Nathan Lowell (he/him) on Nostr: The readers don't follow the guidelines. The guidelines help the author understand ...
The readers don't follow the guidelines.
The guidelines help the author understand what message a reader gets from the cover - usually unconsciously.
Space ship on the cover? SF
Elf, Dragon => Fantasy
Look at best seller list on any niche in Amazon. The color schemes, style of art, layout, color schemes will tell you what kind of book it is.
The trick - like with tropes - is figuring out how to stand out while still sending the message you want to give without becoming cliche.
The guidelines help the author understand what message a reader gets from the cover - usually unconsciously.
Space ship on the cover? SF
Elf, Dragon => Fantasy
Look at best seller list on any niche in Amazon. The color schemes, style of art, layout, color schemes will tell you what kind of book it is.
The trick - like with tropes - is figuring out how to stand out while still sending the message you want to give without becoming cliche.