It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts — Or Is It?

When walking through the shelves of a bookstore or library, it is typically the cover or spine that stops me in my tracks and compels me to pick up a book. Without sufficient endorsement from acquaintances or stellar reviews, a book with a lackluster cover rarely makes its way to my hands. But can the quality of a cover accurately reflect the quality of the book itself? Am I missing out on a wealth of good books as a result of this cover-elitism?

Book covers do matter. Covers reflect the taste, thinking, and writing that go into the book. Even if the author is not always given full creative control over a book’s cover design, their opinion is still included in the approval process. It is in the best interest of both the author and the publishing company to produce an attention-grabbing, crowd-pleasing cover.

We are often driven by visual stimuli — book covers are no exception. In daily life, people habitually put on makeup and dress up to look presentable at job interviews and first dates. In our society, appearances can have great affective power over people's perceptions. The cover design is the first impression for consumers and is the component that gives the book a fighting chance as one among millions to be plucked off the shelf.

The right design can greatly boost the visibility, and thus sales, of a book. Cover designers must also pay attention to the minutest of details, from font size and color to the placement of words and images. Everything must be deliberately designed to allow readers to digest the cover’s information with the greatest ease possible. The cover should also be an accurate representation of the plot and genre of the book, in addition to addressing the book’s target audience.

Whether buying or borrowing a book, the visuals matter not only because they represent the book itself, but because they become a representation of the readers themselves. When setting a book down on a table, it evolves from a regular, inanimate object into an extension of your identity — a standard by which others can judge you. Moreover, owning something aesthetically appealing may also naturally inspire positive feelings of self-affirmation.

Thus, a good cover reflects the time and effort invested by the author and publishing company, and is also the natural option for a book-lover because it reflects well on their own taste.

Readers are justified in gravitating towards an aesthetically pleasing cover, whether driven by subconscious tendency or purposeful choice. With the diverse range of human preferences and identities, readers have the right to demand quality covers.

— Staff Writer Nicole L. Guo can be reached at nicole.guo@thecrimson.com.