Size Does Matter! (But Not the Way You Think)

KatG recently shared a few excellent tips on what you should think about when creating your book’s title. I’d like to follow up on one of her points: the title’s length can have a big impact on the quality of the cover.

Many authors try to pack as much information as possible into these babies. It’s an understandable instinct. The cover is the first thing potential readers will see, so you want to tell them exactly what wonders await them if they take a peek inside. Also, the more words you use, the wittier you can be. Right?

Right?

Well, here's the problem. Say you’ve written a detailed historical record about keyboards -- the kind you find on typewriters and laptops. You’ve decided to call it The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog: A History of Keyboard Interface from QWERTY to DVORAK. You’re very proud of this title. It’s cute and clever and gets your general concept across.

It’s also unlikely to draw the eye when crammed into a relatively small space.


Think it’s not that bad? Try it as an Amazon.com-sized thumbnail.


If you’re selling your book primarily or exclusively online, THAT is the first glimpse your readers will get. A little crowded, yes?

As much as you like your original idea, maybe you should think of scaling back. Simplifying.


Ta da!

Again, you can really see what a difference this makes for the thumbnail version.


When the elements on the tiny image have room to breathe, the image as a whole becomes more accessible. Without knowing why, your potential readers will feel more inclined to click on it and take a closer look.

Which is exactly what you want them to do.