so is the top of the cave or landscape, so this creates a bit of a mystery cause you can't exactly tell what it is. 2nd cover fits more because its more related to the story about instead of something that seems generic. It also looks like someone took time to design the cover (hopefully artist got credit) so it looks like there's more effort into making the story cover, so that is also a plus too. Cover looks like an actual published book I might be take a look to see if it's interesting to rad. Only downside is 2nd cover is not as clear as 1st cover.

The second cover is a lower quality version, because for some reason the forums couldn't handle the full png. But the artist did get credit, as I did it myself. Found a stock image of underwater and of a merman, put it together in Glimpse, and then added the text in Canva - yes, very innefficient, but that's just how I roll.
Alright, here is the tentative final version:

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Ah I see. This second cover with the weird title text makes my eyes feel weird. It looks like text is shifting. Don't style the text like that. You'll probably turn others away just from looking at the text. (talking the giant second cover image you just showed).

 

[Ai-chan]

Hello all,

I recently did a thread where I asked for critiques of my cover:

View attachment 7003

I got some good feedback, and I've decided to come forward with a new one:

View attachment 7005

Obviously, featuring an actual merperson I think makes the cover better, as it demonstrates what my story is about. It also has my username at the bottom, as was recommended. I'm trying to decide whether I want the Title to be in all caps or not. With all caps, I'm still keeping the larger R and C. A drop shadow is also something I might try to figure out on the title.

So, what do you think?

Compared to the original one, the new one is definitely better. Need to do something with the blurriness, but it is fine considering that you won't see the blurriness in the cover illustration on the front page.

The center does look empty, though. Move the title down a little, and you can also make the font larger. You can make the font of the author name smaller and move it up about an inch. Right now, your title is positioned too high up. You also don't want too much emphasis on your author name because you are currently a nobody, you can't 'sell' a book with just your name for now.

Titles are generally in the center due to marketing. Yes, it's a clever method of using the customer to market the book. Explaining the psychology would make this post too long. So Ai-chan will just say you could make the cover a bit more appealing by moving the title down and maybe making the font a bit larger. Right now, your center feels empty.

 

[WasatchWind]

Ah I see. This second cover with the weird title text makes my eyes feel weird. It looks like text is shifting. Don't style the text like that. You'll probably turn others away just from looking at the text. (talking the giant second cover image you just showed).

Yeah, I got rid of that, realized after I put up the picture that it looked bad. It's hard though to bring the title further down without it being lost in the light area of the middle of the cover.

I don't think this is a big deal though - it's a quite common Title/author name arrangement for a fantasy novel. Then there are others that seem counter-intuitive:

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Yeah, I got rid of that, realized after I put up the picture that it looked bad. It's hard though to bring the title further down without it being lost in the light area of the middle of the cover.

I don't think this is a big deal though - it's a quite common Title/author name arrangement for a fantasy novel. Then there are others that seem counter-intuitive:

True. Your second cover looks good.

 

[Ai-chan]

Yeah, I got rid of that, realized after I put up the picture that it looked bad. It's hard though to bring the title further down without it being lost in the light area of the middle of the cover.

I don't think this is a big deal though - it's a quite common Title/author name arrangement for a fantasy novel. Then there are others that seem counter-intuitive:

View attachment 7007

Brandon Sanderson is a household name. Don't compare yourself with him. Just like Stephen King and Sydney Sheldon, just slapping Brandon Sanderson's name on a book, sells the book. That's just the difference between the top and the bottom, between them and us.

Brandon Sanderson's name is emphasized, being put at the top and used very large font because it's his name that sells the book. The title or the book description doesn't sell it. Neither does the series the book belongs to. His name alone sells the books.

 

[WasatchWind]

Brandon Sanderson is a household name. Don't compare yourself with him. Just like Stephen King and Sydney Sheldon, just slapping Brandon Sanderson's name on a book, sells the book. That's just the difference between the top and the bottom, between them and us.

Brandon Sanderson's name is emphasized, being put at the top and used very large font because it's his name that sells the book. The title or the book description doesn't sell it. Neither does the series the book belongs to. His name alone sells the books.

I never made the notion that I was anywhere near comparable to him - I was merely stating that it was just one example of differing cover design.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I like the second one better. It has more contrast, which I find eye-catching.

 

[WasatchWind]

I like the second one better. It has more contrast, which I find eye-catching.

Thanks, I like it much better as well.

 

[Reisinling]

On this website text barely matters, so as long as it's not ugly it's fine. I think the second cover is better, but both seem serviceable