Back to where we started. Earlier this year we revamped The Art of Foil Fencing with a new cover because the original was, well, terrible. It didn’t even fit alongside our other draft covers on our imprint, never mind anyone else’s. In a search results list, you’d swipe right past it. Something had to be done.
The first edition
Background: plain white.
Image: dull
Typography: zzzz…
The layout is worse and an elementary school project. It’s a collection of elements that don’t relate or tie into each other. The typography is laid out wrong. It looks cheap. Because it is.
The second edition
Background: dramatic black.
Image: high quality photograph, nicely cropped and tied in to the typography. High drama, mystery and suspense.
Typography: Properly spaced and laid out this time, in the same font! This time easier to read in a thumbnail image.
This cover screams diva from the first glance. Crucially, it works much better as a cover thumbnail for Amazon and other online shops.