Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Writery Wednesday's Cover Lovin'

I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE when a book cover corresponds with the contents in some way. For example: One of the ones I'm reading now, on the cover is the background art. There is a swirly thing in the middle that appears at the heading of each chapter. It's a stupid little thing that entertains me no end.

I just love when something inside the book corresponds well with the cover. If the cover is a metaphor for the theme or a character in the book, I love to figure it out. If there are swirly things all over the book and they appear in the novel itself, love it. Sabriel had those neat little signs at the heading of each chapter that were like the symbols she had to draw throughout the whole book. And how you get to see what Nix is describing when he tells us about the bells. Things like that.

On the opposite side, I HATE when the cover is wrong, doesn't have anything to do with the book, or anything! It is very very hard for me to forgive. It doesn't ruin the whole book or anything but it sure does taint it.

A book I read not too long ago described a male character and man, he was nice sounding! And generally, I overlook when a character doesn't look exactly like I picture. It's normal. BUT I can't overlook when a character is described with, oh lets say, shoulder length blonde shaggy hair, and the cover guy has short cropped, spikey hair. Ehem. Really?

You see the cover every single time you pick up the book. You relate the story you're reading to that cover every time you see it. How can it NOT correspond?

I have big dreams for a beautiful cover for INTO one day. Do you dream of your own covers too? 


< sketch I drew for INTO a while ago.



Do you have cover crushes? Some are amazing! Do you mind when a cover doesn't represent the novel well? Does it matter to you either way?


 Instead of NaNoWriMo this month, it has turned into CriParMo. Which stands for Critique Partner Month. I get the very great privileged to read not for just one writer but 2!! This thrills me.  I love it! I love to read and help and be amazed at amazingly talented people.


So that is how I will be occupying myself this month instead of working on my own stuff. Come end of November beginning of December I will be getting back to my own writing, working in the changes my own crit partner has found for me to make.

January I want to be able to send it off to a new pair of eyes. And hopefully a few months later I can be completely, 100% satisfied with INTO. SO, the tentative absolute finished date for INTO will be March. I only say that here, for you all to read, so I will stick to my plan and hopefully squash my inner procrastinator for a little while.


How's NaNo going for you so far? Are you making your own month instead of Nano this month? Editing, finishing, revising month for you?



I bought my cloak and tickets Monday. Just need a nice, quality mask for my Death Eater get-up to be finished! Unfortunately, I will be alone in my group of two as dressing up. My friend and movie partner wont be joining me. He is very tolerant of my need for dressing up (the Victoria costume for Twilight did nothing to deter him from my company.) but he doesn't participate. Boo.
 They said at the theater, they are selling out pretty quickly. So, I advise if you want to get in for the midnight show, you get the tickets soon!

And finally:


Okay, wait, this is last: So, I'm 1 follower away from having 1-freaking-hundred! I'm...flabbergasted, befuddled, woozlebanked...ok I made that one up but...whatever.

So, I don't say this to be all go me er nuttin' (that's Southern for I went to community college) I say it to wonder, what are you guy's favorite kinds of contests? Easy, mind-numbing just comment and you're in? Or an actual goal to accomplish to get entered?

AND would you rather have a gift card or straight books?

For my 100 contest, I want it to be something fun YOU guys decided on. After all, it is thanks to you I'm giving! So let me know your choices and I'll supply something great for you!


HERE is a post about Character Planning for all you NaNo-ers!

HERE is a great blog post on over-done and cliche novel stuffs by Sara @ Glass Cases(an associate literary agent at Curtis Brown, Ltd.)


Happy Writery Wednesday!

24 comments:

  1. I so dream about cover art. (sigh) It is one of the main reasons why I'd never consider self-publication (amongst a lot of other things). Part of my dream of publication is holding the book and admiring the art that went along with my story.

    The same goes for me with movies. I LOVE movies, and fantasize my stories being made into one. Some writers say they'd never like that because they change the story. Even having an interpretation of my story would be awesome, and seeing how the movie producers envisioned my characters in their mind when they put them on the screen.


    I'm not going to the midnight showing, as I'm taking my whole family. My youngest 2 kids would turn into pumpkins that that. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yay on another Crit Partner! So glad you are dedicating your month to CP's work. I need to get cracking on yours if we are turning them in in a couple weeks.

    And cover of books- I know exactly what you mean. I envision my covers all the time and hope it works out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cover art is very important to me. I'm always bummed when I see a cover for an anticipated book that doesn't hold up to what I'd hoped (or imagined). And I HATE it when I see a book cover I loathe and everyone talks about how fabulous the book is. It takes me a long time to pick it up.

    I dream about my own cover art. I always picture something dark and Tim Burton-esque. I'd be rather depressed if it was pink and happy. Ugh.

    I LOVE that people dress up for HP. I have a long black cloak that gets tons o' comments when I bust it out for premiers. But nothing got stares like my Draco t-shirt I sported last year. Yeah. I have a soft spot for villians too.

    Cheers!
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  4. Totally hear what you're saying about the cover. A lot of the popcorn authors don't seem to give it much thought. And the comedians use it as a glam piece. So few understand the true purpose of it. BTW...super psyched for HP. Are you going to post pics?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I totally judge books by their covers. And if the character is described as totally different from the character on the cover, I'm always unsettled. And I need to buy my Harry Potter tickets like right now! That sounds like so much fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm not NaNoing but I love your idea for critiquing! If only I had the time to work on my ms:(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congrats on 99 followers. About contests, it doesn't really matter ... gift cards or books ... both are good. Although, when I had my giveaway, it was for a gift card cause then I wouldn't have to worry about paying ridiculous shipping fees. Shipping in Korea is ridiculous.

    I totally dream of my cover. i don't understand people covers that don't match what anyone in the book looks like. I would think somone along the way would object. I know I would.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Here you go girl, I am your 100th follower. love your design etc. You can thank Ishta for sending me over here. Take a peak at my blog when you aren't busy NaNoing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats on reaching 100! Yay!

    I'm with you on covers. I hate when they get them wrong and the right cover really can make all the difference. I bought HUSH, HUSH on the cover alone.

    HARRY POTTER!!!! EEEP! I can't frickin' WAIT!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Covers are such tricky things! The hard part if the author usually doesn't have a whole lot of say about them... but I do love when the covers are 'right' for the book. I judge books by their covers, too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Writery Wednesday to you too!

    I also appreciate the little artwork you sometimes find inside a book. There's not enough of that! I know what really matters is the story, but the visuals sometimes help put you in the mood.

    I hope I love my cover. I had a dream that it was baby pink with girly lettering. Yeah, that was not a good dream (the book is a psychological thriller).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrats on nearly-100 followers, go you!!!

    Some covers are so gorgeous, I'd love to have one for my own one day :) Unfortunately, some just don't make sense in the context of the story, and you just go "What the???"

    Rach

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am totally with you on covers. I dream about mine all the time. I even sort of designed one for one of my books back in the day. Ha ha ha.

    I've got my tickets to the midnight show, and my friend always does a party before hand too, so I am ready for HP7!! Eek!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congratulations! And I always like gift cards. When in doubt, buy a gift card.
    And I prefer the covers match with the book. (I was really happy that my book's cover matched!)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I must admit I'm drawn to a book by its cover. My last book had a killer cover that I absolutely lovde. I'm extremely grateful to the artist. Sometimes an author lucks out. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love cover art. In Courtney Summers Fall for Anything, the pictures in the background are actually from the book. Love it!

    can't wait for Harry Potter. This kids are freaking--they are jazzed to go too. :)

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

    ReplyDelete
  17. Gosh cover art isn't really something I'd considered, I'm still at the bashing out the words stage. I guess I believed I wouldn't expect to have much say in the matter I have been afraid to consider it. Thought provoking. I'm excited about HP too. :O)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love covers, but I don't get too attached as I know I'll have very little say if I ever get to that point.

    This month is all about editing, which is what it was last year at this time. Maybe next tim I'll be done editing and just want to write.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi! I totally love covers... and I also love it when the interior book design totally meshes with the cover.

    Your contest sounds fun.... yay!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ohhh.. I hear you! I totally love covers, especially the ones that have a deeper meaning, and you need to interpret them.

    I think about mine all the time too! :)

    NaNo isn't going too badly, but I think I cheated a little because technically I started my heavy writing on October 18th... but 30 days is 30 days right? I'll just need to finish earlier too ;)

    ReplyDelete
  21. SABRIEL cover = awesome. Favorite book ever. Favorite cover ever.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I get kind of cross when covers don't match up. I've been known to pay a little extra for the version of the cover I really love.

    (And you're over 100 followers now, congrats!)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm all about HP!!! Woohoo! You know I would have been there to dress up! To bad we don't live closer to one another (total let down)

    I joined NaNo and just passed the 50K mark today! Feeling on top of the world!

    ReplyDelete

Say Something! I reply via email only.