I went to Borders last night and every single new book I looked at didn't tell me anything about the book itself it was all "Leading new author on Vampires" Or "He's the next Asimov". I wanted to know what the story was about not a one liner about the author. Inside there were pages of acknowledgements and then chapter one. SO are we selling ourselves or our writing?
Posted by rickfisher (Member # 1214) on :
You're going to be able to develop a more informative opinion by starting to read chapter 1, anyway, than you would by reading cover blurbs. I've found that cover blurbs that really catch my interest either (1) wind up being wildly inaccurate, or (2) give away major plot elements, so that I wished I'd never read them.
That said, I'm not sure it's a good marketing strategy, since many people do rely on cover blurbs.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Well, I never liked the publishing / marketing concept of printing Chapter One of so-and-so's "new novel" at the end of his "old novel." But it's hardly the same thing...
Posted by Minister (Member # 2213) on :
quote:are we selling ourselves or our writing?
Both. We use ourselves to sell our writing. As beginning writers, we and the publishers are looking for anything that will make our book stand out from the pack on someone's first glance. And for established writers, their name will sell far more copies of the book than the most brilliantly written synopsis/hook on the back cover -- look how much junk gets thrown out there by writers like Patterson.
The blurb is more effective at reaching me than is the cover art, and often the paragraph or two on the back (those drove me nuts years ago -- like Rick says, they are usually either wrong or they tell you things you didn't really want to know yet if you actually read the book). Outside of reading a few pages to see if the book impressed me, the two things most likely to get my attention are 1) strongly favorable blurbs by authors I know and enjoy, and 2) a starred review by Publishers Weekly or some other publication whose opinion I respect. If I were to add a third (and this one actually is probably more effectual than the other two, since it comes into play in determining which books I even pick up to look at) it would be recommendations from friends, including the denizens of this fine online residence.
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
Susanna, you are going to have to get over it. Yes, it's annoying, because as readers we want a synopsis of the story to help us make a decision whether to buy or not. But consider it from the publisher's point of view... the back cover is truly the only "real estate" they have to sell the book once it's on the shelf in a bookstore. And from a marketing standpoint, glowing referrals from established authors are a stronger marketing tool than a synopsis. That's just the way it is.
I used to work at a church, and we had a TON of visiting self-help authors who passed through, giving workshops and lectures and retreats. It's a business, and these people all know each other. When they come out with a new book, they call on their friends in the industry to give them a quote for the back cover blurb. It's standard practice. If you've read Author X, and liked his book, you are going to think highly of any book he recommends. That will motivate you to buy, because immediately you will associate this new book in your hands with one you've already read and enjoyed. I know *I* have made book purchases for just that reason.
But I agree with you... I really like having a synopsis on the jacket, somewhere. The flyleaf is really the only tool left (on a hard cover book), to give the prosepective buyer a sense of the contents. That, and the first 13 lines....
[This message has been edited by Elan (edited February 04, 2006).]
Posted by GrandmaDeb (Member # 3194) on :
I consistently read the back synopsis before picking up a book. Then I might open to the middle third of the book and read a page to see if I like the author's voice. A page in the middle is much better than the first 13 lines, because they have been polished less and, therefore, reflect the author's ability more accurately. The "key" is forget the synopsis as soon as you read it. I always purchase books by authors I have already enjoyed. Recommendations by other authors rarely move me. As for those 1st chapters at the back of books - I get annoyed. Why would I read something that might be interesting when I'm not going to be able to finish it any time soon?
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
The name is the brand. Which is often too bad: some writers don't deserve their brand (Koontz, IMHO), and some cease to.
Worst blurb I ever read. [i]The Mote in God's Eye[i]:
quote:A black hole in space. And from that hole, a beam of ruby light brighter than a hundred moons. Was it the eye in the face of God, or the blood-red sun of our first intergalactic visitors?