Chicken Scratchings

Posts Tagged ‘Traditional Publisher’

by Bill Ruesch

Rosanne Dingli, a Chicken Scratchings reader wrote, “This is great Bill (referring to the previous post How to Lose a Book Sale in 2 Seconds Flat!) now tell us a bit about the actual graphics that go on the cover of a standard perfect bound.”

Good question.

You’ll think I’m copping out if I respond with, every publisher whether traditional or self wish they knew the answer to that. Wouldn’t it be great if there were an ABC design formula guaranteed to grab the reader’s attention? There isn’t one. At least not one that I know about. On the other hand, there are design faux pas that contribute to buyer indifference. Avoid them if you intend to sell books.

1.  They create cover art that misses the target. For example, and this would be an extreme example, you would not want a pulp romance style picture on the cover of your children’s book, nor would you want a children’s book illustration on a political expose’. The artist should be familiar enough with the content to design images that reflect the purpose of the book. To do otherwise is like dressing a member of the board of directors of a large financial firm in a clown costume and sending her into the most important meeting of the year.

2.  They attempt to design over their heads. A self-publishing author doesn’t have to spend top-dollar to hire the best graphic designer in the world, but employing anyone other than a professionally trained graphic designer is a mistake. Computers and design programs have come a long way. Owning a computer and buying a graphics program doesn’t make one a competent designer. Keep in mind that computers are just tools just the way a hammer and saw are tools. In the right hands, a hammer and saw can build the Empire State building. In the wrong hands, like mine, the best they can do is build an off-kilter birdhouse. Give your book a fighting chance by investing in a professional. It’s well worth the price.

3.  They play Hide and Seek with the title. Authors give a great deal of thought to their titles. The title is meant to reveal something about the book and intrigue the reader. If an artist, just to be artistic, buries the title in graphics, it is a big mistake.  What do I mean by bury it in graphics? If the title isn’t clearly visible because of poor font, graphics, or color choices then it is buried.For example, let’s say the cover has a beautiful but busy illustration. You can lose the title easily with a font that is too thin, the wrong color, or too small. Remember this rule–the title must be clearly readable from a distance of 10 feet.

Four examples of brilliant cover design.

4.  They practice TMI (too much information). Think of a book cover like a billboard. The most effective billboards are those who deliver their message to drivers going  freeway speeds. Books are just like that. Whether browsing at a bookstore, online, or looking through a catalog the buyer makes a decision based on precious little information. Do not ever try to give them more than they need to choose to buy the book. It won’t work.  The job of the cover is to attract attention and setup the sale. That’s all.

5. They capitulate to the author’s ego. Authors are proud of their accomplishment and they should be. They naturally want everyone to know that the book is theirs, but unless the author is a well-known celebrity, who cares what they look like? That sounds mean spirited, but really who cares, other than friends or family members? Do not put an author’s photo on the cover, front or back. Also, withhold most endorsements. Are you convinced to buy the  because a notable stranger is quoted as saying they like book? Either it stands on its own or it doesn’t. Now if someone you know, like a friend, or a teacher recommends the book, that’s an entirely different story.  What should go on the book besides the title, author’s name, ISBN and compelling graphics, maybe an excerpt from the book? That’s about it.

Before this post gets overly long, I think I’ll hold off on the other 5 Stupid Things and put them in my next post.

What is there about business that allows people do terrible things to one another and justify it with, “It isn’t personal, it’s just business?’ Those same people in all other areas of their lives are caring, concerned, and helpful — with the possible exception of driving cars. There’s something about getting behind the wheel of an automobile that turns nice folks into competitive savages.

It has been said that we all have the capacity for good and evil inside of us. I suppose that is true because as a child I found myself doing something mean for no particular reason. I’d like to believe that I’ve outgrown that, and have risen above my mean streak. Mature people learn to replace hostility with nobility of character. Don’t they?

Therefore I was deeply shocked and disturbed when a person I’ve known for many years, and know to have the highest moral values, insisted I stop discussing the immorality of buying book printing from China, because it created feelings of guilt. Huh? Moral people don’t feel guilt if there is nothing wrong and there is something really wrong with Chinese printing competition — wrong, and dangerous to us and the American way of life.

I won’t expound on the China problem in this post, but please go to my post Chinese Printers Play Dirty In Stealing US Customers for more explanation.

Did you ever see one of those signs that said, “Don’t Walk on the Grass!”? If one person or a dozen, walks on the grass it won’t cause any real harm, will it? No, of course not, but if hundreds, or thousands, or if one person crosses that same place thousands of times will it injure the grass? Absolutely.

If one self-publisher, or one traditional publisher, sends a book title to China to be printed will it cause damage? No, but if printing goes overseas as the same rate of other US manufacturing jobs, we are surely on the path to becoming a third world nation. Again see my post for further detail. Is that an outrageous claim on my part? It sure sounds outrageous, even I will admit that. How could it happen? This is America after all, the land of the free.  If it costs too much to buy from this country don’t we have the right to buy from another? Oh yes, we have the right but is it the right thing to do? If our actions today, create a third world economy in the United States, who will be looking out for the disadvantaged in the world? Will China, Iran, or Venezuela step up and set the moral standard? Think about it. What will happen to the world if the United States of America is no longer in a position to help right the wrongs?

The congress and the business moguls have been selling us out for many, many years. Our cities are emptying because manufacturing jobs have been going off-shore. Who benefits from the reduced costs multinational corporations enjoy from cheap labor? Is it the US workers? No, it is the greedy tyrants at the top of the pyramid insisting that, “It isn’t personal, it’s just business.” The same in China. The workers suffer and the elite prosper.

There is only one way to defend ourselves and our way of life, stop buying products made in China. My wife and I are on a diet. I saw an offer for a diabetic cookbook promoted by Publisher’s Clearinghouse that looked promising, so I ordered it. My wife noticed the label on the back saying it was made in China. We returned it.

We went to Costco. They were selling women’s clothing made in the USA. The skirts and tops were more than what we could have bought from stores featuring off-shore goods, but the USA tag sold us.

The two of us are walking on the grass, or in this case, the noxious weeds. We know we can’t have much impact. Alone we won’t stop the ruination of America, but we will do what we can and we invite everyone who loves America to do the same.  Stomp, stomp, stomp.

1. Vanity Publishing

In my last post, I tried to make a distinction between vanity publishing and self-publishing. I also tried, with limited success, to convince the readers that the very word vanity is insulting. What I don’t understand and I hope someone will explain it to me, is why authors, particularly those who paid their dues and know how difficult it is to succeed in publishing, would want to continue labeling other authors with the demeaning term vanity.

Just because an author wants to print and distribute a book to a limited audience doesn’t make them vain.  Family histories, poetry, even cookbooks usually come about as a labor of love. I thought about Love Publishing as a possibility and then decided it would probably be misinterpreted as an euphemism for romance or sex.

Instead I suggest that we re-name this type of publishing as limited. Limited Publishing instead of vanity is kinder, and really more accurate, don’t you agree?

2. Self-Publishing

New authors are vulnerable and there are plenty of people just waiting to fleece them. Whether they are wolves or knaves doesn’t really matter–the point is RUN away from them as fast as you can.

I have nothing but scorn for those publishing businesses that prey on the dreams of new authors to tap their wallets and bleed them dry. There is an abundance of trip-ups and traps in alternative publishing. One tip-off is praise that is too lavish. Once they say the book will only need light editing–watch out.  Stephen King in his Author’s Note at the end of his recent book Dome, wrote “Nan Graham edited the book down from the original dinosaur to a beast of slightly more manageable size; every page of the manuscript was marked with her changes.”  If Stephen King requires heavy editing, what do you suppose a fledgling author might need?

Many claim that they will produce your book and market it through catalogs or other means.  Authors write to me about using these services and discovering, too late, that they are just a number, a notch in the publisher’s belt. After signing on the dotted line and paying their fees they were turned over to employees with questionable skills.  One author told me that when speaking with a graphic designer she was told to peruse clip art and select her own graphic for the cover.

This author sent me a copy of her book. I read it cover-to-cover because I wanted to know for myself if it was a worthy book. It was. It was an excellent book. The cover art, however, violated all of the basic rules of good graphic design. It utilized four different type fonts, and the graphic was a small smiley face. The design fought the intention of the book. The book’s message was serious and the cover was silly. There were other problems with the inside layout too. So the author paid good money to get her book produced and she should have kept it in the bank instead. Remember no one will buy your book if they can’t get past the cover.

Don’t, please don’t, place your precious manuscript into the hands of publishing grist mills who hire the incompetent, the unknowledgeable, or inexperienced just to keep their costs down.

A bargain price should be your first tip-off. When they offer you a special deal or are having a sale, run the other way. These companies do not care about you or your book, their only concern is that you give them money and they produce it as cheaply as possible so they can maximize their profits.

If your ultimate goal is to someday sell your self-published book to a traditional publisher, you won’t impress anyone if your book appears to be sub-par. Doesn’t your book deserve the best chance of success you can give it?