By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
As an author, I like to keep up with the latest marketing trends in the book publishing industry. I recently read through an article that talked about the importance of a book’s cover and how it relates to book sales. The article explained that if a cover is not striking enough to draw attention, it will be passed over for something more interesting on the shelf. Covers offer potential readers an idea of what they will encounter if they were to actually read your book. According to the article, if a cover is sloppy or unappealing, it greatly impacts the sales of that particular book.
When it comes to people, we are told to not judge a book by its cover. Yet it seems that our brains automatically default to this setting, making judgment calls based on appearances alone.
When someone looks dirty and unkempt, we automatically assume they have low income. When a person is dressed provocatively, we assume they are immoral. If a person wears a cross around their neck, we spontaneously assume they must be virtuous.
Especially when it comes to people, we can’t judge a book by its cover because people are more than one dimension. What we see on the outside it not the summation of who they are on the inside… which, by the way, is the most important part.
At the very least, two factors must be added into the equation before we form an opinion—a person’s mind and spirit.
In addition, we need to recognize that sometimes people don a façade to intentionally mislead others into believing what they want them to believe. (Been there, done that.) Unfortunately, it is only when we take time to truly know a person that we realize this fact.
Anytime we make assumptions about a person based on what we see on the outside, we are dismissing an opportunity to learn what he or she is all about.
Anyone can create a fancy cover with intriguing headlines and subtitles. But just like any book, we can’t know the content if we don’t take the time to open up and read what’s inside.
Be intentional. Take time to get to know people.
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2)
Despite what the article says, try not to judge a book by its cover.
