Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
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What stops you from reading self-published novels?
D.C. wrote: "Trad books have gotten a little better, and small presses don't always look the same, but some genre fiction is really guilty of that. All paranormal romance covers particularly look alike, and th..."PNR does tend toward the male ab cover.
UF tends toward the leather clad tough girl with a tramp stamp.
Historical romance tends toward the pretty girl with no face/head (turned away, cut off, or obscured in some way) in a ball gown.
How many PNR plotlines can you really have, though? Romance is an extremely cookie-cutter genre generally. That's how romance readers like it.
Lynda wrote: "D.C. wrote: "E-books need to be worth reading, just like those thumbprint things were worth eating, but they don't need to look like they came from one of the big Six and it can sometimes be kind o..."Sorry, Lynda.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "D.C. wrote: "Trad books have gotten a little better, and small presses don't always look the same, but some genre fiction is really guilty of that. All paranormal romance covers particularly look ..."To some extent, yes they do follow a formula, but you can do it well, and it doesn't have to be EXACTLY the same story every time. I'm tempted to say "like chocolate chip cookies" but I think I've milked the bake sale analogy for all it's worth.
Aren't there basically eight fundamental plot lines in fiction? So a lot of novels formulas are more obvious than others.I tried to break out of the mold...I wrote about elves...and set the novel in1843 Alta California. My cover has no abs..both models are clothed.
But on the other hand... As someone said above...people like obvious formulas. And mine is basically a sweet romance with some wedding night sex.......but as my sales and reviews will attest...it is a bit too far off the main highway I guess
D.C. wrote: "At heart, self-publishing is kind of like a bake sale. The end product does not need to resemble the one that comes from a commercial bakery, but it must taste good. No-one wants the lumpy under baked oatmeal cookies with spinach and alfalfa flavored chips."U haz a way wif words. U shoot B a riter!
:)
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I don't pay for single novellas or short stories. I will buy bundled stories or novellas, but generally, I only buy novels that are at least 350 pages. Shorts, to me, should be free teaser content on blogs."My costs for publishing a short story is as high as publishing a novel, because my main cost is the cover and they all cost the same.
Two of my three short stories are available for free download, as loss leaders to attract readers. Those who enjoyed the short stories have no problem paying for the third short story and the novels, because by that time they know I deliver as promised.
As to your 'I only buy novels that are at least 350 pages'... I prefer quality over quantity. I'd rather read a short punchy novel, than a bloated piece of crap, i.e. I prefer Vox over The Discovery of Heaven.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I do agree that the amount that needs to spent can vary relative to the quality of the original piece of work. However, based upon the Dunning-Krueger effect, I submit that the less talented/competent the author, the more likely it is that the author will overestimate the quality of the work and will fail to invest the necessary amount to bring the work to a reasonable standard of quality."
And I submit that most SPAs don't know what they're doing and will invest ridiculous amounts of money because other SPAs tell them it takes USD 5,000 to publish a book. See this HuffPost article by Deborah Plummer: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah...
And my comments in the comments section that debunk the myth...
Martyn V. wrote: "And I submit that most SPAs don't know what they're doing and will invest ridiculous amounts of money because other SPAs tell them it takes USD 5,000 to publish a book. See this HuffPost article by Deborah PlummerThanks Martyn,
That is precisely why I wax so lyrical against the pay for an editor mantra. It is not because most SPAs do not need more editing, most trade pub authors do as well. I have just reviewed Elizabeth George's latest Lynley novel (Big 5) and wonder if she has an Anne Rice style clause insisting on light dusting edits.
My concern is not with those con artists who post novels that are unsuitable for Wattpad. It is with the charlatans who prey on the debut SPAs who want to do well, know their writing skills are poor, and think that pouring good money after bad will make them a good writer.
There is an "editor" advertising her services on the front page of a self-publishing website who hooks the unprepared in with an offer of a $100 edit if you sign away 10% of your royalties. If you go to her LinkedIn page you will find at least three typos in her promotional summary.
If I as a reader who barely ever reads SPA (one novel so far in my lifetime) buy one that is crap I lose what, £5.99 at most. The vulnerable wannabes might lose £1500 which is in most cases far more than 10% of their royalties. I am a lot more concerned about those writers' large losses to charlatans than the fact that readers are unsure how to tell the Wool from the fluff in SPA work. As readers we can choose to stick to trade pub and elect not to drive the well-meaning wannabe lambs into the wolves' den.
Mercia wrote: "As readers we can choose to stick to trade pub and elect not to drive the well-meaning wannabe lambs into the wolves' den."An SPA with a poor grasp of the language can stop trying to publish and get himself/herself educated first. Most people are unable to tell that I'm not a native speaker myself. My work is virtually indistinguishable from trade published novels.
Now, if I can do it, so should they.
If they can't do it, maybe they shouldn't be in a profession where it's important to have a more than moderate grasp of your chosen language. In the meantime, they should abstain from publishing prematurely until they acquire the necessary skill.
If they won't do it, because it's too hard and they're too lazy, I don't see why I shouldn't post a 1-star review criticizing their lack of effort.
If people want to be respected as authors, the least they should do is respect the profession.
Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I don't pay for single novellas or short stories. I will buy bundled stories or novellas, but generally, I only buy novels that are at least 350 pages. Shorts, to me, shou..."Did you read the rest of the comment where I explained why I only paid for full length novels - because of my reading speed.
I am at a loss to understand why my saying that I primarily buy books 350 pages or more invariably results in someone suggesting that I must want to read bloated pieces of crap, but it always does.
Yeah, what is up with that "it costs 5000 bucks to self publish" thing? This is not the first time I've heard of this. People have asked me this more than once. Is that some sort of scam that is going around?
Mercia wrote: "Martyn V. wrote: "And I submit that most SPAs don't know what they're doing and will invest ridiculous amounts of money because other SPAs tell them it takes USD 5,000 to publish a book. See this H..."Or perhaps stress that if you're going to be able to make a go of it, you should be able to produce a decent product without massive outlays of cash. I think there also needs to be more support and encouragement for writers who go the trad route. Submitting to publishers can be confusing at the best of times and many people don't understand it. I also see many, many comments regarding preconceptions about the process that are simply not true. Plus the oft repeated "why share your royalties?" I'm also getting more than a little tired of the people who self-publish thinking that if their books do well they'll get picked up. It does happen, but not nearly as often as many writers seem to think, and I've heard things that lead me to believe they may not necessarily be the best contracts ever.
There are wolves in the publishing field too, particularly among the vanity presses, many of which are not up front about what they are, but there aren't nearly as many potential pitfalls. And I hear a lot about the Big Six, but very little about the samll and e-presses where much of tho opportunity for genre writers lies.
Regina wrote: "Yeah, what is up with that "it costs 5000 bucks to self publish" thing? This is not the first time I've heard of this. People have asked me this more than once. Is that some sort of scam that is go..."It's based on a widely circulated net article, with the idea that if you pay for services comparable in quality to those provided by a Big Six publisher, plus some advertising, that's what it would run you. There's some argument over how inflated the figure is, but the article fails to address the fact that you can spend that kind of money and end up with a product that looks like it was created by blind monkeys.
Arabella wrote: Moonlight Reader...your point -about a "professionalism" fee brings up what a friend of mine suggested Amazon do: charge a fee for books that haven't sold anything in a stated amount of time...two years perhaps? It might clean up the field a bit and get rid of the dross from those who have and probably only intended to write one book for the thrill.Not all books that languish on Amazon are drivel. Sometimes it's simply that their authors are lousy at marketing or greatly intimidated by it--that, and they didn't think of offering a box of cookies with their books!
Moonlight Reader wrote: "Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I don't pay for single novellas or short stories. I will buy bundled stories or novellas, but generally, I only buy novels that are at least 350 pages. S..."I probably read as fast as you do, and I get the idea that if you're spending money you'd like it to last a while, but there is a lot of worthwhile shorter fiction out there. Longer books often have a different structure, and some of them are frankly padded.
"Vox" would not be at the top of my favorites list, but I'm thinking of "Brokeback Mountain" or Diana Gabaldon's Lord John books, most of which are closer to novella length. Not that I know if those would appeal to you or to Martyn either.
D.C. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I don't pay for single novellas or short stories. I will buy bundled stories or novellas, but generally, I only buy novels that..."Why do people have an overwhelming need to tell me I'm reading wrong? Why do people have an overwhelming need to try to convince me that I must read drivel because I don't enjoy short fiction? Why do people invariably jump all over my statements that I do not pay for single pieces of short fiction?
I will buy short stories. I buy them in these things called bundles, where you get a lot of them for a reasonable price. I do not buy individual pieces of short fiction. I think they are a scam and a ripoff. If authors want to publish short fiction, for me, it has a place. That place is called "the anthology".
I generally do not enjoy novellas. I think that they are the red-headed step-children of fiction. Too long to be short, not long enough to be long. This is my opinion, I am entitled to it, and people could please stop telling me my preferences are wrong. It's obnoxious.
I am not telling you not to like novellas. I am not telling you not to buy individual stories. I am not even telling you not to publish individual stories, although if you do, I will not buy them and I will not read them. I am not every reader. I am telling you my preferences.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I will buy short stories. I buy them in these things called bundles, where you get a lot of them for a reasonable price. I do not buy individual pieces of short fiction. I think they are a scam and a ripoff. If authors want to publish short fiction, for me, it has a place. That place is called "the anthology"."A short story for sale is not a rip-off if it is clearly marked as such and its shortness is not hidden by a lengthy sample to promote a novel. What I find a scam is someone selling a single short story without giving the length of fiction that you are paying for.
I prefer reading shorter fiction and would like a return to the situation where Lord of the Rings is the exception rather than the rule. But each to their own and people should not get so precious about their own reading preferences that they have to impose them on anyone else.
However, MR, it is disingenuous to call individual short stories a scam and then claim that you are not telling anyone else not to read or publish them, as you have basically called their publishers' fraudsters and their purchasers' gullible fools. You should take your own advice and allow that other readers' will have their reading preferences.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "D.C. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I don't pay for single novellas or short stories. I will buy bundled stories or novellas, but generally, I only bu..."No, you're not, and I certainly wasn't suggesting that you were doing it wrong!
Your post came off very much as "I don't buy short fiction because I'm through it at the speed of light.", an issue I can sympathize with.
It did not come across as "I don't buy short fiction because I don't like to read it." You certainly shouldn't be reading things you don't enjoy or spending money on them.
I like novellas, and the ones I recommended are ones that I feel are the right length for the story they are trying to tell, and don't come across as either padded short stories or full-length novels that the writer ran out of patience to finish.
I do like short stories, but I don't particularly like anthologies, because there's always dross with the gold, even in single author collections. I feel strongly that they should be cheap, because I go through them like popcorn, but I will buy singles.
Scam and ripoff is a gross overstatement as long as they are finished pieces and not chapbooks, and are clearly labelled as short fiction. Not everyone likes everything, and there's no implication that you're "doing it wrong" if you don't like some short forms, but they have a different structure from longer pieces.
I subscribe to the theory that you pay for what you get, in nearly everything in life, books included. If I don't like a sp novel, I'm usually out 3 bucks or nothing, if it was a freebie. If I buy a trad pub book, I'm out 10-20. Some of the 3$ novels are better than the 15$. But I don't expect it every time.
Mercia wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I will buy short stories. I buy them in these things called bundles, where you get a lot of them for a reasonable price. I do not buy individual pieces of short fiction. I..."I said "I think they are a scam and a ripoff."
I do think that. I think that they should be published in anthologies or bundles. That is my opinion. I am not maintaining it as a fact.
If I weren't through it at the speed of light, I might feel differently.
Since I have now been called a liar, I shall bow out of the discussion gracefully.
Moonlight Reader wrote: " I do not buy individual pieces of short fiction. I think they are a scam and a ripoff. If authors want to publish short fiction, for me, it has a place."I am with you on this. Especially for new to me authors. If I haven't read your stuff before then I probably will not buy a full length novel even if it's really cheap because I don't want to invest that much time in it if it turns out awful. I'd prefer to be introduced to an author through a short story or a novella, but I'm not going to pay for it.
Honestly, I think every self published author should have SOMETHING for free. Because I think a lot of readers feel like I do, we've been burned a lot by self published works that we spend money and time on and they are just horrible. Offering something short for free let's me get a taste of your style and your work. If I like it, I will gladly pay for everything else you offer.
The only time I pay for something from a self published author I haven't read before is if it comes highly recommended from my friends...which is rare.
Okay, this is turning into a novel so I'll tell a brief story and then hit post. My favorite author ever started as a podcaster. He gives away all of his books for fee on podcast. I started listening to his books and thought they were really good. So I went out and bought the self-published ebooks of the books I'd already listened to! Now he's a half'n'halfer. He has a publishing deal and so some of his books come trad published, but anything his publisher isn't interested in he self publishes. I buy it all. Every bit of it. Because I got a taste for his work for free and I loved it.
Lena wrote: "I subscribe to the theory that you pay for what you get, in nearly everything in life, books included. If I don't like a sp novel, I'm usually out 3 bucks or nothing, if it was a freebie. If I buy ..."
In most things I agree, but I am still using a generator I bought for $20 two years ago. There are exceptions also.
In most things I agree, but I am still using a generator I bought for $20 two years ago. There are exceptions also.
Stefani wrote: "Honestly, I think every self published author should have SOMETHING for free. Because I think a lot of readers feel like I do, we've been burned a lot by self published works that we spend money and time on and they are just horrible..."I think that's a good idea, and advice I will have to take soon. I have read a sp 'novel' or two that were just painful. But then, I'm not a huge fan of short stories, so I'd probably use the 20% sample instead of a short to get a taste.
Nothing against shorts or their authors, I just like to be drawn into another world for a while and shorts don't do it for me. They're like...quickies. Once in a great while they're okay, but usually, by the time I'm getting into it, they're over. Or, they're like just one bite of a cookie from the bake sale, to use the more popular analogy, lol.
Kevis wrote: "I know many authors struggle to find the money to pay for editing. But guess what? Purchasing a book on Amazon is not the same as donating to a Kickstarter campaign. Don't want to pay for editing b..."I had no idea what real editing entailed before my current editor taught me the hard lessons. After rejecting my manuscript twice, I hired her as a freelance editor to show me the error of my ways.
She saved me from making a colossal fool of myself. If I self-published my first and second iterations, I would be toast now!
And speaking as a reader, I don't go back to authors who turn me off once. No second chances here! I understand the value of research and education and I encourage all writers to learn the process if they don't have the appropriate level of training (I sure didn't!)
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I am at a loss to understand why my saying that I primarily buy books 350 pages or more invariably results in someone suggesting that I must want to read bloated pieces of crap, but it always does."I'm at a loss that my response evokes such an emotional reaction. All I can say is that you seem to draw conclusions by turning my statement into a personal slight. No slight was intended, I'm sorry to hear you perceived it as such.
Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I am at a loss to understand why my saying that I primarily buy books 350 pages or more invariably results in someone suggesting that I must want to read bloated pieces of..."Because that is invariably the response to my statement. If you had merely said something along the lines of "I really like short fiction, and here is why" without the implied statement that I must enjoy reading "bloated pieces of crap," then it would have been fine. I don't want to read a "bloated piece of crap" more than anyone does. I expect the novels I read to be well-written as well as long. There are so many books published that I rarely have a problem with finding books to read.
Maybe it wasn't your intention to tell me I'm reading wrong - and I accept that. But that is constantly the response that I get to a statement that I don't buy short fiction. So, you ended up with a reaction that is predicated on being repeatedly told that I enjoy bloated pieces of crap over beautifully written, concise and remarkable short fiction. I apologize for misunderstanding you. At least you didn't call me a liar. For that, I thank you.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "Maybe it wasn't your intention to tell me I'm reading wrong - and I accept that. But that is constantly the response that I get to a statement that I don't buy short fiction. So, you ended up with a reaction that is predicated on being repeatedly told that I enjoy bloated pieces of crap over beautifully written, concise and remarkable short fiction. I apologize for misunderstanding you. At least you didn't call me a liar. For that, I thank you."I'll never call someone a liar for expression their opinion. I do think I figured out why you drew these same responses again and again, but I'd rather discuss this with you in private than in this thread. (I tried to approach you privately, but your profile blocks PMs.)
I enjoy (most of) your posts and I feel your sincerity, which is why I was disturbed by the feeling that I had somehow offended you.
On the other hand, it's virtually impossible to participate on these threads without offending anyone, since no matter what opinion you will express, there will always be someone who will take offense.
Martyn V. wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "Maybe it wasn't your intention to tell me I'm reading wrong - and I accept that. But that is constantly the response that I get to a statement that I don't buy short ficti..."I believe that I know why I draw the responses, Martyn. I think I draw the responses because a lot of self-published authors publish shorts, and when I say that I neither read nor buy them, they feel the need to persuade me that I am missing out, since that removes me from their pool of prospective readers. They may also secretly fear that my opinion is a mainstream opinion, so they had rather not hear it. I have no idea how other readers feel about short fiction, so I cannot speak to the legitimacy of this fear.
I enjoy most of your posts as well. You can feel free to friend me/pm me if you like.
I figured out another reason. :)Moonlight Reader wrote: "I enjoy most of your posts as well. You can feel free to friend me/pm me if you like."
If I try to PM you, I get "Sorry, this person isn't accepting messages."
However, I think if you send me a PM, I can reply without getting blocked.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I believe that I know why I draw the responses, Martyn. I think I draw the responses because a lot of self-published authors publish shorts, and when I say that I neither read nor buy them, they feel the need to persuade me that I am missing out, since that removes me from their pool of prospective readers. They may also secretly fear that my opinion is a mainstream opinion, so they had rather not hear it. I have no idea how other readers feel about short fiction, so I cannot speak to the legitimacy of this fear."That's an interesting comment. And the pieces earlier. I have just taken the decision to publish a couple of short stories and I have no idea whether there's a market for them.
I tried researching and so forth but there's no clear cut info. I suspect that reading short stories that cost say 99cents is out of fashion, especially when you consider that most SPA novels and others can at some point be found for a similar price. More for your bucks I guess.
Anyhow we'll see.
Rob wrote: "I tried researching and so forth but there's no clear cut info. I suspect that reading short stories that cost say 99cents is out of fashion, especially when you consider that most SPA novels and others can at some point be found for a similar price. More for your bucks I guess.Rob, you do not need to follow the loss leaders to the bottom of the price barrel. Single short stories at 99 cents are not out of fashion, although the statistics shown that anything (including novels) priced at 99 cents sell worse than higher priced books. At 99 cents a novel says to most people - the author/publisher does not think that this is up to much. OTOH, a short story at 99 cents is likely to be a balance between not wanting to give work away for free and the minimum prices of certain retailers.
Dannielle wrote: "As a trained designer, bad covers send me running. But I can overlook that if the summary is well written - which points to good writing in general. Although, i've seen far too many synopsis on Ama..."I agree. A cover is very important. Just as all first impressions are. A great summary with a creative cover is all it takes to purchase a book.
Andrew
Author of PACIFIC BEACH
andrewjfrischerz.com
Dannielle wrote: "As a trained designer, bad covers send me running. But I can overlook that if the summary is well written - which points to good writing in general. Although, i've seen far too many synopsis on Ama..."Any opinions on my cover? It's my picture.
Andrew
Lizzie wrote: "I read a lot of self published authors, some of my favorite authors currently are or started out as self pubs. I think for me it's a good description of the book that gets me to pick up any book re..."Yeah, a good description is very important. I also like reading the first chapter to make sure I enjoy the writing itself. I do find a good cover helps steer me in the right direction though. There is so much competition out there that I feel you need a strong cover to separate yourself from the rest. I like when I see creative cover art instead of the generic images most authors use.
Andrew J Frischerz
Author of PACIFIC BEACH
andrewjfrischerz.com
Arabella wrote: "Cheesy, handmade covers...why? Because to me it indicates a rush to publish. If I read a few pages and find a lot of errors....I say no thanks since it usually indicates they didn't get an impartia..."Yeah, a bad cover can turn me off, but as long as I like the summary and the sample chapter, I'll give it a try.
Moonlight Reader wrote: "I believe that I know why I draw the responses, Martyn. I think I draw the responses because a lot of self-published authors publish shorts, and when I say that I neither read nor buy them, they feel the need to persuade me that I am missing out, ..."I don't see why any author would want you to read a story that you have already said you wouldn't like, esp. since many sp authors are hugely concerned with bad reviews, which you would likely give a story you didn't like.
Lena wrote: "Moonlight Reader wrote: "I believe that I know why I draw the responses, Martyn. I think I draw the responses because a lot of self-published authors publish shorts, and when I say that I neither ..."Maybe. Although, in truth, I wouldn't be more likely to give the story a negative review unless it was poorly written and unenjoyable independent of it's length. My reviews are a complex matrix of: how much I enjoyed the plot, how much I enjoyed the writing, whether the writing has technical problems, and an amorphous "sense of enjoyment" experienced while reading.
So, a really well-written but emotionally distant and sterile book won't get one star from me. Nor will a book that was enjoyable from a story perspective, but possessed technical writing issues. To get one star, it pretty much has to hit all of my mental negative buttons: poorly written, uninteresting, maybe trite/derivative, etc. It is pretty rare that I find something that I feel has no redeeming value at all (to me)(although it has happened).
Most of my reviews are 2, 3 or 4 stars. A few 5's and the very rare 1.
Maybe you wouldn't give it a negative review. But if you told someone you didn't like, say, zombie books, and they convinced you to read it, chances are, you wouldn't like it. So you would both lose. Why would a sp author try to get you to read a short when you don't like them?
Mercia wrote: "Rob, you do not need to follow the loss leaders to the bottom of the price barrel. Single short stories at 99 cents are not out of fashion..."I agree, my novel's priced at $3.99 and it's selling better at that price than at 1.99 or 2.99. So 99 cents a short it is.
Vicki wrote: "Angelica wrote: "To be honest, I don't care if a book is self-published or not. I mean, there's no discrimination.The only thing that turns me off in a book that most self-published works do have..."
Studies done in brick-and-mortar stores say you have 20 seconds for a browser to pick up your book. 4 seconds for the cover to attract and 16 to turn it over and read the blurb. I would assume something similar applies to e-books. You have to catch the eye with the cover and the interest with the blurb, before they'll open to sample.
I earn my living writing as an Indie writer and I read as many Indie authors as I do traditional pubs. While I agree that good editing is a must and many Indies aren't well edited, I often find as many mistakes in 'big name' books as Indies, only the Indies are criticized far more often for it.
If any book is plagued with poor spelling and grammar, I think it should be mentioned in the review, no matter how entertaining the story.
Jacqueline wrote: "Studies done in brick-and-mortar stores say you have 20 seconds for a browser to pick up your book. 4 seconds for the cover to attract and 16 to turn it over and read the blurb. I would assume something similar applies to e-books."Very accurate. That is exactly how I shop. Unless you are an author I already know and auto-buy that is. I walk through the store (or online list) browsing covers until I see something that catches my eye.
Then I read the first paragraph of the blurb only. If I sense tropes, cliches, or anything annoying then back on he shelf it goes. If it seems interesting, I read the first page. Then I make a buy decision.
Of course in a store you don't see most covers, just a title on a spine. So a cover is the 2nd thing to catch your eye.
Book sellers have learned that promotional displays with the book turned cover-side out and piles of the same book increase sales. Signs indicating "Local Author" or "National Best Seller" etc. also help. There are many tricks in marketing, but unfortunately most books by unknown artists get the spine-out treatment.
Mercia wrote: "Of course in a store you don't see most covers, just a title on a spine. So a cover is the 2nd thing to catch your eye."Good call, Mercia! The research I referred to was based on pulling the book from the shelf much like a library. Sorry, I should have made that clear. Once the book is in the reader's hands, they take four seconds to decide whether or not to flip it over and read the back. I imagine the title is what entices the reader to pull the book in the first place. That would make more sense.
Unfortunately I've had the absolute worst experience with self-published books. I have purchased over a dozen and paid for them. The majority I never finished. They were unreadable for SPAG errors, deluded plot lines, two dimensional characters, and boring tedious writing. I finished only one and it was very good, but it was written by an author I knew personally and who had been previously traditionally published.So my policy is simple - when buying books on line I find ones I think I might like, then I check the publisher. If it's traditionally published I check it out further and look for at least 4 starts and 30-40 reviews. If it's self-published I need at least 4 stars and 200+ reviews before I'll even check it out any further. I haven't bought any self-published books in a very long time.
I can live with no/poor cover art if the story is good. Two things turn me off: 1) Really bad writing and 2) major Mary Sue/Harry Stu content. It's one thing to write from experience, it's another to wallow in a plot of pure wish fulfillment/poor me that is only relevant to the author.
I wouldn't say a bad cover necessarily means someone was in a rush to publish. I find that a lot of times, people don't know the difference between a bad cover and a good one. I know that sounds kind of nuts, but it's true. Graphics, artwork, etc tends to be extremely subjective, and if you couple that with the general public's lack of design knowledge, you often get some real crapola passed off as art and design.
I used to think the world was full of terrible designers, and that may be so. But it's also just as full of terrible clients, who won't admit that they can't design their way out of a wet paper bag, and who browbeat the poor designer they hired into turning out said crapola.
There's a lot of designers out there who have just thrown in the towel and say "Sure. Whatever. Where's my paycheck?", throw some Photoshop effects on there, and call it a day. Believe me, I am familiar with the impulse. That is not me. But I have been sorely tempted on many occasions.
Regina wrote: "There's a lot of designers out there who have just thrown in the towel and say "Sure. Whatever. Where's my paycheck?", throw some Photoshop effects on there, and call it a day. Believe me, I am familiar with the impulse. That is not me. But I have been sorely tempted on many occasions. "That's funny. When I contacted my current cover designer, she accepted my ideas (the crosshairs in the O, the female silhouette, the push dagger background), but she states on her website that she makes covers that are conform industry standards and she's not deviating from that and get her name linked to 'unprofessional' covers:
Industry standards apply to all covers, whether fiction or non fiction. I will not change font size or location, unless I deem it acceptable from a professional standpoint. If you would like full and "wrongful" control over your cover, I am not the right designer for you. I take my craft very seriously, therefore, please understand that it is my thorough research as well my marketing tricks that drive my designs.
Frankly, cheap looking covers. Most self-pub covers have a distinctive look-shiny and cheap looking. However, (traditional) Category Romance has ALWAYS had cheap looking shiny covers…So perhaps it's the genre. I expect certain genres to have a certain look.
The Kindle Prime logo STOPS me reading even the blurb.
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Science Fiction (other topics)Vox (other topics)
The Discovery of Heaven (other topics)
A Tale of Two Cities (other topics)
Life With a Fire-Breathing Girlfriend (other topics)
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And, oh that is scary, although I think some of them may be small press. I know Carina is actively seeking New Adult, although they have a preference for LGBT in particular.
I am wondering if that counts as the literary equivalent of the box of supermarket cookies the poor frazzled woman with four kids under six sent with her first grader. Most of the bake sales I attend are actually at church fairs, but they're not completely immune to that either.