[ePub] Bad Dream Entertainment

I'll write a reply here about the short story angle as soon as I get a reply to a short story from these guys.

Their book royalty scheme is 'before expenses', so that's good, at least.

Their first book--a story collection--is actually supposed to come out today...although judging by the cover, like many new publishers they've yet to master the skill of making book designs with big, instantly readable names of author and book, instead of fuzzy arty stuff no one can read. Or make appropriate pricing choices, but that's subjective.

BTW they're not accepting new submissions until Sept 1st.

I wandered over to look at the cover. It's actually not horrible, but it does need fixing to be thumbnail-friendly. More definition in the images. Author name needs to be a larger and bolder font. If they're keeping the title font it needs to be larger and brighter.

New pubs! Digital first pubs! No one cares what your book looks like in print, whether it's POD or offset. They care what it looks like in thumbnail image, for online sales platforms or distributor catalogs. Hint: if the image looks good in thumbnail, it will probably be riveting full size.

Filigree said:

New pubs! Digital first pubs! No one cares what your book looks like in print, whether it's POD or offset. They care what it looks like in thumbnail image, for online sales platforms or distributor catalogs. Hint: if the image looks good in thumbnail, it will probably be riveting full size.

Click to expand...

Seconded!

New pubs! Digital first pubs! Look at existing published covers of successful books and copy the size ratios. Do not try to be amazingly revolutionary in ways which make people skip over to the next thing.
The audience is not captive. It has a choice and moves along quickly if its interest is not held.
Interest is not held through design alone. The audience is not design students. The audience is readers. Readers orient themselves through reading.
Help them orient themselves. Through reading. Make those letter big and fat and in your face. In the 21st century, especially in the digital book market, everything must be readable in thumbnail size.

I don't know the metrics in book marketing, but in art gallery/trade show settings we have between three and ten seconds for viewers to scan a wall or booth. If we catch their attention, we might be lucky to get a minute or two of active browsing or focus.

I can't think it's much different for online catalogs.