Reader Research #3: What can we learn from our readers? (Male, 20-30 yrs)

I asked 6 readers what they shop for on Amazon.com when looking for e-books for their Kindle.Here's what reader number three had to say:BIO: this reader was a 20-30 year old male with an interest in military and history books. I did not gain any further information.When asked what this reader usually looks at online, he advised cover design, book description and book reviews, stating 'whatever looks good' when asked why. 'Usually I pick up a book by how it looks and the description, I don't look at the publisher.'He then went on to advise me his favourite genres are Military or historical. 'I enjoy this particular subject due to hobbies', he said. He does not have a favourite author because he reads more reference and non-fiction books.He also said that he is 'not bothered about verified reviews as long as they seem genuine. I feel like you can tell when a review is fake'. However, he will only occasionally recommend a book on social media when it's something special or 'has something out of the norm'.I then brought up the subject of self-published books and their appearence online. He said he can tell when a book is indie because the price is odd or the book is free/ always very cheap. He had nothing further to say when asked how indies can change a negative opinion of self-publishing.To end the interview, I asked if he would be put off by bad language and violence in a book, to which he replied, 'No, long as it's not just for effect and over used. Bad language is a part of life as long as it's in context.'What did I learn from this interview? What can indie writers take from this reader's feedback?I wasn't sure how much of this interview I could use, as at the moment I am only writing fiction. However, in the near future I hope to write a book on how to write fiction, so when re-reading, I imagined that book was already on the shelves and here's what I learned.This is another reader who shops by what looks good rather than who is behind the book's production. Book cover design, description and reviews are the first things this reader sees and goes by, mentioning nothing about sample chapters or publisher/ author name.Although he isn't usually bothered if a review shows 'verified' on Amazon, he does feel that fake reviews are easily identifiable, which stresses the importance of legitimate reviews when it comes to indie publishing. Personally I still feel that verified purchases tend to receive more attention, but that doesn't mean to say the reader didn't purchase the book elsewhere and decide to review on Amazon - after all, most buyers go there these days. I also think verified reviews don't necessarily mean the reader paid for the book (free downloads are included). This, to me, doesn't seem any different to sending out free copies in echange for honest reviews. However, always keep Amazon's policy in mind.Again, it was pointed out to me that indie books are identifiable by the price. If the price is odd, perma-free or always at a low price, this is a giveaway. For those who aren't aiming to blend in with traditionally published books, it may not matter if the book is still selling, however for those of us struggling it may be worth amending that price to match some other traditionally published prices in our genre.Finally, this reader again said that bad language isn't an issue, but he did state that it needs a purpose which I agree with. Personally nothing puts me off a story more than random violence and inappropriate language. If it fits, by all means include it. I suppose this might one day raise the topic of whether books should receive ratings like television programmes and movies... is your book a PG or an 18?That's it for today. Although a shorter interview, I still pulled out plenty of useful infirmation to help indies on their path to success. Stick around - tomorrow, there will be another!