Personal Development for Smart People Book Cover

[Steve Pavlina]

Here's the front cover design for my upcoming book that Hay House's designer created. Personally I like it, especially how the words "Smart People" stand out, but as a colorblind person it won't look the same to me as it will to others.

We have the back cover copy worked out, but the actual back cover design will be done later.

What do you think?

[Iamsuperman]

7 out of 10

I like the words, the background wasn't catchy for me.

[Angela]

It looks kind of corporate to me, as opposed to whooo-whooo. I think that will work well for you in your speaking engagements and seminars, and be a subconscious reassurance to possible left-brain readers who want real, now-results. I think the more right-brainy, peace-love-posters set may find it a bit angular.

As soon as a reader leafs through, though, I'm pretty confident that most smart people will be drawn in.

[Steve Pavlina]

Originally Posted by Angela

It looks kind of corporate to me, as opposed to whooo-whooo.

This is indeed a left-brained book. Since the concepts in the book are universal, there's nothing inherently new agey or woo-woo about them. The ideas should be equally effective whether you're an atheist, a Buddhist, or a Christian fundamentalist. You could say it's a book about personal effectiveness.

[jamestl2]

Sorry Steve, I also don't like the cover.

The content and chapters of the book may be a great read, but to people unfamiliar with your site or PD, they may simply avoid your book because of the ugly design.

I think you'd be able to reach and help far more people with a more attractive design. Although the quote "Don't judge a book by it's cover" is true, unfortunately, many people do. In the end here, I think you'd be missing out on reaching a much wider audience (Such as convincing people why the "Don't judge a book by it's cover" quote is true ) by using this cover.

[martin]

Not feelin' the covery. The purple and red are kinda... blah. =/

Also, it doesn't stand out.

I'll still buy it though

[Dan.Linehan]

I like it. It stands out. And for some reason those colors remind me of 3-2-1 Contact..

/For good reason apparently.

[Susie]

I quite like it, it's clean and simple, but the colors have a vibrant energy and convey a sense of excitement. Many times when I go to read a personal development book, I take satisfaction in a very clean layout such as this one, as if that simplicity/orderliness/clarity will transfer to my life! So it gets a 10 out of 10 from me.

[bdc]

Steve,

I hope and imagine that your book will be a definitive work; a modern classic delivered without fluff. The proposed book cover does not communicate those high ideals to me.

The use and juxtaposition of typefaces, with weak alignment, hints at faddishness. The colors are vibrant but lack warmth. Rather than personifying smartness, the silhouettes at the bottom seem vague and ambiguous.

I can imagine a couple of directions you could go: a classic and modest look; a classic and ornate look; a bold and warm look; or a crisp and clean look. Although satisfactory, the proposed cover does not fall in any of these categories, to my mind.

I'd like to see your book achieve maximal sales. The world could use the help! And so could I. I plan to read your book too. As soon as possible.

[JohnK]

Too much red, no green.

[Calculusaurus]

I like it.

It's not frilly, detailed, and artsy like new-age self-help books. But it's not overly corporate as to only attract business readers.

The large "smart people" text will catch a lot of eyes, and cause people to stop and flip through the book.

[Steve Pavlina]

Erin and I just went through a bunch of personal development books on my shelf, looking at each cover and discussing what we thought of it. We could barely agree on any of them. The covers I found most attractive, she didn't like, and vice versa.

I suspect this whole thing is very subjective. I guess that's why book covers vary so much, hence the expression, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

I wonder how much impact a book's cover has on its sales, especially with so many sales being generated online now.

[Tasaio]

It's good you haven't used solid colours--you have faint patterns hidden within the two boxes. The faint silhouettes go well with the zoomed-up Windows 95 logo in the top box. I knew those squares looked familiar.

My favourite part is the font used for "Smart People"--it catches your eye.

If the cover isn't set in stone, then I recommend changing the colours; red and violet-blue do not go well together.

. . .

Why not use your blog's colour scheme?



I always liked your blog's colours. Plus, people will subconsciously connect the book to your blog, and buy it out of recognition. (Or vice versa, they'll visit your site and find it familiar.)

I also think you should put Dweep on the cover. He is your Favicon, after all. Maybe he could go on the spine?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Dan.Linehan

I like it. It stands out. And for some reason those colors remind me of 3-2-1 Contact..

/For good reason apparently.

I LOVE 3-2-1 Contact!!!

As for the book cover, I will admit that I might not buy it based on the cover alone -- seems pretty corporatey (isn't making up words fun?). Luckily I know what gems of information await me inside. I guess it's just a style preference anyway. No way to please all the people all the time there!

It is a strong cover, bold and does stand out. I am sure smart people will buy it .

[RobinMessage]

Hi Steve,

I think this design is at best mediocre. The blue and red is fine, but the typography is frankly ugly, particularly your name.

I hope you don't mind, I made a version I like more (couldn't quite reproduce the red and blue, so did something similar for them.) I think this version is cleaner and slightly more sophisticated.



Thoughts anyone? I hope this is a good basis for comparison. Also, I dropped the "personal" from "personal growth", since you've already said "personal" in "personal development" and you can make the text fit nicer that way.

(One small thing, I am not that happy with the font I have used for "SMART PEOPLE", but I'm struggling to find a better one and it's 3:45 in the morning here!)

Cheers,
--Robin

[Iamsuperman]

RobinMessage that looks really good. Steve Pavlina looks much nicer. Taking personal out makes it less clear but far more catchy. The people in red look great. Smart People needs a change though (as you already mentioned), but everything else is better then the origional IMO.

[Hunter Nuttall]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

I also think you should put Dweep on the cover. He is your Favicon, after all. Maybe he could go on the spine?

I always wondered what the heck his favicon was supposed to be! It's much easier to make out the bigger image.

With regard to the cover, the only thing I really don't like is the SHOUTING ALL CAPS for "Steve Pavlina," although I think it's fine to use all caps for "Smart People."

[backpocket]

Hmm...I prefer Steve's original cover. The fonts just seem more in your face. Kinda fits with his style which is more direct, and not just feel good whooey stuff.

[Michelle]

The original cover radiates strength, vitality, and bigness. The madeover cover looks nice and friendly while at the same time weak and hiding. It is small and says "Please don't pay too much attention to me".

[Thomas]

I'd give it a 5 or 6 out of 10, assuming the goal was to stand out.

I think it's important that the name should be in large print; the same for "Smart People" (and I think both of those were achieved nicely).

As for the colors: The very thin borders around the white letters (blue for the red background bit and vice versa) look not so very nice. In fact to some degree I'd say it hurts the eyes.
Also, I'd go for more intense green-blue or only blue instead of purple. Might be only me, but it kind of reminds me of Roman-Catholic priests to look at a combination of intense red and purple.

Finally, I think the overlap of the "p" with "Smart" makes the title look cramped.

[bdc]

Cover suggestion (click for full size version):

[Keith]

I second (third?) Robin's version. I would be much likelier to buy that version than the first one (if I wasn't already going to buy it regardless).

I particularly like the fuzzy transition between the red and blue. It looks fiery and draws the eye.

I think I'd make the font for "The Conscious pursuit of growth" a little lighter though, and maybe sink it down a little. It doesn't stand out as well as it could.

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

I wonder how much impact a book's cover has on its sales, especially with so many sales being generated online now.

Quite a lot. Personally, I often buy books based on the blurb text and a quick look through. The books that I pick up first in order to check the blurb are the more attractive covers.

[Novalis]

I don't like it very much at all. Too corporate - the opposite in aesthetic of the buddhist subjectivism you espouse. Perhaps you need to find an artist who actually shares your core ethic and perspective - then the whole deal would POP as the kids say. I also find overemphasising the words SMART PEOPLE is rather jejune. I like the quirky mock up of the second last poster. That at least had some fun and verve to it. The main design seems like corporatist homework. Then again I feel radical buddhist subjectivism is anachronistic (and untenable) for todays world and perhaps y'all are trying to smuggle it in by appearing corporate and "above the line". Bear in mind I am just talking out of my hat.

[Tuumble]

Oooo, are we have a 'design a book cover' competition?

Even if one isn't chosen it would be fun to try.

Speaking as a designer I would suggest considering what a row of books would look like and how it would stand-out against the competition. If you consider CD covers a lot of albums are very samey so when someone does something different it attracts your attention.

When the following New order album was released you couldn't help but notice it in the racks when several were displayed together.



Hmm, I have a cover idea...I'll be right back!