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’d assume it was a collection of ‘short stories’ written by someone who claims they can talk to the other side. I don’t think it’s a terrible front cover. I assume it was designed to catch your attention in a shocking kind of way.

Supernatural crime maybe? I'd probably look to see what it was about if it came up as a 99p deal.

I don't like the font.

I’d never thought of that, that’s incredibly insightful - thank you

If it was on a table in Waterstones or on Amazon I'd pick it up. Whether I'd buy it would depend on the blurb and the first few pages.

I'll preface this by saying well done to you for writing your own book (no easy feat despite what some may think) and seeking critical feedback.

The cover wouldn't tempt me to buy it. It looks like either an amateur attempt at a sort of local crime novel or a non fiction local history piece - the kind that the retired people locally to me often seem to self publish and try and sell on Facebook or at the local village hall sale, that sort of vibe.

I think if it is the latter and the intent is not to be morbid then it does need softening and reprofiling, the text in particular. I'd ensure the background image is in a suitably high resolution if you want it to print well or this will look unprofessional (no idea if you intent to make physical copies).

What is the genre OP? What software are you using to create this? If you give context on the book contents I do think it will be easier to advise on aesthetics. Just because the genre is recognisable and people on here have guessed correctly, it doesn't mean it's doing the best job it could do.

I work in marketing and I think you need a strapline (to give an idea what it's about) and a professional graphic designer to do it for you.
If money is tight, you might be able to find someone on Fiverr.

Sorry!

Sorry if said already, but you don’t need “by” on the front before your name.

I think I’d like to see it in colour!

It looks amateur and I don’t usually buy amateur / self published books, so I probably wouldn’t buy just from the cover alone.

I wouldn’t expect authors to pick the title or cover, as their skill set is writing, not marketing.

I’d have a look at other books in the genre and take inspiration from their covers. There is generally a standard sort of format and I wouldn’t look to deviate from that.

Have you seen canva? It's free, or has lots of free, copyright free images. Do a search on there for your genre, there will be templates and ideas.

Flip the tree to be a mirror image. You've got all the details on the left side covering each other up and a big empty right side.

Also look up the rule of thirds - a great way to get things looking better without really learning too much.

The text needs some colour I think. It's too much monotone - some red would help it stand out and also give that newspaper look I'm assuming you are going for.

I'd assume something based on a true story or crime at a first glance - nothing overly fictional. Maybe a fictionalised version of a real story.

Have you tried using AI? Bing gives a few, not sure why it mangled the spelling
https://www.bing.com/images/create/book-cover2c-black-and-white2c-the-book-title-is-con/1-6595b17862374e978a0990f15f4deed9?id=hu%2fU9Ohzpxr3YS0MSOdkXw%3d%3d&view=detailv2&idpp=genimg&FORM=GCRIDP&mode=overlay

Can you give us a brief summary? Maybe we could suggest ideas?

Congrats on the book!

I would assume it was auto/biographical by or about a medium literally reporting on their conversations with the dead!

All the other feedback I was going to give has been posted already so I'll save repeating pp's and just say hugely well done on getting a book written!

Agree with the consensus. My eye is drawn to the tree trunk which I assume bares no relevance to the content?

Would you consider a wider landscape of a graveyard and use softer fonts? By that I mean a little more transparency to the wording. The boldness of it is too headliney and too sensationalist.

Meant to add that it's totally impressive that you've written a book. Well done. Keen to hear more!

I would definitely pick this up! Is it about spiritualism?!

I'd hazard a guess that it's short stories that are conversations with the dead. Ie one story per ghost.

The cover doesn't appeal to me, and neither would the content (if I'm right)

Sorry.

Having said that, I read 2 books last year that I thought the covers were terrible on. I wouldn't have picked them up in a shop. But they were brilliant.

I would assume some sort of occult/woo type book about people who talk to the dead
I quite like the title design but the spacing of it (top left) doesnt work visually.
It doesnt appeal to me but i dont like spooky stuff.
I dont think its bad though and it doesnt look cheap/naff. I think it needs better spacing with the back image which is concealed in a weird way.
Google 'the rule of thirds'

Odd choice to have CONVERSATIONS in small letters and then WITH THE in much larger ones.

It also (as a pp has said) looks amateurish to have ‘By…’ in front of your name. Young children who write stories do that, but on the cover of a published book there is generally no need.

I would definitely agree that if you can possibly afford it, hiring a cover designer would be very worthwhile. I’d quite likely pick up a book like this to find out more, but I’d be much more likely to buy it if it didn’t give off a ‘no professionals were involved’ vibe.

I came here to ask if you know Canva!

I would think it’s short stories about the people in a local graveyard.

Totally agree with this. A sub description would be great.

My thoughts go to seances and mediums from the title.

I’d assume it was a similar genre to “confessions of a doctor” type books. Not fiction. I’d definitely look at the blurb!

I’d try different fonts and maybe have the words on two lines and centered across the top in the trees. You’re losing the church.

I would assume non fiction. Possibly local history about well..dead people. I would assume an inexperienced/new writer who can't afford to get someone to do a fancy cover. Inside I imagine tight dense text and a quite dull read if I'm honest.

Genuine thanks to everyone who commented.

to cover off a few points, the image is important to the story, so this or similar will be used.

This was my first bash in Snapseed using their templated fonts - they are definitely not right for my book.

As to the genre - I live near a very old village cemetery, packed with very interesting characters, many of whom have been key to British history and were rich or famous, contrasted withmany of whole tell a tale through social history - think children up chimneys and down mines.

They literally lie side by side in this cemetery.

My book is a fictional dramatisation of each of their lives, told through the literery mechanic of the dead from across the centuries gathering in the cemetery for a blether to swap life stories.