That old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" is bunk. Everybody judges a book by its cover. People always have, and nowadays, it is imperative to have a high-quality cover to stand out. It clues your readers into the genre and subgenre of your book.
I think today's generation is much more focused on the craft of writing, which is why there was that MFA explosion about ten years ago. There are so many great writers in myriad genres. The competition is fierce. Everybody wants to get an edge.
Don’t get obsessed with publishing. Take the time to write the stories you want to read and keep polishing them. Don’t get caught up on what is trending in the world of publishing. Your true style will not develop unless you write what you are passionate about and keep polishing it. Now having said that, I do think it is important to read extensively. It feeds your craft. You may have a favorite author and a preferred genre, but I encourage everybody to move beyond their comfort zone. Time and again, I have picked up golden nuggets of wisdom from reading outside of my genre.
