2

By Paul Biba

The following is reprinted, with permission from the author, from Polish writer Piotr Kowalczyk’s site. This post fits in quite nicely, and purely by chance, with the post below from cnet on ebook covers. You should check Piotr’s site, as some of the covers are very good:

Picture 1.pngThere is a lot of complaining about how badly electronic books are designed. It’s true that 90% of e-book designs are crap. Most designers can tell you that. Probably exactly the same thing they say about paper books. The only difference is that in case of p-books they sometimes spot and share a good stuff.

When we talk about e-books the one single design association is a mix of white background, smiling photostock figure and a huge “how-to” title. Does that mean, that well designed e-books don’t exist? And this is what really bothers me: recognized, experienced book designers either ignore e-books or reject them.

Please stop it. Open your imagination to e-books. There is a lot to be done. 90% of designs are waiting to be improved. This would be much better, if we all start to find and share great, inspiring examples of e-book design. I have a perfect collection to start with. Fiction e-book covers designed by Paul John Lyon. They’re amazing. Look at them. What’s even more exciting is that PJ Lyon is a self-published fiction writer. The one, who represents the best of what author 2.0 can give: passion to create a book at every possible level.

Yes, yes, some designers probably doubt: can a cover designed by a writer be good at all? Well, definitely yes. Just the same as the book written by a designer

Detail: Yes, Piotr’s the author of Password Incorrect.

 
2