Covers Do Matter

I'm honored to welcome author, Mila Ballentine to the blog today. She's blogging on a very important topic. . .COVERS!! 


The Cover MATTERS!

Don’t let the cliché, 'Don’t judge a book by its cover,' sway you. Everything is judged by its cover, whether it’s an object or a person! The presentation of a product for sale is important. If you’ve ever been attracted to a particular product while shopping, 9 out of 10 times it had everything to do with the presentation. However, the contents are equally important, but this article will focus on what’s on the outside. 

I went to a small business workshop a few months ago and the instructor recommended a book by Paco Underhill, WHY WE BUY. It’s worth the read and it’s available in audio book. It was helpful and reinforced aspects of marketing that I already knew. As an independent publisher/author, I devote as much time to choosing a cover as I do to writing. Without a cover that represents the essence of your story, you are simply nailing your foot in the “No Name Brand,” market. I think we all have a sense of how people feel about “No Name Brand” products….low grade, cheap, imitation…you get the idea.

When your cover has the presence of attracting the naked eye, the odds are, they will move in and investigate the product. If the Blurb grabs them, you caught one! However, you had to get their attention first! It took two weeks to find the cover for IN THE VALLEY OF MUD AND WORMS, but I knew it was ‘the one’ when I saw it. It represented the character and the story, but you wouldn’t know until you read it. I was not as lucky with finding a cover for NO STRAYS ALLOWED, so I illustrated it myself. The optical illusion tricks the eye to think that something is wrong. The effect …you move in closer to see if your eyes can correct the error, but there is none. It’s effective because the potential customer interacts with the product. Finally, the cover for THIN SKIN SOUL PINNED took three mind-numbing weeks to find, but it was worth it! 

So by all means, judge a book by its cover. It is something we do unconsciously and it plays a major factor into what we buy. Also, I could have easily included examples of covers that aren’t the best representation of a book, but it is not my desire to muddy anyone’s hard work. Instead, I will provide an avenue where you can obtain photos that will improve your chances of finding the PERFECT cover! Bigstock.com is an excellent site and one of the easiest to use. I am including the following 50% off link.http://bigstock.refr.cc/MN7Z9B8 

Marketing a product is not an easy task. The next time you go shopping, think about why you buy something. I am interested to hear your thoughts on this subject. 

Thin Skin Soul Pinned  Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/Nfu5SC

When Editing Is NOT Enough!

A couple of weeks ago I blogged on about editing, Whiz With Words. There were so many great comments! I had gotten a lot of private emails on editing software and what I use. 
I don't use any editing software, but one of my regular commenter does! She graciously accepted to do a guest blog for me!! Lets give a round of applause to author Mila Ballentine!!

Laura has received her manuscript from an editor, after spending about $0.016/word for a 10,000 + manuscript.  She feels confident; a proclaimed specialist in editing has gone over her manuscript with a fine toothcomb. Laura accepts and rejects suggestions in the manuscript and WHALA, the book is ready for the printing stage.  The book is available for purchase and the reviews start to come in.  Her eyes eagerly read a review for the book on amazon.com, “It’s a good read, but it has too many errors.” 


Comments like this can knock the wind out of a writers sail. A writer has to have tough skin to survive in a world where everything written is critiqued.

Still, authors are sensitive and their stories are like a beloved child.  I think many writers can relate to Laura’s experience.  I found that doing a visual edit was not enough. So, I tried using  the Natural Reader 10.0 software and it has become a crucial part of the editing process.  

Arguably, the more mistakes a manuscript has the easier it is for the editor to overlook mistakes.  Natural Reader is a synchronized text to speech software that reads and highlights the words spoken.  When actively listening, you can hear when a word is missing, discover plot holes, and find out of sequence scenes.  


The software is easy to use, and reads MS Word, PDF and emails. The only down side is getting use to listening to a mechanical voice, but the benefits are priceless. Disclaimer: Reader software’s do not take the place of an editor.  Once, you have gone over the text without hearing any errors, send it to an editor.  

Now, it is up to you to test the software and experience the benefits.  I have included a link to a free Natural Reader 10.0 download. An upgraded version is available with realistic voices. http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.htm

In addition, I am including a link to my blog, http://www.milaballentine.blogspot.com  and eStore, https://www.createspace.com/3849242

I cordially invite you to visit my blog, get to know the author, and available titles.    


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WOW!! Thanks so much, Mila for coming by and telling us about the edit software that you have found useful to you! 
Will you use a software to help with edits? I know we have all been there with the ugly reviews, but anything that will help out is GREAT!!
Thoughts?