Hi guys! Sorry for the late blog, travelling was rough. But in a nutshell, here are some topics I would be interested in pursuing:
- The visual design of popular fiction book covers: When it comes to books, the first thing that draws people in is the cover. I think it would be interesting to look at trends, standard templates, and different visual layout formulas of arguably popular book series (by sales) to see if there's any connection.
- Along those same lines, the construction of book titles: I'm sure we've all noticed that the previous years saw a rise in book titles that follow what I like to call the "A Bowl of Mac and Cheese" convention. Think A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, A Court of Thorns and Roses, House of Salt and Sorrows, A Song of Ice and Fire, etc. The interesting thing is that these books here span a wide range of years, so where did this naming convention come from? Is there a reason it's so popular? What is it about this naming convention that makes people want to pick up the book? I wonder if there is research into it. If not, then I could look at popular naming trends by year and see where that takes me, since the title of a book is either the first or second thing a person sees that draws their interest.
- I would also love to continue my music and rhetoric studies if that works. I think that I would go along the lines of music that is meant to represent something. For example, the artist Jvke has a song titled "this is what autumn sounds like." But what is it about the song that makes us think of autumn? The title? Or is it something deeper within the notation? Is it the harmonies? I think this line of thinking will pair well with the research I've already done in terms of traditional rhetorical strategies and music.
- If all else fails, I would be interested in the suggested topic of common mistakes in technical writing. I think this would be useful for me personally as I know I'm making mistakes somewhere. Studying what I could be doing wrong and where I can improve will be beneficial for everyone.
Those are some topics! Please let me know any that sound interesting to you. I would love some feedback. Thanks!
Frances,
ReplyDeleteI think the visual rhetoric of book cover designs is a super interesting topic. As the first thing the reader sees when deciding whether or not to open the book, the cover is very rhetorical. I know there are a ton of books that I probably would have loved, but I was put off by the picture on the front. Understanding better how decisions are made when it comes to book covers, as well as common themes in popular ones, would be very valuable research. What are some of the books you have in mind for this? Would you opt for researching a variety of very different books, or look at some from the same genre, author, or popularity spectrum?
I thought your music in rhetoric study from way back was super interesting, too. I love rhetorical theory and diving deep into metaphors and the nuanced aspects of language and emotion that play a role in rhetoric. It reminded me of that Disney movie Fantasia, where the entire thing is simply instrumental music and images. If that does not prove the rhetorical aspect of music, I don’t know what does.
Topic: Visual rhetoric of popular fiction book covers OR titles from the last 10 or so years.
ReplyDeleteGoal: Discover if there are certain trends or formats that are more effective at drawing the eye than others.
Questions: Are there certain elements a book cover OR title should have in order for it to be rhetorically enticing to its intended audience?
Type: Evaluative: What book covers OR title formats seem to draw the most attention based on sales?
Methods: Look at popular fiction book sales and identify the most well sold books within a set timeframe; Analyze their covers OR titles using basic principles of design, making note of anything interesting, such as trends.