Do you know the title of the best-selling book of all time?
I won’t keep you guessing.
It’s the Holy Bible. The HOLY BIBLE!
Of the dozens of versions of the Bible I've owned, one thing has been consistent—the cover. It contains two words and a plain background.
How can a book with a plain cover and only two words sell over 5 billion copies worldwide?
I’ll tell you.
Its contents, not the cover, attract people!
Yes, it is important to have something to catch a reader’s eye, but it’s more important to capture their attention and keep them glued to the pages as they read.
The contents of the Bible have transformed people, made them better human beings, and changed their life circumstances. The stories have moved them to tears, made them laugh, or inspired them to do more.
Many Christians and non-Christians alike visited the cities, villages, and countries mentioned in the Bible. They have walked the paths, climbed the mountains, toured the ruins, and entered the churches to see if they can feel the spirit of God more intimately because of the connection they have to the words within the cover. And we all know someone who reminds us of the characters in the Bible. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a non-Christian person call someone else a Judas! Whether or not you attend church, you probably know what that means!
Okay, okay. It's easy to choose the Bible as an example, but what about A Tale of Two Cities? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Did you know the second most popular book sold is "Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung," and the original has a simple leather cover with raised lettering? Somehow, it sold 1.1 billion copies and is the second-best-selling book of all time!
The point is that a pretty cover doesn't equate to a good book. It helps if you have a stunning cover and good content, but if anything is true, spend your money developing a book that people want to read, not use as decoration.