I’m very happy to say that I’ve just had my debut novel published and would love to swap thoughts and opinions on what makes a compelling read. Obviously, some of my motivation is market research, but if I don't ask people who are interested in books who can I ask! With this in mind, what do you think attracts a potential reader? Would it be the front cover like mine below or is it more likely to be on the strength of the synopsis? Just how important is the cover art and what really determines our decision to invest the time to actually sit down and read a book? As a new author, I feel these questions are very important, so any insights you can give will be greatly appreciated. It may help me not to make the same mistakes if I ever get around to writing another one!
Published by a vanity press, I see. And more than one forum out there has already pointed out that your questions are really just an advertisement. We're no fonder of that here than they are at SystemShock.
I just hope you're more entertaining that the guy who was trying to sell his taxi stories book a few months back.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yeah, that was my first question. Just another piece of spam? A new member, with his/her/its first post, and it's all about selling their stuff.
If you want an honest opinion, MJH, you'll have to earn the trust of the community first. This is not the way.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I'll offer up a free comment.
That book cover looks like a cross between a Danielle Steele novel and something out of Monty Python. It's friggin scary, and not in the "ooh! Cool! I want to read that immediately!" sort of way.
From the look of it, it's about two boys, and judging from the picture I'm going to assume it's Frank and Joe Hardy (perhaps from their preteen years?). They wander into a botanical garden with what looks like their pet marmoset (I guess Chet was busy), and come upon a stuffed freaky wolf creature, that suddenly comes to life but still looks like a stuffed freaky wolf creature. Along the way they meet the man and the women on the sides of the cover, who I assume are guest starring from Days of Our Lives or a similar daytime soap opera. That freaky taxidermist nightmare wolf creature kills the guy, and then Frank and Joe have to solve the mystery.
Am I close?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I'm pretty sure the marmoset is a badger.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Could be that it's a badger named Marmoset.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
No, the badger is named Count Fuzzybutt Whiskerkins.
Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
To make this post worthwile I would like to ask a question not related to the book cover. What is it with(especially at Hatrack) the extreme dislike of "Vanity" or self-publishing? I can understand the attack on this as just an advertisement. What I don't understand is why the negative feelings prevalant about someone who decides to bypass the mainstream publishers?
I personally have a few reasons I support vanity publishing. Before expressing them, I would like to hear the above questions answered.
Posted by Papa Janitor (Member # 7795) on :
Mark,
Welcome to Hatrack, I hope. I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one, because while you are doing some backhanded advertising here, you're thus far only soliciting advice. I hope you'll find our community worth the time, and choose to take part.
--PJ
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Regarding vanity publishing: I don't really have an opinion of my own, but one of the big complaints I've seen about vanity publishing is that once you have it vanity published, it is practically impossible to get it published "for real". Of course "for real" means "for money".
So, if somebody wants to be a "real" (that is, paid) author, vanity publishing not only doesn't help them get there, but it actually makes it harder.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
I read through the excerpts through your link at system shock, and I think you need to work on cleaning up the writing a bit first. It just doesn't feel quite ready for real publication.
Maybe run it through critters.org first. I think far more important that the synopsis or the book cover, is the story itself.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Occasional: What I don't understand is why the negative feelings prevalant about someone who decides to bypass the mainstream publishers?
I am not completely against vanity publishers. I have, in fact, bought books by Hatrackers published that way.
However, if someone says, "My book was published," or "I am a published author," that means something VERY different when the publisher is a vanity press. It does not give them the "author cred" they are trying to claim.
Posted by MJH (Member # 10955) on :
Thanks to everyone who has replied. I'll take on-board all suggestions and opinions. Thanks again.
Posted by Cashew (Member # 6023) on :
Just to answer the original question without prejudice: The title and cover attract my attention first, obvviously I'll read the blurb I have to admit I'm heavily influenced by crtitique excerpts printed on the back of the cover, depending on who/what they're from. If they're from authors I respect they carry weight, if they're from what I regard as decent book reviews or reviewers, and if there's a bunch on the first page or two, then that goes a long way to convincing me one way or another Final step is to read the first 10 lines or so. If I'm interested by doing that I'll give the book aread. I don't ften buy a book that doesn't have any critiques. I'm probably missing out on some good books that way... Sometimes I'll go and do an internet search for the book to see waht others have said too.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
quote:Originally posted by Occasional: To make this post worthwile I would like to ask a question not related to the book cover. What is it with(especially at Hatrack) the extreme dislike of "Vanity" or self-publishing? I can understand the attack on this as just an advertisement. What I don't understand is why the negative feelings prevalant about someone who decides to bypass the mainstream publishers?
I personally have a few reasons I support vanity publishing. Before expressing them, I would like to hear the above questions answered.
Vanity publishing is not the same as self-publishing. Self-publishing means you take on the expense of the printing and the responsibility for promoting your own book, but there is generally still an expectation that the prose will be edited and standards of written English will be followed. You may pay for an editor as part of a self-publishing contract. With vanity publishing, there is no such expectation. They will "publish" whatever crap you want to give them, without editing it or any expectation that you will, and generally in such small numbers that there is no expectation that anybody will attempt to promote the book. Self-publishing is done in the hope that, through your own efforts, you will succeed in finding a niche for and selling your book to, you know, people who aren't already your friends, family, and students. Vanity publishers typically only print a couple dozen copies of your work and give them to the author. The author may give or sell them to a handful of close people, but will never attempt to get the book read by the world at large. Self-publishing really is publishing, then. Vanity publishing is just a step above printing it out on your laser printer and having it bound at Kinko's. Which is no cause for scorn, I guess, unless you then start bragging about being a published author, which, sadly, many vanity-published authors had as their primary goal.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Icky, with the advent of on-demand publishing, the line between vanity publishing and self-publishing has, AFAIK, virtually disappeared.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I don't like that cover at all, but for me it is the synopsis which will grab my attention... not to mention that I usually wait for others to read it first before spending any money.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I would consider on-demand publishing to be vanity publishing--except in the odd case of someone who really does a lot of pushing through the internet or something--but there are still people who truly do attempt to place their books in local bookstores, and some who actually achieve a bunch of success this way. I read about 'em in my Novel & Short Story Writers' Market.
There's also the question of editorial quality and conformity to rules of written English.
I dunno . . . this is just a guess, because I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm under the impression that John Dies At The End, the novel by the guy behind pointlesswasteoftime.com, is self-published. But he has a crapload of readers who read it specifically because they think he's a good and entertaining writer. I see a greater legitimacy in this. I wouldn't call it vanity publishing.
The fuzzy place where I draw the line is this: If all you care about is being able to call yourself an author, it's vanity publishing. If you call a lot of attention to yourself as an author, despite having authored a book that fewer than, say, twenty people have ever read, then you're vanity-published.
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