Personal Development for Smart People Book Cover

[mncz]

I like the original cover. The choice of fonts for the cover, particularly the pairing of the black capitals and the serif font could have been a bit more subtle, but overall I like it. It resonates with what kind if person you are (in my imagination of course), and since I believe that the contents of the book resonate with yourself in the deepest possible level, the cover is true to the contents of the book and that is the only thing what matters.

8 out of 10.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Tuumble

Felt inclined to design another cover

Good onya - now we can't refer to "Tuumble's version".

I really like the second cover but it doesn't really fit into the left-brain corporate feel that Steve is going for...

[Steve Pavlina]

If the cover is this controversial, just imagine what effect the content will have.

[francstoic]

Steve,

Why are you emphasizing "Smart People"? I suggest that you first change the title and make it something more universal, because indeed your book is going to be about universal principles.

Currently, your book's cover does not really stand out apart from others. From its title especially it looks like another typical American self-help book.

That's my two cents, anyway.

[Iamsuperman]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

If the cover is this controversial, just imagine what effect the content will have.

Comon Steve, when you started this thread you didn't honestly expect everyone to say "Oh yes, lovely cover Mr. Pavlina."

[danas]

Personally when Im looking for a good fiction book I admit I judge it by its cover, some books I wont get near simply because of their cover.
But when it comes to self development or any non fiction, its the title that will grasp me, not the cover. Somehow I dont even expect these books to be aesthetically pleasing. From fiction I expect it to stimulate my imagination, from self development I just want it to be simple, clear and bold

[dannielo]

I don't particularly like that "Smart People" is so big and bold.

I think the emphasys (that's how most books do it) has to be on a thing you want to achieve, or a thing you want to become, and this book could help you. So you kinda tell me I want to become smart, and this is a little annoying or insulting.

Anyway, "Personal Development" couldn't be emphasysed either since is so common and fade and wouldn't stand out.

I think something like the last cover by tuumble is better (but not with a man in shorts).

[Trezker]

I vote for the original proposal. It's respectable.

Maybe other colours would sell better, but who'd know that better than your publisher.

Change colours for the second edition. I like it when different editions are easy to identify.

The layout is OK. The big SMART PEOPLE will make people zoom in on your book among other of a shelf. Hopefully they'll find the full title intriguing. (hmm, I think that's the firs time I ever used that word)

PS: If you sense a feeling of distress over his post it's because the 'T' key on my keyboard is barely working.

[Rose of Cairo]

Steve, I totally don't like this cover.

The top half of the cover is quite ok. I would want more space without text, but that's not a problem. It looks a lot like you are. Simple, straightforward, efficient, not too serious. This intense blue is nice and suits you well.

The bottom half is a thorn in my side though. These three (!) different reds look awful and are no harmonious match for the blue. I find red, and especially the gold on dark red of the subtitle, totally not appropriate for ideas like consciousness and growth. "The Passionate Pursuit of Personal Riches" would fit better.

I dislike that "Steve Pavlina" uses the same fonts and color than "smart people". Looks like it's part of the title more than the author's name. What we see is "smart people Steve Pavlina". We know you're smart, no need to tell us

I also find it strange that you have "personal" twice on the cover, and then there is a pic of a bunch of people. The eye eventually gets drawn to these people. They are anonymous and undefined. Suggests the idea of a big company - not of a strong personality.

The shocky colors and flashy big fonts make me feel uncomfortable and agitated when I look at it. I would avoid such a book in a bookstore.

They also look cheap. The whole cover just looks so cheap. No match for your high level standards. This book looks like these bad books with a lot of marketing and poor content. I know this will absolutely not be the case, and still, when I look at this cover I can't help thinking the book will be full of clever tricks on how to earn more money, how to be a successful employee or how to sell more vacuum cleaners.

Nevermind, I'll buy the book anyway. I'll just never look at the cover

PS: How about just all blue with a little bit of white and/or gold??

[ellie]

I don't like the cover either. Simply because it reminds me of Dr Phil and anything like that is just too cheezy for me. I would skip right pass that book on the shelf, no matter how bright or big the text was. After I have said all this, I somehow would of liked a photo of you on the cover, even though this is quite cheezy too, but I don't know I just can imagine it like that.

Also I am a designer as well, so I like aesthetically pleasing designs, this says look at me "I'll just copy what everyone else is doing". It doesn't really have much personality to it. However, having said that, I don't like you blog design either, but somehow I read on and got hooked. However, I can see this is kind of you Steve, but it just needs a little bit of something else. Still similar, but says something a little more.

Actually, I would really love to have a go at designing this cover as well, if I have time in the next few days I might have a play, just for a bit of a challenge.

PS- now that I have looked at the design again, I now know what it reminds me of...a computer book, something to do with coding...it doesn't even feel like a self help book to me at all, but it does make sense to why you like it Steve, as you have worked in computers.

[kf9211]

Originally Posted by francstoic

Steve,

Why are you emphasizing "Smart People"? I suggest that you first change the title and make it something more universal, because indeed your book is going to be about universal principles.

Currently, your book's cover does not really stand out apart from others. From its title especially it looks like another typical American self-help book.

That's my two cents, anyway.

I agree. I don't consider myself to be a smart person, however I find your blog very helpful. I think that your blog, and probably your book would be just as helpful for people that aren't very intelligent.

Kai

[Mr.Mustache]

I don't care how the book cover looks, just as long as Steve doesn't appear on Oprah when it sells big (which it probably will, self-help is big business).

[ellie]

Oh I keep thinking about this cover - ha ha!

I can picture more michael da vinci, kind of drawing and paper, or something that reminds me of einstein.

[Kylark]

The cover is not aesthetically pleasing, simple as that.

I won't muddy the issue talking about fonts or colors... a talented designer could create a beautiful cover using any colors and almost any font.

This cover just does not look good.

I like the content of Hay House books but I dislike most of their book covers. I keep my copy of Ask and it is Given hidden under my bed because I'm embarrassed by the cover.

When I'm browsing in a bookstore, a well-designed cover will draw my eye. It's not the deciding factor in whether I'll buy a book, but it can entice me to flip through it and get a taste of its contents.

I think Steve's book will sell well, regardless, but I'm going to throw my 2¢ in with the others who say this cover looks amateurish.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Personally, I like the way the cover looks. It gets the point across and seems to be very eye-catching. Looking forward to reading the contents of the book as well. A nice cover may sell the book, but the ideas inside are what make it a best-seller. And being a best-seller is something else you can add to the cover once you reach that mark.

[sheffy4]

Originally Posted by kf9211

I agree. I don't consider myself to be a smart person, however I find your blog very helpful. I think that your blog, and probably your book would be just as helpful for people that aren't very intelligent.

Kai

I think Personal Development for Smart People is a great title. Just by picking up the book, or reading Steve's blog, you put yourself in that category of "smart people." By finding his blog helpful, he is implying that you must be smart enough to understand it; therefore you are one of the "smart people" he is writing for. From my view, he is basically trying to get people to see their potential, people like you who don't think they are smart.

And who wants to be seen reading "Personal Development for Dummies"? I would much rather be holding a copy of "Personal Development for Smart People."

[dannielo]

Not to be negative or discouraging Steve, but I just came across an interesting report on the importance of choosing the right name for your book (or information product).

Answer this question, FAST:

Which of these two book titles sells more copies…

Book #1: “A Thinking Person's Step by Step Guide to Weight Loss & Exercise Program”

Book #2: “Skinny Bitch”

A Thinking Person's Step by Step Guide to Weight Loss & Exercise Program
was written by two Ph.D.s and based on empirical research by guys with doctorate degrees.

Skinny Bitch was written by an ex-model and an ex-modeling-agent (if that’s
how you say it).

Time’s up. Which one sells more?

Well, according to Amazon.com, A Thinking Person's Step by Step Guide to
Weight Loss & Exercise Program is their #437,317th best-selling book, whereas Skinny Bitch comes in at #56.

My question for you is…

WHY?

Why do people who have no fancy doctorate degrees, no previous fame, and
no “science” behind their ideas sell enough books to get rich… while the “experts” fall to #437,317?

And the heart-breaker is that the Ph.D.s probably spent YEARS of their life
working on their book. Do you think anyone is going to read it?

Nope.

Here’s a kicker for you: The Skinny Bitch gals just released a follow-up: Skinny Bitch In The Kitch.

A cookbook.

#179 on Amazon as I write this. Not bad.

One of these two pairs of authors is thinking like a CUSTOMER… and like a
MARKETER… and one of them IS NOT.

I’ll leave it to you to do the math.

I hope you’re not offended by the title of the “Skinny Bitch” book. I’m using it
specifically because these two women GET something that most people don’t.

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s become “cool to be bitchy” lately. It’s a sort of “statement of individuality“ for immature (yet adult) women who want to come across as fashionably sophisticated and edgy.

And the idea of “skinny” – well, you may have heard that some women desire
that as well… but only a few.

Together, these words are MAGIC as a book title (obviously).

....

If your product does not INSTANTLY resonate with your prospect – and hit
them at a GUT LEVEL in a powerful way, you’re going to be like the guys who wrote
the weight-loss book above… and who probably sell one or two copies a month… to
their friends.

Trust me, you don’t want to be #437,317 in sales on Amazon.

You want people to beat a path to your door, and then push the money in your
face!

And that’s what you’ll get when you learn how to think like a customer, think
like a marketer, and translate what you’re teaching into words and ideas that trigger
GUT-LEVEL buying responses from customers.

I just shared what is probably the MOST common and MOST expensive
mistake that “new gurus” make.

...

So sheffy, the two Ph.D.s tried to put their readers in the category of "Thinking Person" and look what they got.

Steve's fans will buy the book anyway, but when they are finished, who else will buy based on a bold caps "Smart People"? (I read that it's exactly because he wants to reach a broader audience he decided to make a classic book, and not an ebook.)

PS: The rest of the report is on the guru mastermind blog (Eben Pagan), coold stuff for business in there. I didn't put it complete since it's long.

[toolbaree]

It looks like Test prep books like the GMAT and TOEFL. I agree it's too serious. Why do not you put your photo on the cover!
How soon it's going to be in the Middle East.

[wolverine]

I think it looks harsh. The divide between the red and blue is very abrupt, the font styles and colours are very sharp-edged and the colours are very contrasting, but in a bad way. I also don't like the combination of red and blue, because even though they're not colour-opposities, they feel like they are but without the wonderful contrast that red-and-green or yellow-and-purple can have (blue-and-orange only works well when done really well, in my opinion, even though I love it).

It does look cheap, quick, rushed. Very simple, but not classy, timeless simple in the way that you can tell just by looking at it that time and effort went into making it look so simple. I agree with the many other commentors who recommend gold as a main colour. Gold and blue is a gorgeous combination that is contrasting but also invigorating, especially teamed up with some white.

Good luck, whatever you decide, but I think your design team needs another try. (And I pity you the book publishing process, especially when design is based not on what represents the book but on what will sell it immediately after it gets on the shelves, not what will make it a long-term bestseller. Still, I think the word of mouth will get yours selling decently enough to overcome that problem -- doesn't mean the cover shouldn't be as good as possible!)


Wolverine

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Before seeing the cover, when I read about Steve's book in these forums or in the blog, I made a mental image of a blue cover.

I'm not a fan of the red also, I find it agressive. It make me think a bit about the colors used on the signs when there is a special sale in a retail shop. "For sale" "Get it now" etc.

[The David]

Originally Posted by Tuumble

Felt inclined to design another cover

Personal Development for the Unsinkable Soul!

[ellie]

oh well here's my first kind of try. It's actually not what I have in mind but I thought I would put it up for a bit of fun. Keep you intersted in this thread I had more a corporate feel one, but I going have play a bit more. Of course that's not steve, but you get the gist.



Steve the publisher must of given you a few options though?