Video games do this as well... I could name a few right now (but I won't) that hyped up something to the extreme that players stood in line for midnight releases, only to find out that the end product was far less than what they expected. Yes, I've been in that group of gamers. Several times.
Unfortunately, many times we don't find out until after we've given them our hard earned money that it wasn't worth the money we spent. There's no 'try before you buy' option in most cases.
Of course, with things like YouTube and Twitter now, it makes it much easier for the consumers to let the world know exactly what they think. And when all the hype is not lived up to, the backlash that comes afterwards can be brutal.
One of the things that I love about being an author on Amazon is that readers do get this option. I love it because... well, let's face it: I'm a storyteller, not a car salesman. Sure, I have my Author page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/saborgman) and I have my Twitter (@ScottBorgman) but do I sit on them and spam 'Buy my books! Buy my books!' for hours every day? No.Yes, I'd love to have millions of fans, what author wouldn't? But I believe readers and fans should be earned, not suckered into impulse buying, or buying something simply because a million other people did, which as we all know has happened as well.
Here is where the 'try before you buy' comes in. Every one of my books on Amazon has a 'Look inside' above the picture of the cover. Click on the cover picture, and you can read a sample of that book.
We've all heard the phrase 'you can't judge a book by its cover', but let's face it... most of the time that's exactly what we do: we make an impulse decision based on what our eyes show us in those first few seconds.
Grocery stores are a prime example. There are always little side displays near the registers targeted specifically for impulse buying. It's done because quite simply, it works. We see something that catches our eye and on impulse, either while we're walking by or waiting in line, we grab it.
Books are no different. It's true that having an eye-catching cover will bring in more sales than one that isn't, and some of those sales probably are impulse sales. Is that a bad thing? It depends on your point of view. Personally, I feel like having a great looking cover and a less than exciting story within is no different than what I mentioned at the beginning of this blog.Sure, the author gets that impulse sale, so the flashy cover did it's job, right? Well, yes... and at the same time, a huge, resounding no. Readers may buy a book on impulse because of the cover, but flashy covers don't turn readers into fans for an author: it's the stories inside that do that.
Now, not everyone enjoys certain genres. Some people just AREN'T into fantasy or sci-fi, thrillers or romance, etc. At the same time, some people have never read anything in a particular genre, but seeing an attractive cover on a book written in that genre may bring out some curiosity about it.
This is what makes the 'Look inside' such a great tool on Amazon, and I recommend that everyone take advantage of it. You don't have to buy anything blindly, only to find out afterwards that it wasn't what you expected. The 'Look inside' gives you that 'try before you buy' option - a few licks first to see if you like it, rather than having to buy the whole bucket of ice cream right away, so to speak.
Personally, I would rather have a thousand readers who made their decision to buy my books based on what they read from the samples than a hundred thousand who bought them on impulse based simply on the attractiveness of the book covers.
Some of you are probably thinking 'yeah, right!' but I'm being honest. Authors are usually in it for the long haul. We're not looking for a quick lightning strike and then running for the hills, cackling and screaming 'suckers!!!' and never writing another word.I mean authors who make writing their life, not ones that pop out a book and say 'Yes, I wrote a book! I can check that off my Bucket List!' I'm not saying those aren't authors too, they are. They're just in a different group - like artists who have one hit wonders. They're still artists, but do we put them on the same level as someone like Elvis or Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston or Eminem?
The point is, a thousand fans will continue to support an author, and a loyal fan base will grow over time and could very well surpass that hundred thousand. Sure, it takes longer, but I'm not going anywhere.
So whether you're a fan of fantasy or simply just curious about the genre, take a 'Look inside.' Please don't impulse buy because the covers look amazing. Let the samples help you make that final decision, because ultimately it's the story inside that counts. Sure, the covers are the initial eye-catch, but that's what they're supposed to do.
You may read through the samples and decide that you want to step into the world of Tal'Avern and travel along with the characters. Or you may read the samples and decide that you're not interested. But either way, you're making an informed, thoughtful decision - not an impulse buy. And that's what matters to me.
It may not be a 'getting the most sales possible' tactic, but its how I choose to promote my work. I want to earn my readers and fans. After all, they're the reason that I created Tal'Avern and the characters that live within it in the first place.
For those who read through some of the samples and decide not to visit Tal'Avern, you have my sincerest thanks for giving me a few minutes of your time. I honestly appreciate it.
Those who decide to step into the world of Tal'Avern for the first time with Province of a Thief, the first book in the Chronicles series, you also have my sincerest thanks. I hope you enjoy the journey you are about to begin, and the characters you are about to meet. Welcome to Tal'Avern.
And finally, to the readers who are returning to continue their journey with Darkness and Dragons, and to those that have been waiting for the next part, Through Trials and Towers (which just went live a few days ago on April 3 and is now available), welcome back and thank you so much for returning!
**US/Canada**
Province of a Thief (Book 1): www.amazon.com/dp/B00KR140EO
Darkness and Dragons (Book2): www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSWNHPO
Through Trials and Towers (Book 3): www.amazon.com/dp/B00VL9MCLE
**UK**
Province of a Thief (Book 1): www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KR140EO
Darkness and Dragons (Book2): www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LSWNHPO
Through Trials and Towers (Book 3): www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00VL9MCLE
**Only digital versions available right now (working on paperbacks though!)**
