[Gary Wassner]

I honestly just want to write books that people enjoy for whatever reasons they find in my stories, characters or ideas. I am not writing text books or philosophy journals. I'm writing novels. But, I am also not writing for the purpose of making money. Don't get me wrong - I am not making a value judgment here about authors who do write for that purpose. It takes just as much talent to tap that market, if perhaps a different kind of talent. I will leave the value judgments to the readers. Brittany Spears sings and so does Beth Orton. They both sell cds, yet their talents are not even remotely similar.

LOTR was a blockbuster. That fact didn't detract from its value. In fact it validated it for many. There is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with the prospect of writing a blockbuster!!!

[JRMurdock]

I buy both at the store and online. I like to shop online for the savings and getting those books you can't get in the stores. I like shops to feel a book in my hands.

When I'm in a store and grab a book off a shelf, the first thing I do is read everything in the begning. I read the back cover, insert (if hardcover), dedication, acknowledgments, etc. I try to gleam as much as I can about 'who' the author is first. I'll flip to the back and look for a glossary, index, etc. Try to get an idea of naming conventions for people and the like. I will then look at maps, etc.

Why do I do this? I'm a practiced speed reader. If I WANT I can read up to 2000 WPM. I do this when I'm either a) tired of a book yet still want to finish, b) want to skip past a dull part, or c) need to finish somehting for work. Why is that important?

When I'm done reviewing all that, I speed read the first chapter trying to pick up style. be it 10 or 20 or 50 pages, I'll read the entire first chapter (and/or prologue). I need to know if I like the style. I want to know the contents. Do I care enough at this point about the characters and the time I've invested in the book (up to 10-15 minutes) to continue reading it? Has the story really grabbed me?

If yes, I take two things into account, am I in the buying mood or can I wait. Will I get a better price at the store or can I get it cheaper online. Many times when I buy in the store it's a reactionary purchase. There are rare times I'll wait and buy it online, though that has happened (usually damaged in the store so I'll buy it online and get a new copy).

I love cover art and always appreciate a good cover on a book, but it has nearly never played a role in my book buying purchase.

[Tari]

Gary Wassner = Tari - Most of the Barnes and Nobles in NYC have just that. They have cafes where you can take the books before you buy them, order some coffee or food and sit down and browse. It is a wonderful thing. I do it all the time

Well i have to say now i'm jealous. i dont think we have any over here at the moment. now i am going to open one *nods head* just bcoz if there is one it's probably on the other side of the city like everything else. :rolleyes: :D

~ Tari

[Gary Wassner]

I don't want to sound obnoxious, but the general buying public, the consumer, is easily manipulated by the media. That's what the advertising industry is all about. The whole point of promotion is to draw attention to the product you want to sell. So, the books that are front and center on the shelves get the most looks, and those that are on colorful stands with bold pronouncements plastered all over lauding their merits gain an immediate credibility. Sorry to say, but it's true. Advertising is effective. It follows then that the large imprints who have more money for things like that would get more attention from the shopper.

Are fantasy readers different than other consumers? If you are browsing the shelves without anything in particular in mind, what draws your eye? It's like cereal boxes. Kellog pays for eye level shelf space. That sells more Captain Crunch.

[JRMurdock]

Are fantasy readers different than other consumers? If you are browsing the shelves without anything in particular in mind, what draws your eye? It's like cereal boxes.

A bright shiny cover will draw my attention (like ASoIaF). But black covers draw my attention just as quickly. Another that will is obscure fonts. Anything eye catching will get me to pick up a book, but I'll still read. I don't buy because of a cover. I buy because of initial skimming.

So no, I'm no different than a five year old seeing the bright box of Smurf'ums.

[loulu]

In regards to the original question, I don't really do either; though if the cover art catches my eyes, I am more likely to pick it up. If I do pick up the book, the blurb will have to speak to me. Now, I have picked up books based on just both these elements but have sometimes found myself to be somewhat disapointed. I have found that if I read the first few pages, and the story draws me into its world and characters, I am more apt to truelly enjoy the book and not want to put it down.

As you can see, I spend quite a bit of time browsing in bookstores. I find internet browsing to be so impersonal and prefer the atmosphere of a bookstore. I am quite content to spend hours just browsing to find that one or two great books that I won't want to put down or throw out. :)

[Gary Wassner]

I browse too. I enjoy it. I try not to look at the covers, honestly. Most authors have little control over the artwork. I am one of the few lucky ones. That's one of the benefits of publishing with an independent press.

I also never read the first chapter when I browse. I have learned over the years that the first chapter is the one that was written with the intention of catching the agent's/publisher's/editor's/readers's attention, and it is the one chapter that is usually reworked many times for that reason. It may not be followed by chapters as good. Of course, it might, as I hope mine are, but I have found it best to randomly flip to a chapter and read a few pages in the middle somewhere.

Blurbs may seem nice, and prominent author blurbs might attract the attention of some people, but they are largely bull anyway. My publicist always tells me not to read my own reviews. She said a good review is one that has a single line she can take out of it for publicity purposes. And it's amazing to find that even the worst reviews (not mine, of course. I haven't had any truly awful ones yet. LOL) usually have that one cullable line.

[loulu]

I see your point about randomly choosing a chapter; that makes a lot of sense. I suppose, if I like the first few pages of a book, I will put up with subsequent chapters that may not be as interesting. :) I will have to try the suggestion of random flipping but then I feel like I have missed more than if I just start at the beginning.

I did not think about this yesterday, but one element that does play a huge role in whether or not I pick out a book, is the tone/voice of the book.

Does anyone else think that plays a role in purchasing a book?

[Dawnstorm]

I did not think about this yesterday, but one element that does play a huge role in whether or not I pick out a book, is the tone/voice of the book.

Does anyone else think that plays a role in purchasing a book?

The most important aspect, when deciding whether to buy a book, really. Everything else, plot, characters... you're not very likely to get from excerpts, but voice.

Also, uniform style through out the book or varied methods of presentation? Strange things about the layout (like typing "&" instead of "and")? Chapterheadings?

All things that are accessible in a minute and tell you important stuff about a book.

[Gary Wassner]

Yet, Dawn, some of those things you just mentioned are not in the author's control. Layout and chapter headings, logos on pages, ornate first letters, type, maps, quality of paper etc are out of the realm of the author's choice usually. Editors and production people decide much of this. I would have loved to be more creative with the type and first letters. But I was lucky that I at least had cover control.

Voice, though, is the author's own. If an editor or publisher doesn't like the voice to begin with, then the book won't get published.

You might have been turned off by my books if you flipped through one and happened upon a chapter that put you off initially for what you percieved to be the moral perspective. Yet there were many others that you truly enjoyed. It's a hard call. Yet sincerity and honesty, devotion to the craft of writing, and the author's style should be able to be ascertained by some browsing.