Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover:
Asexual Poetry by Illeana Voicu
Let's face it: not every writer is a graphic designer, and hiring one can be expensive. So, while the saying goes "don’t judge a book by its cover," we all know we do it anyway. Why? Because humans are wired to make quick judgments based on visual cues. A book's cover is the first interaction we have with it, giving an immediate impression.
Visuals are powerful; they evoke emotions, set the tone, and create expectations for the reading experience. So yes, a cover does matter. It’s rooted in our need for quick, efficient decision-making.
I recently picked up a chapbook that I thought could use a little design help.
Asexual Poetry (but I am trauma dumping) by Illeana Voicu
Why This Chapbook?
I chose this book for two reasons:
First, the title: “(but I am trauma dumping)” immediately set the tone for me. It’s giving raw, real emotions—my kind of poetry. That subtitle turned what could have been a 3-star book into a 5-star read for me because it set realistic expectations. So, kudos to the poet!
Second, the background color—lavender. Purple is a significant part of the asexual pride flag, symbolizing community and the inclusiveness of the asexual spectrum. This tells me that there was some thought that went into this cover. I love that and realized the potential that this book cover could have.
Redesigning the Cover
I’m new to designing book covers, but here’s my take:
Highlighting Asexual Pride Colors
I started with the colors of the asexual flag: black, grey, white, and purple. These colors already have significant meaning, so no need to reinvent the wheel. Here’s the palette breakdown:
- Black: Represents asexuality itself, symbolizing the absence of sexual attraction.
- Grey: Represents grey-asexuality and demi-sexuality, acknowledging the spectrum of experiences between asexuality and sexuality.
- White: Represents sexuality, contrasting with black to highlight the range of sexual orientations.
- Purple (Lavender): Represents community, symbolizing unity and inclusiveness of asexual people.
Design Process
I started by placing the author’s name in black on the bottom right corner, keeping the sans serif font for a clean look. I wanted to keep the layout of the title and author’s name similar to what the author intended.
Next, I played with the flag stripes, angling them for a dynamic feel. To represent the fluid nature of asexuality, I thought about the poems I read and how the book started… It got me thinking and I added thinner lines, flipping them upside down and making them uneven purposely to show the different paths asexuality can take throughout one’s life.
The Title
I wanted the “a” in the title to stand out, symbolizing asexuality while reminding us that being asexual doesn’t mean you don’t love or desire love. Additionally, I wanted the “a” to symbolize humility, subtlety, and the unique, and sometimes quiet nature of asexuality, to do this I used a lowercase “a”. I split the colors between black and grey with a white heart in the middle.
The sexual part of the word is in white against a lavender background, symbolizing non-asexual partners. The word “poetry” is outlined in purple. And for balance, I wrote the subtitle in grey.
What Do You Think?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this redesign! Does it resonate with you? Let’s discuss this in the comments!
PS: If you are the author please get in touch with me. I’d love to hear your thoughts.