At some point in history, print books were transformed into the
convenient electronic books we know today. The digital counterparts of books
are formatted to read like the print version. Most electronic readers let you “flip”
pages, “highlight” passages, and see it’s “book cover.” The experience also
changes depending on the device that you use.
I started reading e-books on my laptop while I was in high school.
When I finally got a used Kindle I thought that was the coolest thing in the
world. After having to read e-books on a computer screen, the e-ink screen was
like heaven.
It was Christmas morning when I turned it on. Then I saw e-book
covers and cringed. The free books Barnes & Noble pushed so much had boring
covers that were basically a block of color with text on them. While it
accomplished the job of a print version book cover -- telling you the name of
the book and the author -- it didn't make the product easy to digest. I found
myself willing to spend $.99 more for the fancy version with a book cover that
actually had pictures.
When I’m flipping through the book covers quickly, I scan the
pictures of the cover for quick cues to tell me what the book is about. If
I have 50 books with only green and red blocks, it takes me longer to know what
the book is. Even though you don't physically touch the e-book cover, you
interact with it physically, making it an important aspect of e-books. Frankly, it’s a part of e-books that has been ignored.
As a
designer, writer and an editor, I’m here to bring back the art of book covers. Along
the way we’ll explore the world of e-books, book covers, and books on social
media.
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