Writing & Publishing in Malaysia, Part II:
Local bloggers can be of the gregarious sort. After Lydia’s book talk (read Part I here), we flocked together like literary pigeons of the heroic persuasion (one must be to brave the notorious Sunday-Midvalley-plus-last-minute-Chinese-New-Year-shopping traffic) and chittered away. Packing up, we descended upon the sanctuary of most Malaysian shopaholics: the Food Court.
We being Lydia, her son Tze Ren (his older siblings escaped to do some shopping/lepak-ing of their own), Eric, Spiffy and myself. Lydia graciously got us refreshments and off we went - after all, what do litbloggers do but blog talk about writing and reading?
Yet again, the conversation steered towards the marketing of books, especially the local variety. It is understood that there may not be much budget for advertising and promotion, so what else can the author do? I believe education is the key. The more aware the reader (and potential buyer) is of the book, the higher the chances he/she will pick it off the shelf.
One area that has been often neglected here would be the book cover itself. Lydia mentioned that many of her readers liked her new book’s cover - illustrated in a humourous style, like the book - but one or two of her readers said they’d prefer a more serious cover. Of course, the cover must be relevant to the content/tone of the book, but does that always sell? Take these two covers below, for example:
The cover on the left is the US cover; the other is the UK edition. Which draws you in immediately? Is it the one that looks like an Amish grandmother’s ancient cookbook, or the other one, which promises sex, secrets, and all things scandalous? I won’t discuss Jim Crace’s book here for those who have not read it; that’s not the point. The casual bookstore visitor won’t dig into the content, what catches the eye matters first.
Ideally, the cover should reflect the gory innards of the book itself. I remember when Tash Aw’s novel The Harmony Silk Factory first came out. I saw the cover for like five seconds, then moved on to the next one on the shelf. This happens all the time. Then he won the Whitbread First Novel Award.
To reflect this new status, a fresh cover was designed. This one wasn’t just more attractive, it was a visual sledgehammer to the reader’s brain: this is sensual, this is exotic, this is mysterious, and thanks to the clear, prominent heading announcing that it just won an award, this is important.
So, which book cover seduces you? Tell me, tell me…
N.B. This isn’t a Valentine’s Day post (indeed, I went rather anti-V-Day last week) but that isn’t to say I don’t have a date tonight, ahem. O I’ll eat my own words any day for an evening out with the very vision of loveliness…
31 Comments
i wud havta agree with ya Kenny, the UK cover of Jim Crace looks so much alluring..so is the new cover for Tash Aw’s book. but i guess i wud’ve gotten Tash’s 1st edition anyway because of the reviews i’ve read in the papers..;o)
Thank God i din write any anti-V-Day post on my blog..i NEARLY wrote one a few hours ago. =P
Another good post. Cover designs are really important. Both the covers on the right are better. They grab you and make you pick up the book. Alas, authors usually don’t have much say in this issue. Sure we can give our suggestions but the final decision still lies with the publisher.
At my earlier book talk at One-U, the members of the audience also agreed that the packaging is very important i.e. cover design, layout etc.
Have a nice evening.
Spiffy,
As we discussed earlier, sometimes even good reviews aren’t enough to persuade the finicky reader. Tash Aw’s new cover really grabbed my attention: the allure of the mystical East (and not in the old colonial-style either). Something fresh. An anti-typical-Chinese-lady-on-the-cover yet retaining much of the same designs on the buyer’s eye.
Lydia,
Spiffy and I even reviewed your book covers tonight. How the latest cover, with its catchy yet Malaysian-specific title and the obviously humourous illustrations sends an immediate message to the book buyer: “This is Malaysian lah, and very funny wan. Buy and read lah!”
Also, on how you have been working really hard to promote your book, which I would argue (but not at length here, wait for Part III) is part of the author’s responsibility as well. At one point in the night, we compared you to Tom Cruise (the amazing work ethic that is, not the jump-on-coach-itis).
So dinner was very serious serious one. No hanky or panky, I assure you…
maybe you can now write about your date..?
yeah, if u were to compare both covers of cuz Tash Aw’s second cover is so much more attention grabbing…i guess the 1st one is more ermm..how shud i put it..old skool kinda cover..hahah…
yeah..Lydia..it was definitely serious talks.. no nonsense whtsoever…but nevertheless, very eye opening for me..our topics of conversation i mean…;o)i had to say it’s much better than staying home and feeling single..lolzz…=D
zewt,
You are very persistent, ja? Perhaps I’ll write about it a bit in my next post. After all we did discuss book/publishing related issues (like Spiffy mentioned, not lovey-dovey at all lah).
Spiffy,
Yes, but sometimes even with the good covers we need a second glance to appreciate them. That was certainly the case with me. I can certainly forgive my friends who downloaded Broken Mornings just for the girl on the cover, haha.
ahh..but then again…not every one knows that sumtimes books have different covers..unless they happened to bump into a different cover of the book. i for one din noe that Tash Aw had a new cover out..until u mentioned it. heheh…;o)
True, and then there’s always a differing US and UK cover that gets published at the same time. A year or so later, when the paperback comes out, there will be (usually) a different cover than the hardback. Multiply this by two (US vs. UK), and a successful book would have at least four covers in its lifespan.
This is not counting translations into other languages (German, French, Chinese, etc.) which necessitates new covers with translated titles. (Oh, can you imagine the Melayu version? “Dapur Syaitan” … Hey, that’s actually good!)
Then if it becomes a classic like the stuff we have to read for literature, you guessed it: more covers!
Kenny, Spiffy, sure or not, I was the main topic of conversation? When I think of Tom Cruise, I think of Mission Impossible, nothing else, other than the fact that he’s very handsome (but short). And lately, of the birth of Suri, where Katie’s not supposed to scream during labour pain.
Having different covers for different countries : that’s what local authors dream about when - or if - they make it to internationaldom.
Kenny, how to put the banner up on the sidebar? Couldn’t figure out how to do it.
Just bought a copy of Lydia’s new book. Couldn’t help smiling at the cover. It would be more interesting if some comics are included in the book. Maybe we should have a coolaboration between Reggie Lee & Lydia?
I do agree about the part on book covers. I usually buy books with really intriguing titles and colourful covers if i don’t know the authors well.
I actually prefer Lydia’s “Life’s Like That” cover… not sure why, maybe Honks cover reduces her to a cartoon character!
Just trying to finalise my 44 Cemetery Road cover. The art work that came out of MPH didn’t work for me. I think they’re going to go ahead with what I propose which is basically a black and white photo and a bit of blood on the top!
Lydia,
I guess books and writing were the major topics of conversation, and you fall in these categories real well.
Personally, I feel having different covers may help sell the books better since every market has different responses, different needs.
For the side banner, I will email you directly since my explanation may be a tad technical, okay?
Kooi Eng,
Yes, I believe Lydia would be most interested in this proposal. Reggie Lee, you reading this?
While it may not always return a good read, this strategy of buying books with intriguing covers and titles, I’d say it’s a good bet. I do it too because it exposes me to authors I would otherwise not discover.
Tunku,
Oh but she is as colourful as one, don’t you agree? (Lydia, don’t kill me for saying this, ya.)
I’m excited to see what your new collection looks like. I’ve been discussing book cover design a lot of late. Maybe I should freelance designing book covers for local authors, like Spiffy suggests.
We would need to have more local books coming out, though… (Mr. Forbes, you reading this, heh heh heh.)
Kenny, as colourful as a cartoon character - I’ll take that as a compliment. You should give book cover designing a try. From what I can see, you have an artistic bent. Why don’t you approach Eric. For a start, you may have to provide a piece gratis
Tunku Halim, interesting that you should mention this. Another reader, a grandpa, doesn’t like the cartoonish cover of Honk! either. But the younger folks generally have been very impressed with it. Xeus’s agent said he remembers the cover of Life’s Like That because it was striking. From this I conclude that the cover of Honk! appeals to the younger generation while Life’s is more appreciated by the mature group.
Kooi Eng, I actually proposed a collaboration with Reggie on another project but he turned it down due to time constrain.
Kooi Eng, thanks for buying my book. Hope you enjoy reading it. The coming festive holidays should give you plenty of time to read. Don’t forget to show it off to visitors, yeah? Hopefully, with some good words from you, they’ll be persuaded to get their own copy. Kenny, sorry for blatant self-promo in your space.
Lydia,
Oh think nothing of it. I believe I do plenty of self-promo everywhere for myself, and sometimes for others too. I just love marketing, so simply give me a product and I want to make people want it…
Maybe I should keep track of how many people I’ve personally “persuaded” to get your book in person. So far, no complaints, only compliments. I guess the two of us are safe in that regard, lah.
And should Eric or anyone else ask me to design a book cover, I certainly would not say no. Gratis? I’ll even do it for free! (Okay, okay, that was lame, I know.)
Tunku and Lydia, I guess I belong to that so-called younger generation; I really do prefer her new book cover to the older ones. Maybe she should consider being like Terry Pratchett and J.K.Rowling - have one cover for the young’uns and another for the more mature market.
I’d love to design for the sexyhootchiemama market (as my friend Leen puts it).
wow the 2nd cover so sexy wan la! apa dalam mulut tu?
I’m assuming you’re talking about the 2nd cover for The Devil’s Larder, for I can only guess at what’s in the mouth of Tash Aw’s come-hither-glance-mysterious-mystical lady. (And what a naughty guess it would be too!)
The answer would be: berries. (Whether they be blackberries or blueberries I can’t be certain, but that’s hardly the issue here.) Berries squish most nicely in one’s mouth, and as the juice drip down slowly, the effect can be rather, uhm, well, erotic.
(Or just plain messy lah, depending on whose mouth it’s dripping from.)
Good coverage of the issue, Kenny! (pun intended) You forgot to mention your own book cover. I think it is very enticing as well. Makes me wonder what the girl on the cover is thinking of…
Let me assure you that I’ve been guilty of worse puns than that, Richard.
Glad you like the cover of Broken Mornings. Most people notice the girl on the cover first rather than the stories themselves! It’s been a good exercise in knowing what attract readers’ attention.
Nonetheless, I’m happy with that since I did the design myself. Either way, I’m pleased. But, er, for those of you who downloaded it for the pretty chickadee on the cover, can try read the stories inside too, ah?
Please?
You did the cover yourself? I’m impressed! Like I said before, the stories ARE GOOD. You should get them published for real.
Yup, Richard, everything but the original photograph, which was taken by Evan Welsch. But trust me, the simpler the cover, the more effort went into making it. I Photoshopped the heck out of it before I was happy with the end result.
As for getting my stories published “for real”, I’m trying, brother, believe me, I’m trying.
Heyz Kenny!
Do you know? I have a fren which has the exact same name as you! At first I thought you were him, I almost email him instead.
Anyway, I wasn’t the one who borrowed u the pen because I was not near there at that time, but still listening to the book talk.
If you see the photo properly, the one taken with Lydia Teh and MPH staff, I was hidden behind the shelf behind you guys, only part of my face can be seen.
Heya MunyeE,
You have a friend called Kenny Mah as well? Really? I’m gonna have to sue him for plagiarism then, hahah.
Yeah, I did think the girl didn’t look too much like your photo on your blog, but hard to tell either way, since the photo is rather blurred.
Well, glad you’re a bookaholic too and hope to catch up with you properly at future events!
Kenny,
Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great Chinese New Year!
Kenny - great work on the “Broken Mornings” cover. The cover alone makes the work publishable!
Lydia - yes I’m now part of the grandpa generation!
Wonda,
Happy Chinese New Year to you too! Must be a very different experience there in Japan; I wonder if they have mandarin oranges and pineapple tarts?
Tunku,
Thanks for your kind compliments! Now I’m looking for other covers to design… *hint, hint*
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