Thursday, July 20, 2006

Please Judge a Book by its Cover

Finally, proof that I really AM writing a book! Here are the two potential covers for the soon-to-be sensational Vegan Lunch Box. (Click on the images to see larger, higher resolution versions.)

Contestant Number 1:

Contestant Number 2:

Right now, both covers are tied neck-and-neck here in the McCann household. Hubby is cheering for one, I am strictly a fan of the other. I'm not telling which is which, so as not to influence your opinion in any way.

Please help us decide by using the comments to let us know which cover reigns supreme, and which one belongs on the scrap heap. Thanks!

288 comments:

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Grumblebee said...

I like the one without the purple stripes. (2nd one) It looks more professional without the 2 purple bars.

jaydubmah said...

Two votes for number two (there are two of us; only one has a blogger account)!! It's campy and in the spirit of the Vegan Lunch Box. Fun and unpretentious. We can't wait to see it in the stores!

Jeff and Hilary

funwithyourfood said...

Number 2 for sure

more classy

April said...

I vote for #2. I love the stripes.

April

mira said...

My personal choice is for #2 but ultimately I just want the book :-)

Someone Beautiful said...

After looking again, I am going with my first impression--I like the first one because the trim makes it pop. The pictures and your name stand out.

*Will you please share where you get the cute tins you use, and in your laptop lunches, are those real or paper napkins?* :)

sarchan said...

#2 all the way!!!!!

KleoPatra said...

Numero dos, por favor!

:o)

I'm all about No. 2, Jennifer Shmoo!!

Kristy said...

Contestant #1 please

Jill said...

One stands out more to me. I agree that the stripes are a bit distracting.

thesundaybaker said...

Yes,the strips on two is pretty but the food pictures on one does stand out more because of the neutral background.
Although, people do say "Don't judge a book by its cover", most people do anyway. Pretty pictures of food is more more important than strips on a cookbook cover.

Lane Collins said...

I agree with Leah, is there a way to combine the purple stripes with the background stripes? If not, I vote for #2.

Marnie said...

Number 1 for me. It's cleaner, easier to read, and less femme.

Candyce said...

Number 1 is very appealing. There's an interesting site called Readerville where posters analyze what makes a book cover enticing or a "coveted" cover: http://www.readerville.com/WebX?14@26.l69fayiniQX.4@.efcd2bc

Liz Woodbury said...

i vote for number one, but they both look fabulous -- i can't wait!!!

Tracy said...

I love the second one - I love stripes!

Shannon said...

I like the one with the stripes, it would stand out on a shelf and draw more readers/cooks to buy it

Emmy said...

I like #1 the best.

leila said...

er ... i don't even know how you're gonna count these votes, but i think the #2 one. the stripes down the middle make it look more like a book and less like an advertisement.

very much looking forward to your book!

love from leila

Kimie said...

I vote for number two.

Allie said...

Top one with the purple blocking in the letters.

The eye likes to be boxed in!

kelly (vegan kid's mom!) said...

I like the 2nd one much, much better... but mostly because it reminds me of Sarah Kramer's books. I love your blog and would love to see you viewed independantly.

That being said, How much longer till I can buy this book?? :)

Eat Peace Please said...

I am the 327th person to comment? Whoa!

I vote #2. It is more pleasing on the eye, I really like the stripes, and the first one reminds me of more of a brochure type cover. The stripes are more friendly, but I suggest bolding the purple font with your name and the quote from Erik, so it stands out more. Or, what about dark purple and light yellow vertical stripes?

minetto said...

Hi there,
First, congrats on your new book!

Second, I vote for number one, as the purple bars help highlight the endorsement [and other stuff needing highlighting]. The purple bars seem to frame the whole thing as well better, giving it more punch.

I personally like the stripes of cover two as well.


As far as design goes I think there need to be a better colour unity. For instance, If some colours from the images are repeated in the design it increases the unity. Sometimes though it is better to restrict the choice to something manageable, like 3 colours. Using too many colours seem to create somewhat of a mish-mash effect that is distracting. Along the same line, perhaps making sure that the purple top banner and bottom one are the exact same purple...

Might be worth buying a couple of high quality fonts. Since it's quite a short paragraph, I would remove the indent before the "more than 10 weeks...' it makes the paragraph looks lopsided. Also the hyphens look like 'en' dashes right now [they are a bit too long].

Also, the photo on the bottom left is excellent. It's important that extra attention be paid to the food photography in general as this is what usually sells.

I think the 'value' statement [more than 10 weeks...] should be highlighted either on the top or bottom banner.

Hope this helps.
and cheers!

VeganHeartDoc said...

I like number one with the purple stripes. Helps emphasize the endorsement from Erik Markus and highlights your name.

Oh yeah, and I definitely plan on buying your book, whichever cover you choose!

Alisha said...

I prefer the first cover. The bold purple stripes are very appealing and draw attention to specific parts of the cover. The second cover looks more like a scrapbook page and it seems like everything is running together.
Can't wait for the book, regardless of the cover!

Rachel said...

I vote for #1. I like that it is simple design. #2 looks a bit too busy with the stripes.

Nic said...

My vote is for #2

M.E. Greene said...

My vote is for #1. I agree with many others that the stripes are too distracting. Looks like a fun book! Can't wait to get it. Collecting vegan cookbooks is one of my hobbies! (I don't just collect them, though, I do actually use them :o)

Cansel said...

I like them both but I think #1 will work the best

Phyllis Sommer said...

Number one!!!!!

La Turista said...

Number 2, all the way. Can't wait!

Anonymous said...

I vote for #2, but of course they're both cute.

Candy Girl said...

i heart the 2nd one. stipeys make me happy!

wonder if you cant come to a happy middle ground with them though, stripeys and the purple barrs across the top and bottom?

Cheryl said...

The second one looks more polished, in my opinion.

evilduck said...

I love the first design!

Armchair_Archives said...

I think both are cute, but I vote for number one since it's much more readable and clear. The purple bar is nice too. Can't wait for the lovely book, no matter what form it takes! :)

L said...

I have no idea whether this is too late to chime in, but... since you asked! :)

From just looking at the smaller pictures, I had a feeling that version 1 was best because the purple in the top and bottom highlighted your name and the stripes seemed a bit distracting.

When I clicked and enlarged, though I loved both of them! But maybe #1 is better, I don't know. Either one will be great, I'm sure!

Tracy Kaufman said...

I like the stripey one best, but yes, it might be improved by adding in those purple bars.

Katie Peek said...

My vote is for #1.

Good luck tallying all these votes!

Susan Hollingshead said...

The second one looks similar to another Vegan Cookbook in print, (I have it somewhere, I think it's called "How It All Vegan") and at first I thought you were the writer of that cookbook as a result (it's the stripes I think). So my vote is for the first one to avoid any confusion for anyone else.

Aarwenn said...

I agree with Leah and bread..bread..bread... Stripes AND purple highlighting would be best, but if you can't do that, then go with #1, with the purple bars. What does the little Schmoo think? Does he agree with you or with Hubby?

Sarah said...

As another reader with marketing not to mention book publishing and designing experience, I vote #1 hands-down. The contrast makes it pop and the plain background makes it easier to read the text quickly at first glance. I don't have to *want* to read the cover to read it.

A trick - Print them out life size and tape them to the wall a few feet apart where you'll see them often. After a day, see what you think. Does one draw your eye more?

Watty said...

I like #1 the best too, I do like the stripes, but like the contrast overall from #1

vegamy said...

Both are nice, but I think the first version helps break up the quote and author info from the title and pics. Have you tried a fusion of the two covers? Too much perhaps...

kitkatknit said...

#1 top one

TeaPriestess said...

I like the first one also. It brings attention to the author and makes it easier to see!

Maryjamie said...

Two votes for number 1 (from me and my boyfriend). I promise I didn't tell him which one I had already picked!

laura k said...

I like number 2. The stripes make it so much more eye-catching for me. The bars in number 1 are nice, but I could do without them--all around, 2 just looks more fun. And with lunches as fun as those you've invented, it seems like the fun and peppy cover is the best way to go. Congratulations! Can't wait to see it available to buy!

Ayrianna said...

I vote for number 1!

Marathon Someday said...

Number one appeals to me the most - but number two's stripes do offer a more "kid friendly" feeling.

Mothermore. said...

I vote for #1!! :)

Banana_Grl said...

I vote for the 1st one ... more eye-catching! Can't wait to get it!

Catherine said...

I vote for #1

Victoria said...

LOVE number 2!

Vera said...

Number one. :-)

trinjoy said...

Count mine as another vote for combining! Pink stripes AND the purple bars. If that's not an option, I prefer the purple bars (#1).

I'll buy it either way, though, and genuiniely like both covers!

Erika W. said...

Number 1.

And 379 comments!!!!

That's got to be a record of some kind.

Barbara said...

number one is the one I like.

Barbara

moonwatcher said...

Between the two I'll have to vote for #1, but I think a combination might work even better.

Can't wait till it comes out!

Courageous Kat said...

Number 2!!

Elizabeth said...

I really like the stripes. I don't know what everyone else thinks because I just commented without reading the 384 other responses! Good grief--did you even read them all? Maybe you won't read mine either. ;-)

SaraAmarie said...

I am another for the stripes AND the purple bars!

nava said...

I really like the stripes, but I also like the purple bands on the top one. Makes it look...clean.

KZ said...

number 1.
stripes are def. distracting.

Crystal said...

I don't like the stroke on the title and asterisk. It's distracting and out of place.

I vote #1 with a solid colored title. (probably go with the blue.)

Otherwise, the drawn lunch boxes are adorable with their baby shadows.

juliana said...

I love the second one. I love the whimisical look of it and would be apt to purchase it due to the "kid friendly" look of it. :+)

Dori said...

I like #1 with the purple bands.

c said...

Not that the third option--stripey book with color bands--was offered, but I like it!

But if it came right down to it, I like the second one better than the first.

p said...

I vote #1.

truth said...

I vote for #2. Much more distinctive.

LadyRachelLynn said...

I like number 2! However, I agree with those who said that having something to highlight the title and author would be good.

Thanks for letting us say something about them. I'll be looking forward to it's appearance!

g8rlane said...

My vote is for #1
From a marketing standpoint, it jumps off the shelf and the bars at the top and bottom keep your eye IN the cover and not away to another book on the shelf.
Looks great! Congrats!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

#1 is my vote

Anonymous said...

Hi Jennifer...I prefer #1. I think that #2 looks too much like the oh so popular Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard books with the stripes. I think their stripes aren't as straight, but they definatley have a stripe theme going on with all their books.

You've obviously been working so hard on this. Congrat....I can't wait to buy the book!

Jessica said...

#1 definately

Meredith Peruzzi said...

Here's a mockup of the combination:
Both!

kbeeps said...

#1 all the way! can't wait till it's published!

Veggiemomx4 said...

stripes all the way! Love your blog Thank you from a fellow veg of children i have 4 girls and 2 are i school I have gotten many an idea from you. Thanks

vasilisa said...

I think stripes are too cluttered. I vote for the first one.

Val in the Rose Garden said...

I like the first one, but I am with the poster that said that the second one with the heavy purple bars would be perfect. I think the lines add interest, but make the script harder to read. Adding that little touch would be just wonderful.

I truly love your blog. I am not vegan, (home grown eggs and local bgh free cheese live very happily at our house) but your ideas are such an inspiration and your pictures are wonderful! Thank you for dedicating the time to share with us.

Val

Anonymous said...

You deserve a better book cover than either of these! Your site is beautiful. Your photos are beautiful. Parents will buy your book because they want something pure and simple -- so avoid junky typefaces and arbitrary colors on the cover. Choose a simple arrangement of type stripped over one big, beautiful photo -- even if you have to pay a professional food photographer. It will be worth it because this will impact your sales.

You have a great concept -- get a great book cover!
kittan

Candi said...

I vote for the first one! :P I like how the title stands out in it because of the purple bar.

It looks really fun! Congrats on putting it all together!

Anonymous said...

I like the second book, but would like the purple bars from the first.

I've really enjoyed reading your blog, and look forward to buying your book.

robiewankenobie said...

for what it's worth, i'm a graphic designer. i do a fair share of book covers...

i love the stripes, but they are, indeed, distracting. so, if it was taken down to about 50% or so? it might work.there's just a lot going on with the photos, and the added graphic element of the lines.


the top one? clear. appealing colors. nice font choices. I'd ditch the indent on the "more than 10 weeks" paragraph.

i CAN'T WAIT until this comes out! we start kindergarten this week, and could use some of your inspiration.

Leigh-AnneD said...

Number 2. Congratulations on the book!

Kelli said...

I vote for #1. I think the photos of your beautiful food stand out more without the background stripes. Best wishes!!
--kelli

Stefaneener said...

#1!!!

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