This week, while I am taking a quick break with the family, I am calling on the authors to work together with each other. During the SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE SERIES we will focus on a single issue each day and share how individual authors deal with some of those troubling issues in writing and publishing. Hopefully each day authors will be able to walk away with a new approach to writing, while at the same time, sharing with others things that have helped them in the past.
It is my hope that both published and unpublished authors help out! You know the success you get when you provide suggestions and get feedback from your critique groups. Now we are doing it on a larger scale.
The topic for today is:
Today's discussion should be a great tool for all of those publishers out there doing their market research. We want to know today what approach you as readers take to decide on what book you want to read next? Title? Author? Sexy Cover? I think this one is really important considering the number of books available out there in the digital realm. What is it that makes you think, maybe this book. Be as specific as possible here. Again, this is market research for you editors and publishers out there!
I've been re-reading books lately so the cover doesn't really matter. It can be difficult to find a new book I like so I try to assess it through the 'look inside' feature and the reviews in advance. I'll go to some trouble to track down a book by a particular author. I'm re-reading Helen Forrester at the moment and I've ordered one used from the U.K. Also the Cadfael series--the covers have varied. I've been thinking of re-reading 'A Suitable Boy' which I remember enjoying. The most helpful feature would be an honest assessment by a reader or editor: 'If you liked that book, you will enjoy this one.' I respect the blurbs that come right out and state 'graphic sex and violence' so at least I'll know it's not for me.
ReplyDeleteCovers always catch the eye first, but it's the story summary that tempts me or turns me off. If it sounds too much like a clone of several other books, yeah, probably not going to pick it up. Subjectivity is a huge deal. I look for elements I like to read; plot and characterization. Am I interested in the subject matter? Does the setting sound intriguing? Do the characters sound like people/creatures I'd want to spend time with? I couldn't care less about the high-concept gimmick that is being plugged as the hook. Those things don't hook me.
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