Yesterday's post triggered some comments about what readers look for when they buy a romance novel. If you're a romance reader, perhaps you'd like to tell us what makes you buy a book.
UPDATE: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
PollHost is a free service, but when I made my first poll back in June, I paid for a year's worth of the ad-free service so my readers wouldn't be subjected to annoying ads when they vote or view my poll results. I've just noticed that this poll is delivering ads. I have complained just now; we'll see how long it takes PollHost to straighten this out.
Technorati Tags: romance+novels, books
8 comments:
I voted for the cover copy, which tells me if the book is my kind of story. However, I will read the first page and maybe a page from the middle to see if I like the writing, before I buy the book.
I probably shouldn't have voted since I rarely buy romance and virtually never as an impulse item.
When I do though? It's the author I'm looking at.
I voted for back cover copy because I like to know what kind of story I'm buying. The first pages won't warn me about something in the plot (not like the back cover copy will). Front cover art won't always tell me enough about the story. I usually go to Amazon for reviews.
When I found out about your first book, I read all about it and decided I would probably like it, so I took a chance and bought it. I was glad I did. That book made me want to return to any book by Brenda Coulter.
For me, it's always about the story. (and the great writing)
I voted for the cover, you wouldn't believe how a poorly selected cover can impact sales!
Check out:
http://literanista.blogspot.com/
I usually buy a book (regardless of the genre) of what it says on the back. If it sounds good I'll get it. I like a nice cover too though, but that isn't what makes me buy a book.
I buy romance written by one, and only one, author. So for me it is the author's name that is the big attraction.....maybe some day when she is very rich and very famous she will still remember who buys (and currently owes)her Godivas.
yfs
Hmm. That doesn't look like my husband's typing, so it must be my sister who's talking about buying me Godiva chocolates. Oh, yummy!
Well, everyone, according our hilariously unscientific survey, when most of you choose romance novels you're giving more consideration to the authors' names than anything else. The next most popular response was "title/cover."
Interesting. I would have guessed the reverse.
Thanks, all, for chiming in. And thank you, Domino, for the lovely compliment.
Oops, sorry, I goofed. The second most poular response was not "title/cover" but "back cover copy/inside teaser."
I would have thought the author's name would be a little less important than what the story is actually about (as described on the back cover and in the teaser).
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