I always say book publishing is a little like the fashion industry. For one thing we're always working two seasons ahead. I may be seeing fall back-to-school ads on TV right now but I'm getting ready for the design of all our Spring 2008 book covers.
Have you seen the collage above? It is one designer's version of how different people in the book publishing process would design a particular book cover (click on image to see it bigger). It's pretty funny (or painful) if you've been part of this process. It holds true for magazine covers, story layouts, and website design.
I worked for a religious publishing company some years ago. One imprint was progressive and global and we didn't have many restrictions on cover design. The other imprint was more traditional and certainly more pious and the conservative sales manager had a much larger say in those book covers. Gads! Once we were publishing a book of meditations for new mothers and our book designer came up with some beautiful cover layouts. Except that sales manager insisted we NOT put an image of an actual pregnant mother on the cover as the designer had presented. Too revealing! "Our market might be put off by that," the sales guy said. I said, "Our market? You mean mothers?" Turns out he didn't mean mothers; he meant the ultra-conservative, small, Christian bookstore managers he sold to. I never swore under my breath more than I did at that job. . . .
I wish my friend and former colleague had been part of that discussion at the time because we could have shocked that guy with this empowering shot that appeared in People magazine. (Way to go, Juliliquoy! Any plans for a similar campaign shot with your second pregnancy? Elbee, how 'bout you?)
Here's another designer's take on book covers, at the Book Design Review Blog. It's a good read. Enjoy.
4 comments:
I love that Pittsburgh cover collage.
Re. belly shots, we have come a long way since the days teachers had to quit after their 4th month of pregnancy. (My aunt had her doctor lie about her due date so she could work an extra month or two--they needed the money.) In the 60s they didn't want schoolchildren to be exposed to the obscenity that is a pregnant woman.
We do have a mayoral race in Philly this year, and Shmooie (ex utero) has appeared with the likely winner. I was pregnant with Polly when we took the photo in the link, but not showing enough to make a similar eye-popping message.
J: Your kids, destined for a life of politics and activism! I love your recent flikr shots by the way. . . .
My god. I'm in marketing and didn't even think of using my expanding belly as a billboard to support my 2008 pick.
Now if I could just decide who that candidate is . . .
Forgot to mention that I've worked with the book designer whose work you've featured here (one book ten ways) many times. Brilliant!
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