Tuesday, February 16, 2010

What Makes You Put Down a Book in the Store?

I saw a tweet by Angela James this morning that made me think of the idea for today's blog. What makes readers put down a book--particularly when they are in the book store and considering making a purchase?

Is it the bad cover with the man titty or the half naked people on front? Is it a terrible title? Did they read the first page and decide it was dreck? Was it a poorly written back cover blurb? Or, as simple as the genre not being a fit? Maybe the title made you think contemporary but the book is historical.

So, when you're browsing for books or maybe digging through your To Be Read (TBR) pile, what makes you throw down one book and move on to the next one?

(For me, a bad cover will make me drop a book like hot cakes and a good cover will make me buy a book without reading the blurb)

6 comments:

Shawntelle Madison said...

Interesting post! For me, the cover could be crap, but if the blurb and first 5 pages look good I may try it out.

Crista said...

Artwork is a big thing for me -- crappy artwork on the cover makes me wonder about the contents. I admit, the man titty is a big of a turn off. But ulitmately, it comes down the blurb or word of mouth.

Roxann said...

I usually crack the book open and read a page. If it captures my imagination, I'll buy it. If I have to force myself to read the whole page, I put it down. The cover attracts me to it sometimes, but it doesn't make me buy the book.

Kimberly Farris said...

I'll put a book back on the shelf if the blurb doesn't move me and also if the writing/style of the book doesn't appeal to me.

mamadivine

Vivienne Westlake said...

For some reason, the cover tends to be the big draw for me and then the back blurb. I'm more likely to forgive a bad cover if it's an ebook because not as much money goes into cover art.

But, the back blurb will seal the deal. I don't mind the man titty, sometimes, it really works for me, but I don't like it over the top.

Covers now also tend to be a lot more sexualized and though I write erotica, I actually prefer covers that are a bit tamer because I know what it is like to be the person on the train and not want people staring at the hot romance ocver in my hands.

bettie said...

A good cover will always make me pick up a book. A bad cover will make me hesitate to pick it up. I always read the blurb on books I pick up, and if the blurb is good, the first page or excerpt. A bad or embarrassing cover won't stop me from buying a good book. The important thing is that the writing hooks me.