In conjunction with the end of Nathan Bransford's first sentence contest, I wanted to explore the idea a little further. Yes, sometimes the first paragraph will sell the book to a reader. Sometimes, it catches an agent's attention (and if the book follows through, perhaps you'll find yourself a client of theirs). But what I want to know is what makes you pick up a book (to buy or borrow from the library)?
The cover? Hey, we all know "never judge a book by the cover" but if the cover is very interesting, do you at least pick it up?
The blurb?
The recommendations? Lots of books now have recommendations and quotes from other writer's on their cover. Does that make you more likely to consider buying the book?
The first paragraph?
The first page?
For me, it's a combination of them all. And sometimes, none of them. If it's an author I love, sometimes I will buy the book blindly, on faith that I will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed his or her previous books. I'm just curious what makes people choose books. Maybe it will give us insights into our own writing, or help us accept that some things are out of our control (like cover design or the blurb on the back).
The cover is usually the first grab. Sometimes the title. Sometimes a combination of the two. Title and/or cover normally make me pick up the book, then I read the blurbs and the book jacket, then it's on to the first page, and then I flip to somewhere in the middle of the book.
ReplyDeleteI think society is more visual than in the past, so sometimes a cover is the first impression. I've picked up more than one book based solely on the cover, and I've bought more than one of them.
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I read all types of books so I start with the genre I'm in the mood for and go from there. Yes, covers grab my attention but I always start reading the sypnosis blurb on the flap. It I'm interested, I stop reading and buy!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I buy because I'm loyal to an author or storyline, such as Lisa Unger's novels.
The blurb, first paragraph and if I make it to reading the whole first page, I buy it.
ReplyDeleteI will pick something up if the cover catches my eye. Doesn't mean I'll buy it though.
I usually start with the genre I'm in the mood for, but not always. If the store I'm at has recommendations then I'll read those (they usually come with a blurb about the book, too). If all that has still managed to keep me interested then I'll add it to the pile in my arms. Then I find a nice spot in the corner somewhere and start to read the beginning. I don't just stop with the first page, though. I go until I'm sure I want the book, or I'm sure I don't want the book, or I have to leave.
ReplyDeleteIf there's no recommendations or I'm not being specific about genre I just peruse the open tables and shelves for interesting titles. The cover does have a little to do with it, I suppose, but it's the titles I'm looking at mostly.
However, I have lots of friends that won't even read the blurb of a book if the cover isn't appealing! Ack!
Yeah, it seems like in general we all look at the same things, unless we already know the author or have already heart great things about it, etc. That's good to know. But then again, we're all writers, or friends of writers, so maybe we're in a group together and non-authors or writers look at books differently.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point about this group of folks being more likely to be objective at the library/book store. Like I said I have friends (unfortunately more than one) who DO judge a book by the cover. And I'm not talking just won't pick it out of a stack, which is probably somewhat human nature to gravitate toward "pretty things." One of them, I can hand him a book and he won't even give the blurb a look if the cover isn't appealing.
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