WOULD YOU BUY THIS BOOK?Complications Ensue
Complications Ensue:
The Crafty Screenwriting, TV and Game Writing Blog




Archives

April 2004

May 2004

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

September 2004

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

April 2005

May 2005

June 2005

July 2005

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

January 2006

February 2006

March 2006

April 2006

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

August 2006

September 2006

October 2006

November 2006

December 2006

January 2007

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007

June 2007

July 2007

August 2007

September 2007

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November 2014

December 2014

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

May 2017

June 2017

July 2017

August 2017

September 2017

October 2017

November 2017

December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

April 2018

June 2018

July 2018

October 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

November 2019

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

August 2020

September 2020

October 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

May 2021

June 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

August 2022

September 2022

November 2022

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

September 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

 

Friday, September 30, 2005

What do you think, guys? Would you buy this book?

Please let me know what you think about this cover. Seriously. You like, you don't like... you are my core readership, so let me know your honest reactions.

(And please let me know now, as if there's anything you don't like about it, I have to convince my editor, and she'll have to convince the graphic design people at Holt!)

12 Comments:

If that's exactly as the book cover is expected to appear on bookshelves, then my answer is no. Sorry, Alex. I've been a graphic designer and marketing strategist for many years, and this design just doesn't cut it with me.

Be careful with the use of red type and that semi TV Guide-looking graphic. One of my former clients, Larry Brody, was threatened with a lawsuit by TV Guide magazine last year because he used an almost identical graphic and red type.

By Blogger Kelly J. Crawford, at 3:14 PM  

Gotta agree with Kelly on this one. Too close to TV Guide's very recognizable trademarked logo.

Go with something that is similar to your previous book, but geared to TV and in a slightly different color scheme. How about a bunch of folks crowded around the set watching TV? Instead of red, a blue cover? It's going on the shelf next to Crafty Screenwriting so why not make it a companion?

By Blogger Cunningham, at 4:09 PM  

Funny you should mention that, Bill. My idea was a blue cover, with a TV set, with the words "your name here" on the TV set. I like your idea of people in the photo actually watching the tv. That's even better.

By Blogger Alex Epstein, at 4:13 PM  

I've got to agree with the others. If this is the final cover art then you are sure to miss sales simply because it is too bland. Red does not mean dynamic if that is all there is to it. The lettering is too stock and reminiscent of fifties' style advertising. The book is about modern screenwriting and not about a history of TV but the cover has a retro feel to it. It will definitely get lost and if I know bookstore staff, mis-shelved.
I would suggest that you keep the basic layout of the first book, use a blue or green screen colour background and have a great big modern flatscreen TV on the bottom with the silhouettes of several heads- (mixed ages and types). The modern big screen TV will mimic the movie theatre frontage of the first cover but with enough difference to make the point. Use "your show here" instead of "your name here" and that should bring the point home.

By Blogger Hawise, at 6:09 PM  

As a business student I have to agree with kelly and bill. You should follow Bill's advice of making it a companion (design-wise) to the first Crafty book. THis will help people associate the two, can help improve the sales between them, and satisfy customers who own both. (People care... just look at the hullabaloo that was caused when fox changed the Simpson's dvd set design... *whew*).

Just like in TV, continuity between the two books will help association... Just my two cents

By Blogger Jason Sanders, at 6:16 PM  

I wish I could buck the trend here, but alas...

Crafty Screenwriting has a great, mass-market cover, but this is too academic. Too technical, more like a manual than an enjoyable informative read. It's almost begging course directors to include it on their scriptwriting syllabi. Suddenly I'm having flashbacks to ten years ago, wandering around university owned bookstores with a reading list of books that have been out of print for decades.

I don't know what the contents of the book will be, but that's at least one highly subjective opinion to consider.

By Blogger Lee, at 6:22 PM  

Glad to be of assistance.

By Blogger Cunningham, at 7:01 PM  

I agree with Hawise's opinion of what it should be, but want to add why the present design sucks.

It obviously resembles TV Guide, but TV Guide answers the "what" of TV: i.e. what's on.

The book, however, answers the "how" of TV: how shows get made and how you, the reader, can find a place in the biz.

Even if you get away with the TV Guide rip-off, it doesn't represent the book correctly.

By Blogger Webs, at 1:52 AM  

Still unanimous.. I don't like it either.

Why? What they said... all of it.

By Blogger writergurl, at 3:48 AM  

I thought that right away, too close to the TV Guide logo. Glad to see that great minds think alike.

By Blogger PJ McIlvaine, at 9:10 AM  

I can't read.
You people are so cruel.

By Blogger DMc, at 12:15 PM  

Hideous is the only word I can think of for that cover. You want a cover design? I'll give you a cover design. Just check out a sample of what I can do at:

http://bondingwithmyself.blogspot.com

You'll see it right away at the top of the page.

By Blogger Uniquester, at 1:51 AM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.



This page is powered by Blogger.