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Blurb or First few pages? Which do you prefer?
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Tittle, cover, back cover copy, first page.(Judge a book by its cover??? Who, me??? ;)
The back cover is to see if I'm interested in the story. Like, if I'm in my mood for a cozy suspense and I read about dead bodies, forget it. Or if I'm tired of a pampered heroine or whatever. The first page to see if I like the style.Recommendations trump all.
Synopsis for me. I rarely open the book to read the first few pages. But I ought to.
Synopsis for me too if I know nothing about the book.
Synopsis and at least two reviews....one a 4 or 5 star and a 1 or 2 star.I want to know if there are a lot of editing errors, poor grammar, etc. before I buy a book. Those things are deal breakers for me.
I would read the back cover or synopsis and then possibly the excerpt on the inside. I rarely read the first few pages to decide. I want to make the decision quickly, and the book is already in my 'to-read' list.
When you guys say synopsis, what are you talking about? For me, a synopsis is a 3-5 page outline of the book used by the author, agent, and publisher. I'm guessing it's not the same thing for most of you.
Abigail wrote: "When you guys say synopsis, what are you talking about? For me, a synopsis is a 3-5 page outline of the book used by the author, agent, and publisher. I'm guessing it's not the same thing for most..."Hi Abigail,
For me, I took the question as meaning if I didn't know anything about the book , would I give more weight to the blurbs by other authors recommending it, the synopsis on the back of the book or on the inside of the dust jacket flap on a hardcover, or would I read the first few pages.
With those choices, I selected the synopsis.
(But honestly, I depend on other reader's reviews when deciding if I want to read a book).
Abigail wrote: "When you guys say synopsis, what are you talking about? For me, a synopsis is a 3-5 page outline of the book used by the author, agent, and publisher. I'm guessing it's not the same thing for most..."For me it's the description that appears online under the page where you order the book in its various formats from Amazon, B&N, etc. I just want it to be honest. If it's heavy on religion, say so. If it's a cliff hanger, say so. If it's teenage angst, say so.
"Blurbs" are the one sentence praise from other authors of the same genre about the book. I discount those immediately.
Abigail wrote: "When you guys say synopsis, what are you talking about? For me, a synopsis is a 3-5 page outline of the book used by the author, agent, and publisher. I'm guessing it's not the same thing for most..."I took it to mean the online description of the book.
Ah! Okay. Thanks for the insights. To me the blurb is the online description (or back cover copy) and other author recommendations are cover quotes.
Abigail, its the description/back cover for me.
The blurb and synopsis can sometimes mean the same thing, at least from what I've seen.Most of you said the synopsis--interesting.
My daughter reads--A LOT! And she mentioned to me that when she sees 1 and 2 stars in a review, that makes her want to read the book even more to see if she agrees. (As long as it's not for grammatical errors, or a lot of misspelled words) If it's a crappy story for one reader, she finds that she likes it.
Is that true for any of you?
Yes. If the reasons for the one star are things I don't mind in a plot, then I may well buy the book. If a one star was given because there was sex in the book, the characters used "curse" words, and they didn't go to church regularly, I'd discount that since none of those things bother me in a book.
I don't know if this will help or not, but book store marketing studies have shown that an author has twenty seconds to make a sale. From first glance to reading the first page - 4 seconds for the cover/title to attract their attention, and 16 to read the back cover blurb. Publishers actually insist that certain authors have their books displayed cover outward. I imagine e-book timing would be similar.I'm aware of cover interest for the books I write, but as a reader, I'm title, blurb, and first few pages. Covers don't impress me one way or another. I always found dust jackets annoying, so most of my hardbacks are missing them and so have no cover art at all.
I think many publishers do authors a huge disservice by putting on covers that are, quite frankly, sleazy and demeaning and an insult to both the aithor and the reader. Often they have models who do not resemble the characters. I am so sick of seeing "male" models who are waxed and look anorexic and feminine. Maybe that's NYC or CA publishers idea of manly and masculine, but it sure isn't mine. I wish authors had more control than they apparently do over cover choices.
Janeiowa wrote: "I wish authors had more control than they apparently do over cover choices."Ditto!
The blurb first then end of the first chapter
I go to the summary first. If it's poorly written or doesn't flow well, I pass. If the plot sounds good, I'll go to the reviews and look at the percentage of 1 and 2 stars vs. 4 and 5 stars. That isn't always foolproof, but it helps.Hodpodge or poorly photoshopped covers from self-published authors are a big red flag to me. It says "I don't care". Why should I spend money on their book?
If I still have doubts, I'll read the 1 and 2 star reviews. There's no such thing as the "perfect" book, but if the 1 star reviews are 30% of the total reviews, that's saying something.
Most of the time, some of those 1 or 2 star reviewers will take the time to be honest about why they disliked the book. I can tell right away if I'm going to have the same issues...SP&G errors, plot, TSTL heroine, amateur writing, poor character developement, etc. I can tell by the reviewer's "tone" if it's constructive criticism.
Becky ♡The Bookworm♡ wrote: "I go to the summary first. If it's poorly written or doesn't flow well, I pass. If the plot sounds good, I'll go to the reviews and look at the percentage of 1 and 2 stars vs. 4 and 5 stars. Tha..."I really appreciate your point on the 1-2 star reviews. You're right, MOST of the time those reviewers will take the time to be honest. And then you get those who just want to be nasty for some reason.
For my first suspense novel, the two reviewers (who I'm sure are acquaintances) gave it a 1 star followed by nasty comments, and went so far as to make fun of my name in their group forum. Anyone reading them can tell they're anything but constructive.
I appreciate the point where you as well as other readers out there can tell by a reviewer's "tone" if they're being constructive or nasty. (I am so thankful for the constructive reviews I've received)
I've also learned as a new author, that 1-2 star reviews aren't necessarily a death warrant for your book. Readers are very perceptive and can decipher the difference in "tones".
I'm sure I should know this, but, What does TSTL mean?
Too stupid to live.And amen for authors having more control! Usually it's because the art department has more knowledge about what's going to catch a reader's eye. It still would have been nice to be part of the brainstorming.
If I had to pick only one to go by, I'd choose the excerpt. I really prefer to have a sense of the author's writing prior to purchase.But it's really more like this:
1. Huh, that's an intriguing cover. Or discovered via word of mouth.
2. Mm hmm... Blurb looks good too.
3. Have any of my GR Buddies read this one? *skims a few reviews*
4. Well alrighty then! Let me read the excerpt to be sure I'll dig it.
5. Add to TBR Shelf/OneClick.
Rachel Annie wrote: "If I had to pick only one to go by, I'd choose the excerpt. I really prefer to have a sense of the author's writing prior to purchase.But it's really more like this:
1. Huh, that's an intriguing..."
That's great and entertaining. I like that.
Hi Groovy!TSTL = Too Stupid To Live, usually a heroine who's constantly putting herself in harms way or makes dumb decisions that require rescuing by the hero.
I feel for the authors that are just trying to get started. It's a tough road and the competition is fierce. The reviewers that post flaming reviews don't earn an ounce of my respect. Sounds like you picked up a troll. Not fun at all, but the serious readers will filter out the immaturity.
I've dabbled in writing, but I'm not even close to publishing anything yet. I know how a vitriolic post can stifle the creative process, especially if there is no foundation to the complaint, or it's obvious that it's a personal preference type thing.
On the up side, as you mention, the constructive criticism can be so beneficial! We grow as we write and that process never stops, unless we stop listening to the constructive feedback.
I didn't really address why I don't read the first chapter when making a decision. For me, that's a chapter I could be reading in another book that I have more confidence in. Then there is the fact that all I would really gain from reading one chapter of a book is the author's writing style. It's still not a guarantee that the book won't turn south later.
Becky ♡The Bookworm♡ wrote: "Hi Groovy!TSTL = Too Stupid To Live, usually a heroine who's constantly putting herself in harms way or makes dumb decisions that require rescuing by the hero.
I feel for the authors that are ju..."
Thanks, Becky
You're very insightful. If your writing is as good as your posts, you should do great if you ever decide to publish.
Thanks for the encouragement, Groovy! I'm getting there. My biggest challenge is editing content to quicken the pace. It's just a hobby for now (mainly Fanfiction), but I have my own characters talking in my head and demanding to be heard. ; )
Blurb, but then I do sometimes read a bit to see if the writing is good.
Deanna wrote: "Blurb, but then I do sometimes read a bit to see if the writing is good."Do you consider the ratings at all?
I pick my books by the description on the cover, which I always called a synopsis. If that doesn't peak my interest then I don't buy it. I sometimes read reviews before I put books on my TBR but bad reviews won't stop me from buying a book if I like the synopsis. I have really enjoyed a lot of books with low ratings. I never read the first few pages of a book before buying because if I start then I want to know the rest so I would buy all of them whether I liked them or not.
Sometimes I have been known to buy a book because the cover intrigued me but I try to avoid that.
Melissa wrote: "I pick my books by the description on the cover, which I always called a synopsis. If that doesn't peak my interest then I don't buy it. I sometimes read reviews before I put books on my TBR but..."Good one, Melissa:)
Questions for authors: 1-- does the author write the summary/ blurb or does someone at the publisher?2--who chooses the cover?
3-- who chooses the title?
I ask these because I've found a LOT of good writing hidden behind awful covers and sleazy/cheesy/just plain stupid titles. The covers and titles are an insult to the good author.
Also...other well-know authors always to seem to have words of praise for a fellow author's work. Are these required by some publishers -- as you must praise the new works of at least xx number of our other writers works when published?
Jane, I'm on my phone so I can't see your questions, but I'll try to answer from memory. :)Grand Central bought my manuscript, so this is from a traditional publishing house. They could have changed my title, but didn't.
They also designed the cover and wrote the back cover blurb.
They asked me to find fellow authors to provide cover quotes. I got one and they got one for my first book, and I got three for the second.
The cover quote process was a surprise to me. I used to think authors lucked into having known authors read their books. I also used to think writers didn't know each other. Ha!
Janeiowa wrote: "Questions for authors: 1-- does the author write the summary/ blurb or does someone at the publisher?2--who chooses the cover?
3-- who chooses the title?
I ask these because I've found a LOT o..."
Good question, Janeiowa
From what little I know, if you're with a publishing house, they make all the choices of 1,2,and 3 because they know better as to what will attract the readers (or so they think) and what is best. To me, they are out of touch with what they think the public wants. I've been rejected by them so many times, and yet as a self-published author--thank you Amazon!--my readership continues to grow. I can even pay a few bills now.
As for authors praising other authors, I think it helps sell books when a well-known author praises a fellow author's debuting work. Maybe someone else knows better that I do on this subject.
I assumed the author wrote the synopsis. Interesting that that isn't always the case, as I base that on what their "voice" will be like for the book.
I think they're accurate. Since you've thought that this whole time, the creators must be doing a good job. :)
My more random book buying process is all done in stores mostly. If I order online, it's usually one I've had wishlisted, so I'm gonna get it anyway regardless of the covers. But the random books, the ones I pick up like at Goodwill, or the grocery store or whatever, I'm definitely a cover person. Check out the front cover art, then flip it over and read the back. If it sounds good, I'll get it. I try and find out if I can if it's part of a series too by looking at the insides of the covers, and the page that lists other works by the author, y'know? Typically though, the publishers don't specify anywhere on the book, and there's been plenty of times I've brought my new book home only to discover it's like #5 or #11 or what have you in a series. I don't have a smartphone, so I can't like, check GR while I'm out, wish I did, lol, it'd save me from that.But back on topic, I read the back cover, if the front cover interests me first. I usually don't read any parts of the actual story until I'm ready to read the whole thing.
However, if it's an author I follow... then I get it without looking at anything, I just grab it, lol.
Thanks for the information, Groovy and Abigail.I would agree 100% that the publishers and whoever chooses covers are out of touch...or haven't read the manuscript. Those "pretty" boy models with the waxed chests may be great for some male characters, but they sure aren't my idea of ranchers and SEALS/Delta Force/Rangers/combat veterans. The models are as "real" as the 14 yr old female models in the cosmetic ads selling products to the over 30 crowd as "anti-aging" miracles! :)
ACK! No wonder my skin doesn't look that young anymore! When I was 14, I didn't look ANYTHING like those models. I was covered in acne for starters. It was relentless. I also had crooked teeth, braces, a terrible haircut, no fashion sense, and was skinny as a rail. To say I was a late bloomer was an understatment. Life at 14 was no fun for me. Now 17....
BWHAHAHAHA!
We had a girl at the HS where I worked that was a cosmetics model, and you'd NEVER have guessed it to see her at school...she looked like a HS student. In the magazine ads, all made up professionally and air brushed, she looked 10+ yrs older and exotic.
When I'm choosing a book, the first thing that catches my eye is the title. If it's clever, I think that's a good indication. If it's cheesy or mundane, my eyes has passed on to the next book, unless the cover art is appealing. Next I read the back cover synopsis. I used to stop there, but now I read the first page or 2 because I've been burnt by books that don't live up to the synopsis.
I mostly go by the blurb - and maybe by the cover. I can't say I've ever downloaded the first few pages of an ebook for free to see if I like it - but if the author has put up the first few pages as a teaser I will read them. In the library and bookshop I will open the book and skim the first few pages as well - not the prologues though - when the story starts - prologues tell me nothing!As a few have mentioned I really go on the recommendations from my online friends. I will skim reviews - usually pick out the middle of the range reviews
It's usually a mix of the book's synopsis and other people's ratings. If the book's summary on the back catches my attention and I'm on the fence, I look at other people's ratings and that pushes me to either yay or nay.
If the choice were between the synopsis/blurb/back cover or the first couple of pages... I'd start with the back cover. But, generally it's the cover that catches my eye and will draw me to the back, then if I'm still intrigued I'll read the first few pages. It's weird, because as an author, I need and want those reviews, but as a reader, I understand that my tastes and preferences may not line up with another's so I don't pay a whole lot of attention to those reviews when choosing a book.
I hate all those stock pics that get used for books - you can sometimes even see the same stock pic on totally different books...ugh.A good blurb though is a hook as it is a true flavour of the book and the author.
I read the synopsis. That's usually what draws me in. If I don't like it then it's a no go. As a new author, I notice that some people rely on reviews. And I haven't received any yet and so that's a bummer for those people who rely on those. As a reader for myself, I don't look at reviews I guess when deciding if I'm going to read a book, nor do I leave a review. I never really thought to do it or share with others what I thought of it until I became an author myself. Funny how that works:)
Amanda, now that you're an author, do you leave reviews now after reading a book?Nancy, I'm glad you mentioned "internet trolls". For whatever reason, it seems some people just want to write nasty reviews with no merit. I've received one where the reader didn't even buy the book, but left a very nasty comment. At first I thought, people are going to read this and not want to bother buying my book. But, I don't worry anymore because a nasty reviewer is quickly apparent to others, and they, like you say, take it with a grain of salt--thank goodness.
Groovy wrote: "Amanda, now that you're an author, do you leave reviews now after reading a book?Nancy, I'm glad you mentioned "internet trolls". For whatever reason, it seems some people just want to write nast..."
I've been busy, at the moment, to even pick up a book. I will definitely try though because I now know the struggle as an author to get a review.
I make my decision to read a book based on several aspects. Not just Romances, either. All of my reading is judged by this form. I first check out the title and the title font, then I look at the cover. Next, I read the synopsis, and finally I read the first couple pages. If I want to keep reading, I select the book. If those five trials weren't intriguing enough, I put it back and try again.
Thanks!