Please LOGIN or Join PatternReview

Go to Page: 1 of 52 of 53 of 54 of 55 of 5

Buying A Book -- What do you want to know before you commit?
Lady_Mame Intermediate WA USA Member since 3/11/07 Posts: 2074	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 11/18/11 3:54 PM Okay, so in my other life... I'm a first-time author. I am NOT selling well. What do you readers want to know before you even give a book the time of day? What do you want to know before you buy? I like a word-of-mouth recommendation, but I know those aren't as easy to get these days. Does a book review blog with a good review stand in for that? Does the book need to have a lot of reviews? If you have money for one book, what makes you choose one over the other if it's an author you've never tried out before? (ETA: before anyone asks, yes, sewing features prominently in one of my titles!) -- Edited on 11/18/11 3:57 PM -- ------ Needle Needle Straight and Slim, Dust and Sweep the House for Him! --Grimm Fairy Tales
quiltingwolf Advanced MD USA Member since 12/15/02 Posts: 5023	Login to reply to this post In reply to Lady_Mame Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:02 PM I read quite a lot. And mostly get my books from the library. I will usually only buy books that are what I call keepers. That I will re-read. What draws me in is first genre if it's one I read, then word of mouth. I belong to groups on facebook and etc with like minded readers so get a lot of recommendations from that. I only read fiction mostly romance. I have read everything but right now stuck on that. What is your book? ------ quiltingwolf.blogspot.com
whirrclunk Beginner UNITED KINGDOM Member since 8/24/08 Posts: 207	Login to reply to this post In reply to Lady_Mame Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:07 PM I hope that your sales will soon change! Is the book fiction or non-fiction? I buy a book by an author that I haven't tried before, and that has not been recommended to me if: - It's in a genre that I know I enjoy - It looks enjoyable/informative/useful/easy to follow (based on my personal preferences, and I don't always get it right) - If I'm in a bookshop, I will read half a page or more to see if I like the style/understand the explanation etc - If I'm online, I will read reviews. I don't need many, and I have bought online books without reviews, recommendation or any other information, but only if they were inexpensive. Are enough potential readers coming across your book for reviews to make a difference? Are you selling paper copies, or electronic, or both?
poorpigling Advanced TX USA Member since 12/28/07 Posts: 10061	Login to reply to this post In reply to Lady_Mame Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:07 PM Hmm. I don't know much about writing books really.. but I do know a bit about buying them.. Over time my tastes have matured a bit.. but I still read my Nancy Drews over and over.. so perhaps I am not the one to advise here.. For me.. when I go to buy a book.. and I am addressing a book of fiction here.. not non fiction. I look for a storyline that addresses something I might have a common interest in.. such as a murder mystery that is set in a small town .. I adore small towns.. or surrounding an antique store.. I adore antiquing. Or one based around my other hobbies such as sewing.. I also want some depth to it.. some realism.. not just goody goody boy meets girls stuff.. I just read those on vacation.. Now this is me personally.. but I don't like drawn out sex scenarios .. I will read books with that writing in them.. otherwise I would miss out on a lot of books. but I do skip over those parts.. and prefer authors that leave out that stuff. However I am sure I an in a minority there. Once I find an author I like I read all there books.. However with some authors you can almost see their storylines coming. as they can tend to repete themselves much in the way they write...as well as storylines.. I would site Danielle Steele as an example there. or even the Nancy Drews.. And all of the girl meets boy stuff.. Good luck btw. If I came across your book I would probably buy it.. so publicity pays off in knowing about the book in the first place.. Free publicity is hard to come by when you are a new author..
quiltingwolf Advanced MD USA Member since 12/15/02 Posts: 5023	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:18 PM Also when someone I "know" tells me they wrote book I want to read for just knowing the author. Another skill I lack weaving tales people would actually want to read. So I have the up most respect for authors. T me they are rock stars and I'm still dying to meet Stephen King. My Sil is an VP at Random House. ------ quiltingwolf.blogspot.com
Lady_Mame Intermediate WA USA Member since 3/11/07 Posts: 2074	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:25 PM Can I post it here? That seems like commercial interest.... I don't want to break anything here as I am a long time member and care about the quality..... Maybe you could just email me: esvsteamship -- I'ma yahooligan, if you get my driftJust put "Interested in Book" in the subject :) ------ Needle Needle Straight and Slim, Dust and Sweep the House for Him! --Grimm Fairy Tales
Lady_Mame Intermediate WA USA Member since 3/11/07 Posts: 2074	Login to reply to this post In reply to quiltingwolf Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:26 PM Can ask if you read "standard" romance or paranormal romance, light 'n fluffy, darker and edgier? I mean, romance is a HUUUUGE category! ------ Needle Needle Straight and Slim, Dust and Sweep the House for Him! --Grimm Fairy Tales
Mufffet   Intermediate VT USA Member since 8/14/05 Posts: 8925	Login to reply to this post In reply to Lady_Mame Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:27 PM Why not put a link to your book/s at AMAZON in a classified - people do that to eBay all the time for sewing machines.....;) ------ "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama I have sewing machines
quiltingwolf Advanced MD USA Member since 12/15/02 Posts: 5023	Login to reply to this post In reply to Lady_Mame Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:31 PM like everything but the light and fluffy stuff but can read that if it's well written. I need it to seem real. I do like the paranormal stuff a lot. Probably my favorite right now and Scottish historicals. ------ quiltingwolf.blogspot.com
Lady_Mame Intermediate WA USA Member since 3/11/07 Posts: 2074	Login to reply to this post In reply to whirrclunk Like this post Date: 11/18/11 4:39 PM Thank you Whirrclunk (I know that noise.....) I misstated something -- I have two books out but this is my first year of being an author, and so it's definitely "first time" jitters, if you know what I mean. Mea culpa! However, both are fiction. One is a story about growing up in Spokane, living with a neo-hippieish mom and a dad with issues. It's a dead ringer for a classic come of age novel. The other is an alternative history action/adventure with some uh... mature themes. I don't think I can compare it to anything on the market that I personally have read. I will say this, on Amazon you can read the first two chapters, (length seems to vary). So the "read it an see" approach works. But, it is in an awful lot of competition for people's time. The coming-of-age story is only available as an ebook due to cover art issues that should be resolved in a couple of months. In the meantime, it's a cheap read at 1.99. It has also been reviewed thrice, once at Barnes and Noble, and once at Amazon and once in a blog. The other one -- the action adventure has been reviewed once on Amazon and is available as either a large paperback, or as an ebook. Again, 1.99 as an ebook. ------ Needle Needle Straight and Slim, Dust and Sweep the House for Him! --Grimm Fairy Tales

Go to Page: 1 of 52 of 53 of 54 of 55 of 5

Please LOGIN or Join PatternReview

Printable Version

* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.