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So you’ve written a novel and I’ve heard about it. I think it sounds pretty cool because it’s about one of the many, many things I’m interested in (right now I kind of hope this imaginary book is about pirates or falconry). But what extra little things would ensure that I (obviously the most important customer in existence) buy your book? Here’s my handy how to guide for getting me to pay actual money for your book:
Do…
Give your book a crazy title. I am attracted to strange titles above all else and in the past have bought books and cds based on their title alone. Yes I have been burned buying this way (‘Starfish and Coffee’ are not my kind of band), but it’s also helped me discover some great stuff (‘Dogs Die in Hot Cars’, ‘Pirates! In Adventures with Scientists’).
Give away an accompanying food item/food offer with your book. If your book has won a Galaxy award it should come with an accompanying bar of chocolate. I’d also be stoked to get free seeds if your book is about plants, fruit or vegetables. Food bribery may just work.
Make your author biography interesting. In the author biographies for ‘Good Omens’ Terry Pratchett encourages you to send him banana daiquiris and Neil Gaiman says he’d settle for cash. If I think an author is interesting I’m more likely to buy their book, read the wonderful story inside and keep buying their books, so please include random facts about yourself or a blog link in your author biography.
Encourage your publishers to leave out any quotes from reviewers who compare your book to ‘Birdsong’ simply because you’ve written a historical novel. If your book is compared to it I’m going to be expecting ironic names and terrible sex scenes. I actually just finished a book where two reviewers compared it to ‘Birdsong’ but I didn’t buy my own copy, I borrowed it from someone. See if you can find quotes from reviewers who’ve read a bit more widely and can compare your book to, oh I don’t know, any other good historical novel in existence!
Include a list of other books, related to your topic, that you would recommend. It shows your passion for the subject and your commitment to research. I love authors who love their work.
Don’t…
Have a headless woman on your cover (unless your book is about a woman with no head/face). I know you probably using the headless woman cover as a visual indicator/trying not to impose a picture of the character on your reader’s minds but they’re glutting the market and they look unimaginative.
Use endnotes. This one is not just me, Sylvia at Classical Bookworm talked about how annoying they are in her review of ‘Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)’. Footnotes are the way forward. No matter how big they are I prefer footnotes.
Have a forward that contains spoilers about the book. Spoilers are not cool, even in editions of classics. Put an afterword in if you want to talk about specific events in the book.
So now you know : )
Do…
Give your book a crazy title. I am attracted to strange titles above all else and in the past have bought books and cds based on their title alone. Yes I have been burned buying this way (‘Starfish and Coffee’ are not my kind of band), but it’s also helped me discover some great stuff (‘Dogs Die in Hot Cars’, ‘Pirates! In Adventures with Scientists’).
Give away an accompanying food item/food offer with your book. If your book has won a Galaxy award it should come with an accompanying bar of chocolate. I’d also be stoked to get free seeds if your book is about plants, fruit or vegetables. Food bribery may just work.
Make your author biography interesting. In the author biographies for ‘Good Omens’ Terry Pratchett encourages you to send him banana daiquiris and Neil Gaiman says he’d settle for cash. If I think an author is interesting I’m more likely to buy their book, read the wonderful story inside and keep buying their books, so please include random facts about yourself or a blog link in your author biography.
Encourage your publishers to leave out any quotes from reviewers who compare your book to ‘Birdsong’ simply because you’ve written a historical novel. If your book is compared to it I’m going to be expecting ironic names and terrible sex scenes. I actually just finished a book where two reviewers compared it to ‘Birdsong’ but I didn’t buy my own copy, I borrowed it from someone. See if you can find quotes from reviewers who’ve read a bit more widely and can compare your book to, oh I don’t know, any other good historical novel in existence!
Include a list of other books, related to your topic, that you would recommend. It shows your passion for the subject and your commitment to research. I love authors who love their work.
Don’t…
Have a headless woman on your cover (unless your book is about a woman with no head/face). I know you probably using the headless woman cover as a visual indicator/trying not to impose a picture of the character on your reader’s minds but they’re glutting the market and they look unimaginative.
Use endnotes. This one is not just me, Sylvia at Classical Bookworm talked about how annoying they are in her review of ‘Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)’. Footnotes are the way forward. No matter how big they are I prefer footnotes.
Have a forward that contains spoilers about the book. Spoilers are not cool, even in editions of classics. Put an afterword in if you want to talk about specific events in the book.
So now you know : )