As an ex-literature student, book cover snobbery is (unfortunately) ingrained in me. There's something about a quasi-historical novel with a shirtless, rippling-abbed man that makes me physically recoil – but I'm here to reform. As creatives, it's natural that we judge a book by its cover, but there comes a point where book snobbery can hold us back from the simple pleasures of reading.
Designing a contemporary book cover can be difficult as trends are constantly cycling in and out of relevance. It seems book covers are getting increasingly formulaic thanks to movie adaptations, minimalist design trends and genre conventions, creating a generic design plague in bookshops across the globe. Some designs are timeless, some are fleeting and some will always be schlocky but without being too sickly, it's what's inside that counts.
