Judging a Book By It's Cover

You know that old saying "You can't judge a book by it's cover?" Well when it comes to fiction, you actually can. There are 6 important facts on the cover of a book that readers take into consideration.

1. The Title
This may seem like a silly point but the title gives away a lot about a book.It can hint at the plot, the characters, and the overall theme. And well, people are going to buy books that they've heard about before.

2. The Author
Obviously who wrote said book is just as important, if nor more, than the title. Personally, if I see a novel by John Green, Markus Zusak, Veronica Roth, or any other author whose writing I love, I'm going to snatch it off the bookshelf no matter what the story is about.

3. The Publication Company
This may seem like a silly point as well but publication companies do matter. Big names like Harper Collins, Randomhouse, Scholastic, etc., have all published award winning, best selling novels. It can give you an idea about what the novel may be. different companies publish different types of books. I'm not going to buy a fiction book from a publication company that publishes textbooks.

4. The Price
Guess what, The price of a book is on the back cover! This is an obvious point.

5. The Synopsis
The synopsis of a book is either found on the back or inside cover of a novel depending on whether it is paperback or hardcover. We all know that the synopsis is an important part of a novel. It will help you decide whether to read or put it back.

6. Awards
Often when acclaimed novels receive awards there will be a sticker on the front cover or even be printed as part of the cover art. Seeing that a novel has won an award immediately lets me know that the story is so extremly important to certain people and that  I should read it straight away.

So in the end, you can (and probably should) judge a book by it's cover.

-Shawnee Smith