Would you like to judge my book by its cover?

[NewAuthorInTraining]

I’m not quite ready to self publish on kindle, but I’m almost there.

I’ve designed my front cover (though obscured my name for now). It has been created in black and white as that’s how most kindles present the books, and I think it’s kind of atmospheric.

Would the cover tempt you to buy it? What would you think the genre was? Any other feedback?

Thanks in advance.

I would hire a professional graphic designer. The placement of the text on the image is all wrong.

As it’s a photo with a church/graveyard I’d assume it was a factual/historical figures book. I’d assume it was about characters long dead, kind of the unsung hero or the not so terrible rogue types.

Very welcome feedback, that’s exactly the kind of thing I need to hear.

I agree with @NetZeroZealot , the text placement and size is wrong. I’d think it was a crime novel

No it wouldn't actually

I don't like the tree the image would be better more open where the letters are so nothing behind thay/only sky and more graves

All good feedback, thanks to everyone so far

The text doesn't work at all with the picture it honestly looks like it took you five minutes on paint.

As for the topic I'd hazard a guess at factual reality life stories of ordinary people who are deceased?

I would think it was about faerie folk / dragons / magic and would therefore give it a wide berth.

The capital letters make it look like a tabloid newspaper so I would assume the content is similar.

I like the image but not the writing. I would assume its a thriller, possibly about a sleuthing mortician, or else a woo book about someone who literally talks to the dead, depending on what genre it is in.

I'd think murder mystery. Agree about the title and the picture doesn't seem quite right, slightly spooky foreground but background somewhat ordinary.

Hahahah you may not be far from correct there

That was exactly my thought.

I'd expect rather sensational stories that would make me roll my eyes.

It genuinely shows. Truthfully it looks like you've given it no thought to it and had to cobble something together before an impending deadline.

That’s what I’m here to hear and to learn from, genuinely thank you.

I quite like it. But I found I was searching for a silhouette of a person and couldn’t find one - I vaguely expect there to be an image of a person if there’s to be a “conversation”. Probably just my issue!

And I agree the text looks a bit clumsy in front of the chunky tree - I like how you’ve framed the church but it’s a little “noisy” overall. Not sure on genre. Would suspect short stories, probably not ghost stories (as it’s daylight in the picture!), about dead people, perhaps through research and documents? Who is having the conversation? Can they be included in some way?

Thank you - I am definitely going to rethink the font and placement, but I like the photo so it will probably stay.

That's what I think.

A more zoomed out image of a misty graveyard at dusk and completely different font and size. It currently looks like a factual historical book about those buried in the graveyard in the picture.

I actually love it. The sizing being 'off' creates an uneasy feel. It feels like day of the dead or some old horror (which may not be what you were going for!)

Not quite what I’m going for, but I will take the positives 😂

I agree about the text. I thought at first sight the tree was one of those large angel headstones because of the text placement.

If it's not crime you need to soften it a bit.

I'd wonder whether it was a genealogist's story of all their ancestors they have researched, or a novel about similar.

If I saw it in a book shop, I'd pick it up to find out as that sort of thing interests me.

There's a group for this on Facebook.
It's called indie cover project.

Loads of people there waiting and happy to help.

Good luck with you publishing career - not tooo far behind you!

Do most kindles present in black and white? My two haven’t.