Just came across this, reproduced in the W&A Yearbook Guide to Getting Published. Scott Pack, whose blog that is, used to be chief buyer at Waterstone's.

Enjoy!

I have to agree with him. I can spot a self-published cover a mile off - as can most people. However, it's often not the image used, but the font.

I've just been on Facebook, looking at an author's page which used a book cover for the profile image. The image was fine. The font screamed self-published.

A friend also self-published. She asked me what I thought of her cover and I suggested she changed the font. Comic Sans is not a good look for a cover, nor for anything other than children's school work. But Comic Sans it is, because she likes it.

I agree with his comment about editing too. If I ever took the self-publishing route, I would pay to have my work edited. Not only because I have respect, but what if one day I finally get published and someone locates my unedited rubbish on the internet.

<Added>

Just noticed it was written before the Kindle/epublishing took off - but the message is still valid.

Love the author asking if the blog posting relates to him, then linking to this:
http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/2007/02/muslim_toast.html

Hi Sharley - I agree about the font.

Joel Friedlander is a book designer and runs a competition for e-book covers, and comments on many of the entries, which is very interesting. Here's the March 2012 competition and, like you say, fonts! Fonts!

Thanks for pointing out that link, which I hadn't followed - what a great story!