subject: Your Magazine Cover Lines [print this page] Your Magazine Cover Lines: Some Tips Your Magazine Cover Lines: Some Tips
1. Energize Your Cover Lines. A rule of good ad writing is to bring in the reader, to imply the "you." For this reason, drop the "ings" wherever possible. Make your cover lines active, directive, imperative, not passive and indirect.
Instead of saying "Directing Your Own Movie" say "Direct Your Own
Movie". Don't say "Enjoying Your Summer"tell your readers to "Enjoy Your Summer."
2. Your Cover Lines Must be Legible. Remember these cover lines need to be seen from where the browser stands, six to ten feet from the rack. Can your lines be read from there? If not, use size, type font, color and contrast to make them more legible.
If the value, or shade, of your cover line is too close to the value or shade of the background or surrounding image, it will not be legible. If you have to add an outline or drop shadow to make your cover lines legible, you are already in trouble. Instead, use contrast and type size to make these lines stand out.
If you make one change in your cover process, make it this one: take your cover, before it is finalized, down to your local newsstand and put it up. Walk away (the requisite six to ten feet) turn around, and look for it. You know where you put it! Does it jump right out at you? Or do you have to scan the rack to find it? If you can't find it in less than six seconds, neither will your newsstand customer.
For more tips, visit: http://www.singlecopysales.com/covers/
