Local book publishers put best face forward
“Contrary to the popular saying that a book can’t be judged by its cover” says Brian Hades publisher of Calgary-based science fiction and fantasy house Hades Publications “they are judged always by their cover.
“The content of course makes or breaks the book. If it’s not readable or if it’s not on topic then you’re not going to sell those books” he continues. “But the cover is sort of like the poster — it intrigues the eventual reader to pick up that book compared to the myriad of other books that are out there.”
In the modern era of course an ever-shrinking number of book buyers actually “pick up” their prospective purchases. But while it might seem counter-intuitive Hades says the rise of e-books has actually made cover design more important rather than less.
“We went in the last few years from maybe 100000 to 150000 new titles to well over a million new titles because of the influx of e-books” explains Hades. “So now there are a lot more choices for readers and they have to decide based on the imagery they see.”
So what makes for a good cover? David Scollard co-publisher of another local book company Frontenac House says they should always be eye-catching. But there has to be substance he argues behind the style.
“There should be — and now we’re getting into the realm of craftsmanship more than one of salesmanship — but there should be an intelligent connection between the cover and the content and if there’s a very clever relationship then that’s very satisfying.”
Indeed local book designer Natalie Olsen begins every assignment by reading the manuscript an opportunity she describes as a “perk” of her job — but how she links cover and content varies widely. A homesteading guide The Weekend Homesteader for instance depicts two pieces of wheat she moulded into the letters “W” and “H.” For a government publication on gender and health research meanwhile she photographed two optical lenses placed on the title a nod to the idea of a “gender lens” referenced in the book.
Olsen has no particular philosophy when it comes to design but says she tries to strike a balance between art and commerce.
“I think that it’s important for the cover design to be both an accurate and artistic representation of the author’s work. But it’s also a sales tool — it’s also an important marketing tool for the publisher in terms of selling books.”
A book’s cover of course is only part of its design. But while Hades and Scollard agree a good cover should stand out a well-designed interior Scollard believes should not.
“If we’re talking about the inside of the book there’s pretty standard requirements of good craftsmanship. Like… the type has to be large enough that it is easy to read the margins have to be wide enough that if the book is spread out on a page you don’t have a hard time finding the type that’s close to the gutter. The type shouldn’t go too close to the edges because it is not pleasing to the eye.”
Ultimately readers are more likely to judge a book by what’s between the covers than on it something Olsen accepts. But if her approach is essentially “first do no harm” she believes design can also be a force for good.
“I think it’s important because primarily the book design should be legible and it doesn’t interfere with the reader’s experience it should not be distracting. But at the same time design can really augment the content in the way that it can make the reading experience I think more special.”
