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The past two books I bought have been from recommendations of people I don't know. I bought The Knife of Never Letting Go a couple weeks ago because a New Yorker article said it was better than The Hunger Games. Usually I love dystopian YA, but I still haven't read it.

The second one (The Year of Secret Assignments) I bought because someone I follow on Youtube said it was her favorite book. I read that one right away, even though that is not the type of book I'm typically interested in. Apparently I really trusted this Youtube person to give me a good book recommendation. (Small aside: it was awesome. I have now forced all of my friends to get it.)

The most respected author, in my book, is the one who takes time to connect with his/her readers. I'll be more likely to read (even buy!) their books, and I'll take their endorsements very seriously.

The best promotion is actively interacting with fans and treating them well. :)

I would have to say:

1) Friends
2) NYT
3) NPR
4) Blogs I read
5) Books of friends who are writers
6) New books by authors I've read and liked
7) Recs from friends on Facebook
8) My book club
9) Literary prizes
10) Books by short story authors I like (e.g., New Yorker)

I read about 200 books per year, and don't read the NYT or watch Opera or the Today Show. And I actually find the blurbs on the back of books really annoying, I don't care if someone from the Chicago Times liked the book, I just want a three paragraph synopsis so I can decided if I think I'll like it.

So how do I pick which books to read? Word of mouth from people I know is definitely #1.

Second is probably the Amazon feature when they say "People who bought this book also bought these other books." I am a kindle reader, and do find a lot of good books via that service.

Third is probably co-op space in bookstores. If there is a book I've heard of from a friend or is by an author I like and it has a big display, I'm more likely to get it than if I have to hunt for it.

* books by authors I know
* suggestions from friends
* going through the new releases of publishers I like and looking for new books

Hate to admit how low-brow I am, but #1 is friend referral, and after that is visibility within the bookstore or on Amazon, whether that means the front table display or Amazon suggestions. After that - the cover art. Ridiculous but true. I buy books with pretty covers.

Mainly, I listen to the literary critics, and a few critics in particular. And I also keep track of literary prizes. And I browse a lot.

I think I'm a minority, however. It's a real shame that the idea of a cultural authority has become so debased in our society.

lol, I was going to post then saw that Jenn Marie beat me to it... For me:

#1 books by authors I've read & liked
#2 suggestions from friends or bloggers
#3 covers that grab the eye, and then, FIT THE STORY. It's a bit disconcerting to pick up a book based on the cover, read the blurb, then realize that the cover & blurb don't quite mesh

I don't listen to literary critics, neither do I know what book won which awards. I don't listen to npr (though I do wish I did) or read the NYT. And I ignore all best-seller lists, almost religiously. I guess I'm still trying to rebel against the status-quo...

Jessica, I will join you in your Fresh Air support group. I listen to podcasts to get through all those tedious chores you mention, and I especially like the author interviews. A couple other shows you might enjoy are Bookworm from KCRW and Book Lust with librarian Nancy Pearl.

Several times I've had the experience of hearing or reading a review of a book, or maybe a brief interview, and thinking, "Yeah, that sounds kind of interesting, but not enough to add to my list." Then a week later I'll hear one of these longer interviews and be dying to run out and buy the book. So for me, this kind of author promotion is what hooks me.

None of those things drive me to buy a book: not a blurb, a literary prize, a best seller list, etc., and I say noprah to oprah! More often than not a recommendation is disappointing, latest case in point, The Shack.

If I read a review and the story sounds interesting, I'll go to a bookstore or online looking for that book, but I want to read the first page.

Otherwise, what works for me, besides buying a new book by an author that I love, is browsing a bookstore and picking up a book that catches my eye because of the cover or the title. Of course that's not enough. I'll read the back cover or jacket and if that has my interest I'll read the first page. It's that first page that becomes important because if I don't like the writing style, or I'm not hooked, to want to go on to the next page, back down it goes. If I am, most likely I'll end up buying the book.

Beyond browsing or recommendations from friends, I rely on interviews (usually on agent blogs but mostly on genre sites) and book reviews (to which I am usually linked, or of which I find excerpts on Amazon). I rarely seek out reviews in their source publications; it's almost always looking at Amazon or the cover/first few pages of a book, if reviews are printed there. I know, that must seem strange since I don't care about blurbs, but I trust the book reviewer's authority more than another author's most of the time. (Author blurbs can be a little overwrought, and I know some authors are paid to write blurbs, so I don't know how much to put stock in many of them.)

And of course, I often read books by authors whose other work I've enjoyed. I think that's a given.

Browsing in a bookstore overwhelms me (and the books on display I've normally either read or heard about), I don't watch Oprah (or much TV) or read the NY Times or listen to NPR, and I never read the blurb on the back of a book. When I crack open a book, I want to be surprised. 95% of the books I hear about on goodreads, from friends in real life, or see the buzz on publishing/author websites (and even then, I check them out on goodreads). I do pay attention to awards and best seller lists (and the reader's choice display in the library), but it's not usually where I hear about a book. I rarely buy books (blasphemy, I know). I read so much that I check them out from the library (at least I make a lot of recommendations for purchase to the library) and if I love them enough that I would read them again (rarely) or at least want to share them with friends, then I buy the book. I guess my number one source is word of mouth and I try to pass that along. I'm very conscious of the types of books my friends read and am constantly recommending books to them that fall into their genres of choice.

Interviews, definitely--Fresh Air, in particular. I rarely walk into a bookstore without finding something new to buy. (Those tables at the front all have my name on them and if I find an independent bookstore in a place I'm visiting I never get out for under $100.) I also look for recommendations for sites like Powell's and read the New York Times Book Review, buying maybe 10-12 books based on NYT reviews and those from other publications.

1 - recs from friends (RL or goodreads)
2 - authors whose books I've consistently liked
3 - summary

2 and 3 are interchangeable; 2 is more of a guide when I'm looking for books, and 3 tends to be a little more valuable when I'm debating whether or not to purchase a particular book.

Also, sometimes if I'm waffling I'll go read customer reviews (goodreads, amazon, bn primarily).

This one is simple but quite effective!

Beautiful!

I have discovered that book trailers are effective when they are well done. When they are created like a movie trailer, with actors that give dialogue - even if the actors are obscured in shadow to keep them unrecognizable - and good music. The picture slideshows that I've seen around the internet, sometimes with book quotes on them and sometimes voiced narration, aren't cutting it. They're not interesting to watch, they don't keep me on the edge of my seat, they don't make me want to know 'what happens next'.

Also, I think book trailers can be more effective when made for sequels.

I agree with Melody. As much as I like tigers, and though the song was nice and the pictures were well done, I found myself getting a little bored, just reading praise, looking at animals and not knowing the title of the book.

Book trailers set up like movie trailers, especially well done ones, would be pretty pricey, I would think, unless the author DIY'd the whole shebang. I think the picture slideshows are a nice, potentially cost saving alternative, however, I think they should be kept pretty short--even shorter than this one.

Book trailers, I fear, do not interest me in the slightest. I've watched one only once or twice, and the only really memorable one I've ever seen was the one they whipped up for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.

But I've never bought a book based on a trailer, and even a well-done trailer is not going to make me want to buy a book by an author I don't already know and trust. What sells me on picking up a new book is what has always done that: a look at the words and the story. Give me a well-done blurb, maybe a chapter excerpt, and that's really all I need.

I'm afraid I don't really "get" book trailers. However, I did download a sample chapter of "Stay" to my Kindle, based on the trailer. (I wouldn't have given the book a second look without the trailer.)

So, for me at least, one of them worked.

I have also wondered many times whether book trailers are here for good, or if they're just a trend. I tend to thnk it's the latter, as they have absolutely no effect on me, but I am aware that others respond to them.

This trailer for me was a dud. Not enough actual info as it went, the music was bleugh, and the photos ... not interesting, really. They're just photos. I expected stupendous photos to advertise a zoo book. Stun me. More animals than just the same 3 over and over. If it's a book about just those three, then THAT should have been made clear. As it was I got bored and looked away after a while. I don't know who these people are singing praises, so their praise isn't worth anything to me.

I don't think book trailers work in their current incarnation. At least, not for me!

I love a good trailer that is itself a work of art that complements the book. It should make a person say, "Oh my god. I NEED that book," or "I can't WAIT until that's available." Funny or clever ones are the best, but some books need a darker, edgier approach. As long as it is done well and doesn't look put together by some friend's cousin who knows a guy, I think book trailers can be a great asset, especially if they are posted on an author's page or even the agency or publisher websites.

When a person browses movies online, most theaters have links to watch the trailers. I think the publishing industry would greatly benefit from the same kind of promotion for the books they are most excited to offer.

As someone who graduated from Advertising and Marketing - I am extemely excited to see more and more well done book trailers.
I don't think this trend is going anywhere. It's an excellent way to advertise upcoming titles and I think we are going to see a lot more of them in the future.
I predict ten years from now, book stores will have TVs in them showcasing new and upcoming releases (like video stores do now).

Yes, I watch book trailers and it really helps. Some are not that good though.

Book trailers don't really work for me UNLESS they stand out. For example, Maggie Stiefvater's trailers for Shiver and also Linger are works of art in themselves. She hand cut hundreds of pieces of paper to create stop-motion book trailers. The concept was subtle (in other words, no straight-from-the-book quotes or photo montages banging you over the head) but she managed to capture the tone and essence of her book in under a minute. Another good example -- Steve Brezenoff's Absolute Value of -1, which uses quirky original drawings.
The thing these trailers have in common is an innovative approach. The authors thought out of the box using nothing more than their own creative mind, some paper, ink, background music and a little computer magic. The result? The audience gets a real taste of what to expect when they read the book, not another well-meaning attempt that just didn't go anywhere.

I don't watch book trailers unless they are recommended or come with a posted link to something I'm reading. I'm usually much more impressed by the ones that have actors--I forget the title, but the trailer for a historical novel on Cleopatra's daughter was impressive and emotionally engaging.

I don't think I've yet felt any inspiration to buy a book just from watching the trailer, but it's possible that cumulative exposure which includes print and other media could have an effect. Most advertising works that way.

Likewise, book trailers don't make me buy books either. They're good entertainment and good publicity. If I come across Zoo Story in the bookshop I might now remember it now (I enjoyed the trailer), but the trailer itself has no impact whatsoever on whether or not I decide to buy a book.

What really works for me is author presence and sample chapters. I come across the author somewhere on the internet (many times through blogs or interviews), decide I'd like to know more, pop across to their website, read some sample chapters and before I know it I'm over at Amazon ordering their book. Incidentally, if they have book trailers on that same site, I usually skip them (the trailers, I mean).

Fascinating post and comments. As an author, I don't look at booktrailers as entertainment for someone who has never heard of my book. Some of the good ones work that way, though. :-)

I think of a booktrailer as a digital business card. Mine are always short (less than 30-seconds). While they are up at youtube, they aren't really intended to win over a potential reader who accidentally discovers one of them on a random lurk.

Rather, the book trailers links are sent to people in the business I am otherwise interacting with so they have an idea of what I do as a writer. They also serve as a visual add-on when I am doing an on-line interview and are available to anyone doing an on-line review. In short, their main use is as an attachment to something else, and NOT a stand-alone selling tool.

You might also notice, as I have, that publishers are posting booktrailers at their websites for featured titles. Again, this is in conjunction with other information about the book and not intended as stand-alone entertainment. :-)

Most authors will be limited in funds in producing their 'vook'. Here is our effort for my new novel, Captain Cooked. But what is fun about the production of this, I turned to a young friend of the family who had created his own comedy website, all graphic work created off of his computer. At 14, Hunter is very talented. Of course, his father assisted, but only advisory. And cost? $100 and he gains credit for his future resume. Can be seen at You Tube, search "Captain Cooked" or here below. I am a big believer in the book video to sell, but the true issue you are out there trying to find eyes for your trailer as you are trying to find readers for your book. Where is your time best spent?
S.P. Grogan
www.CaptainCooked.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9g3GglE-Y

I hadn't heard of this book until you posted this trailer. Which was excellent. But I'm a sucker for animals, and also, the title is amazing. Life in the garden of captives? So hooked. Just bought it.

Don't watch them unless they happen to show up. Caught one for Tess Gerritson on TNT last night. Hadn't seen a book commmercial on tv for a very long time so I watched it and thought how it didn't seem as interesting as the cop show I was watching. Truth be told it seemed wanting in comparison. Perhaps that is the downside of placing book ads in shows that are more engaging than what the book ad is promoting?

I do recall many many moons ago a radio ad for Grisham's The Firm. He was an unknown at that time having written the modest seller, A Time To Kill. His publisher really got behind The Firm and this was one of the ways they did it. Until that day I hadn't ever heard any sort of electronic ads for a book. I still remember that because at the time it was so new and unique.

I think that when you already have a love of a series, they are a nice touch. The recently released Chronicles of Vladamir Todd was a great trailer but it gave nothing in the way of plot.
Richelle Mead's series (my absolute favourite) had such a poor trailer that if I hadn't read the books, I probably wouldn't have. That trailer is now deleted from my memory. (Sorry, Jim).
I think trailers are a waste of money. They are more likely to hurt your chances than enhance them.

I wrote a post on this topic a few months back and--my, my, but the response has been interesting. Enough so, that I now periodically post book trailers on my website for my readers to rate. The majority of what I've found? The responses fall somewhere between tolerant and outright hatred. The trailers which go over well all border on parody (Sense and Sea Monsters, Abe Lincoln--Vamp Hunter, Libba Bray's Going Bovine...). The serious ones must to be really well-done and simple (Cronin's The Passage or Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games). My personal thoughts? A book trailer is better left UNDONE if it can't be excellent. Otherwise, you get people like me who write posts just to complain about "the cheeze factor. It’s bad. And frankly, I, as a legitimate reader, am disturbed." http://mchristineweber.com/when-it-comes-to-book-trailers/

Since publishers can't, and writers don't know how, I'm hoping a new field opens up that teaches writers how to promote their work. Blog or website consultant, as well as PR :)

This is actually refreshing to hear. I have titles for my works, obviously, but I also have ideas on how the covers should look, merchandising ideas, my own blog, and twitter accounts, etc. From other articles, blogs, and so forth I've read online, it was starting to sound like once an author hands over their "baby" it becomes someone else's and they get little to no say in titles, covers, or promotions. I don't mean to say that I would be a complete control freak--I'm easy going by nature and would be willing to find alternatives if the publishing experts thought my ideas would never work. Obviously, I like to write...but the promoting aspect also sounds like a lot of fun, so yes, I'm glad to hear that authors are expected to be a part of all of that too!

I completely agree Jen, it's nice to hear.

I would take the initiative and be my own PR. It would take some working up to (since I'm the shy, recluse type) but I would do it. It makes me sad that some authors don't see that, and they are really missing out on the experience of meeting new people and getting themselves and their book out there.

Suzi has a point; if publishers don't have the money, and most authors don't know how that too is counterproductive. Not to mention there are many 'promotions' out there that simply don't work. I have no problem being active in promotion, but I wouldn't want to waste valuable time on things that don't work either.

Thanks for posting about my interview. And for all you authors who don't know how - we have a really intensive class every January. Limited to 25 students - all online. You can find out more about it here: http://www.bksp.org/content/view/141/2/

It will updated this week for the 2011 schedule. You can also write me about it at MJRoseAuthor at gmail dot com

"No more can or should an author complain about his or her publisher. This is counterproductive. Instead, the author should take charge in every way possible to get his or her book out into the marketplace and reach a wide reading audience. Only when that has been done effectively can the author become a writer again."

Only when a writer becomes a completely different thing -- i.e., a marketer -- can the author become a writer again? This is nonsense.

And, it's the complaining about publishers abandoning their proper marketing role that's counterproductive, and not the abandonment of that marketing role by publishers? Seriously?

I'm sorry, but in no other entertainment field is the creative class forced to be marketers and salesmen for their own creative product. This is bad business, bad reasoning, and simple bad form.

Authors can and should complain, because being able to write a marketable book and doing the actual marketing have no more to do with each other than automobile engineering and race car driving. Their agents should be standing by them and representing their clients' interests rather than enabling publishers to continue this nonsensical, incompetent practice.

And, when publishing execs live in the same tax bracket that the majority of authors do, then I'll buy the "we don't have the money" argument.

Also, I think there should be definitions of what exactly 'marketing' entails, and what 'promotion' entails. Too often those terms are used synonymously, and many authors and industry folks I've read say they're not the same at all.

Contracts outline precisely what's expected of the author and publisher at the pre-publication stage, they talk about money and timeframes and duties and penalties.

If there's a new set of things a publisher expects an author to do, and this is a bone of contention, then perhaps modern contracts should also spell out exactly what authors *and* the publisher are expected to do to market their books.

"I'm sorry, but in no other entertainment field is the creative class forced to be marketers and salesmen for their own creative product."

Anonymous is obviously not a musician.

"Anonymous is obviously not a musician."

Or a graphic designer.

"Authors can and should complain, because being able to write a marketable book and doing the actual marketing have no more to do with each other than automobile engineering and race car driving. Their agents should be standing by them and representing their clients' interests rather than enabling publishers to continue this nonsensical, incompetent practice."

I totally agree. Marketing is a skill and it is a totally different skill from being the content producer and it shouldn't be the authors job to market their own book.

Look at all the publicity surrounding the release of Justin Cronin's The Passage. This is a "The Stand" style post-apoc vampire novel. It is everything that most mainstream publishers are telling us doesn't sell right now, but Stephen King gave it a nice cover blurb and the publisher did a multi-million dollar publicity campaign around it.

I've read it. It is good, but not great. It isn't any better than any other horror novel available.

If they put 1/10th the effort into marketing other novels that they put into The Passage, they might find that some of those novels were also big sellers.

If you feel that the author is going to be the one responsible for marketing their own book -- I respectfully suggest that the author might as well go balls to the wall and become their own publisher.

"I'm sorry, but in no other entertainment field is the creative class forced to be marketers and salesmen for their own creative product."

Anonymous is obviously not a musician.

Or a photographer, actor, or painter. Or anything creative, really. In fact, at least someone else is publishing the book. I've been an actor, and was married to a painter and am currently married to a photographer/musician. We do all kinds of publicity for everything. At our own expense, no less.

That said, I have a background in arts marketing and as someone who has just spent the last five months doing marketing for my debut, Restoring Harmony, I frankly don't know how people without that background pull it off. I kind of like marketing. I like creating buzz, but some of my writer friends really are at a loss, and I do agree that writing is the reason we got into it, and it's a shame to have to do all this marketing if it's not your thing.

While it might be necessary and true that we have to do our own publicity, I think it's sad. I've had fun, but honestly, I would've rather written a new book over the last five months. Luckily, FedEx is on its way with my new edits and so it's back to work. Yay! Great post.

Of course the author should promote, same as the other creative’s listed in comments. But the time to promote is about 1 month pre-publication and 2 months after. From agent query to publication I believe is about a year; what I don’t get is why an unpublished author is expected to have half a zillion followers on twit-face-blog-book before he/she types out; Once upon a time.

Though it must be expected that the author promote, surly it is for publisher and agents to arrange promotion events and interviews.

As for cover and title; if an author can’t think of an appropriate and interesting title, it doesn’t inspire that the content will be any different. Cover, I would say a suggestion by the author should be listened to, but the marketing guys should know best and have last word.

Also, as when anyone gets a deal, they will without a doubt have to sacrifice writing time for promo, I would suggest the writer has a good second manuscript ready for publication before the first one finds ink.

Do I have any misconceptions here? Please put me right where I am wrong.

Can you give "ball park" figures for the services of a publicist?
I also draw attention to the cover of the current New Yorker, with the author sitting in isolation at a book signing where he isn't signing! Sad!!

Oh how true how true how true!!!! It's amazing how many people buy into these myths, especially about quitting your day job! Arghhh!

And #4 - boingo. You must work at it - very hard. Pay-off will eventually follow, but get out there and sell your book yourself!

Happily, none of this is news to me, but I have a colleague who is convinced that he can't get published because his work is too good for the masses. I've gently tried to tell him this, but he's also convinced that I can't get published because I lack talent -- and shamelessly pander to the lowest common denominator. Denial is more than a river.

I don't want to quit my day job! I just wish they'd let me teach in pajamas.

The list is good, although I disagree with #3. The best advice I ever received was from an author who suggested pursuing small to mid-range publishers first, gaining success, and then landing an agent. (She'd done just that.) Yes, acquiring an agent is the holy grail, but there's so many more publishers who accept direct submissions than there are agents. Why limit one's chances of success?

Thank you for the link; very interesting.

Oh my gosh, I love the part where he's next to Mary Higgins Clark and her line is out the door. Virtual tours sound better and better! :)

That's priceless!

That wouldn't have happened if they'd scheduled him for Barnes & Noble instead.

I would absolutely buy his book after seeing this: his sense of humor and humility are endearing.

Do U.S. authors ever go to airport bookstores, I wonder? I've seen authors at book signings in British airports, usually doing a cracking business. Lots of people are looking for good reads for their flights and have time to spare.

That was hilarious. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

This was amazing! What a creative, inventive guy! Thanks for this, Jim!

This sure put him on my radar screen. The guy has a great sense of humor.

*sigh* BEA sounds wonderful. I'll try to live vicariously. ;)

I SO wish I were at BEA. Alas, I am stuck at work. I want a Matched ARC so bad I can taste it.

I think I walked out of BEA today with more books than I can possibly read. Alas, the 'To Read' list grows even bigger... I am very excited about Emma Donaghue's "Room".

I came out of there with 24 books, 14 of which were signed...absolute glee! My favorites, the ones I'm ready to devour are Diana Peterfreund's "Ascendant" and Richelle Mead's "Spirit Bound" (technically this one is already out, but it's a signed hardcover copy!)

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Yes, it's a creative marketing tool, but I feel like it's cheating word of mouth. If someone of the street recommended me this book, and then I saw the video/article I probably wouldn't buy it. Why? Because she's an actress, and she most likely didn't read the novel. That makes her recommendation void and I would feel a little cheated in the whole deal. I can't quite explain why, but this rubs me the wrong way. A lot.

Junie B Jones! I stinking love those books and laughed out loud while reading them to my daughter. Sounds much cooler than the other tactic!Enjoy!

Always love the marketing posts. Thanks.

Personally, I think it's a bit sad that authors need (or think they need) to go this route.

Ironic that I read this just as I received an email from an old friend who found my blog. She's interested in doing some cross promotion - she owns a dance studio. She liked my writing style, is impressed by the blog traffic, and thought we could do a project together - and is offering some sweet incentives. I'd resisted doing a blog for so long...Glad I finally succumbed. Thanks for the link. Some great advice there!

Wow, I'm not sure what to think of that. Seems kind of... crass. Don't get me wrong, I have a blog and everything, but I'm not a journalist. It just makes me uncomfortable that "serious" journalist will be altering their work in hopes of getting more comments and page views.

Great timing for this post! I've just started an online workshop to develope web-presence. I will suggest others go to your page to get the link.... see, its working!

"You don't write because you want to say something. You write because you have something to say." -- F. Scott You-Know-Who.

"It's about content, damnit." -- fatcaster

Have to agree with Kelly. :)

I started blogging a few months ago. I haven't held any contests yet or done anything too special, but I did get to interview a best selling author last month, just days before his sixth novel in a series was coming out. That was awesome!

There were a few times where I vented a few times, dealing with the whole querying mess, and oddly enough, those posts garnered the most hits and comments, beating out by a large margin, my author interview. That was kind of sad to me. I had even asked for questions from my followers to ask the author, so that they could be part of it, but only three offered questions. The interview was still a success as I'm getting outside hits from people looking for information on the author's books.

Today, I did some research into upcoming e-readers, and had just a few comments. Guess people like drama better than information.

I love blogging, but it does take time away from writing. Otoh, I've honed my writing skills in different ways when blogging.

Not to brag, but I appear to have written the definitive post on how to eat slugs and that has pretty much kept my blog alive during the dry (or actually, wet, months). For some reason, whether slugs are okay to eat, what their nutritional value is, how to make them tasty, etc., are compelling questions that people all over the world want answered. So, weirdly enough, writing about slugs has given me something of a web presence. I don't know whether that's a bad or a good thing, but I suppose there are worse ways to earn your five minutes in the limelight.

Mary Witzi--my daughter had a pet slug when she was 7. The neighbor kid stepped on it and my daughter came in the house literally sobbing. "Michael stepped on Sluggy!" It was so cute. I can't say I was sorry for poor Sluggy's demise, but I was sad for my daughter, but trying not to laugh at the same time.

"Don't waste the next fifteen years of your life. Start writing NOW."

Haha! I like the fat comment too...I'd say that for sure!

I'd also tell myself to get off my butt and work harder. I skated through high school, always on the Honor Roll, but I never really applied myself so now I have no idea how high I could have gone.

things will work out fine so don't panic so much. of course my 16 year old self wouldn't have believed me.

"Those hackneyed graduation speeches are a LIE. These are NOT the best years of your life. Life just keeps getting better!"

Uhm... I'm still in high school... 23 days left!
But I could tell my 14-year-old self, freshman year was the best year. There was absolutely no drama that year. I'd tell her she should have gotten serious with looking at colleges. And I would have told her she should have joined marching band that year, rather than waiting until sophomore year.

Life doesn't always work out the way you plan it, and that's OK. You're not going to marry this guy, you will not become a veterinarian. Nothing you expect to happen at this moment will. Just relax, go with the flow and learn to enjoy what does.

I would say, "You don't know it all." I shudder at how cocky and pompous I must have seemed to others!

You're annoying. Seriously. Just shut your mouth and sit down.

Sara stole mine.

Oh, and you DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, and be nicer to your mother. And let her pay your college tuition. Paying for beers you had when you were a college freshman ten years later pretty much sucks.

I've already told myself the fat comment, like about every 5 years. But I'm with Kelly up top, I'd have told myself to cut out some of the mega reading I did and start writing!

Every single struggle you go through today, will mold you into the woman you'll be tomorrow.

Things will get a lot better than this. In the meantime, you're not the only person in the world, so look around you and think of others for a change. Forget French -- learn Spanish instead. Also swim more and eat more leafy green vegetables, they won't kill you. Take out the garbage once in a while BEFORE your mother has to beg, she won't be around forever.

And I wouldn't have listened to a bit of it.

I'd say don't hold back

What a fun idea.
I'd say: "You are not a freak. Wait till they all start trying to be your friend after you graduate uni."

Don't call your boyfriend every 15 minutes just to see if he's home yet. Wait 20 years for FaceBook and THEN hone your stalking skills.

Forty years ago I would have told my fifteen year old self that the little brown haired girl you fancy is a good move. Buy Microsoft and remember: When the time comes a second child doesn't diminish the amount of love you may share, it doubles it.

I'd tell myself this: "Opportunity abounds. Take advantage of it--travel, take risks, and just DO STUFF! The world really is out there to grab."

As a parent, that's one of the main things I hope to impart to my children. I wish I'd understood that when I was a teenager, and even into my twenties.

I'd tell myself to slow down and wait. I didn't meet the man I eventually married until I was 30...others came and went...but the really mushy stuff about "it just being right when it's right" is true. Everyone feels like the love of your life, until you actually meet him/her.

I would tell myself just that everything would be OK. That life wouldn't turn out how I'd expected it, but that I'd be happier for the experiences I did end up having. And I'd probably warn myself to stay away from this boy or to go on that trip and to write even more, because I'd come to enjoy it a lot more than I would have thought and would wish I had focused more on it earlier.

(And I really wish my 36-year-old self would come from the future and tell me similar things!)

I would tell my self, Don't be afraid to be noticed and do what you really want to do. Don't worry what you think others are thinking about you. And don't waste my time on high school boys because you won't meet your hottie husband till college.

I'd say:

Fasten your seatbelt . . . it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Writing, in the traditional sense, is the opposite of blogging and tweeting and so on. It's all about the careful construction, the refining, the editing and honing. A blog entry can look silly the next day, a great novel ought to still be great a hundred years from now.

The problem newspapers have is precisely that they're basically blogs you have to pay for, by people paid to fill space, rather than the true enthusiasts and dedicated people who write blogs.

As for the DGLM blog? Do your jobs, then blog. Don't ever confuse one for the other. Placing a book with the right publisher for a tidy sum of money, then shepherding it until we've all heard of the book and are keen to buy it and the next book by its author says more than mere blogging ever will.

Hmmm. That's an interesting question. I don't believe blogging will dilute the overall quality of writing out there. Good writers should know how to adjust their style to fit different mediums. And recognize that a blog is different from a book.

For someone like me, blogging has been a great way to keep writing every day. I am currently querying agents for my nonfiction book. The proposal's done. I'm in the waiting period, and I need to keep writing to stay fresh. So I started blogging. Doing so has connected me with other writers and members of my target audience, so it has had many benefits. I do not feel it will impact my writing when I delve into my book. Time will tell, I guess.

Now, one thing blogging has done, in my opinion, is enable pretty much everyone to "write." Having something to say and being able to do it well are two very different things. I don't think you necessarily have to write well to have an interesting blog. You DO have to write well to develop a book worth reading. In my opinion. But blogs to books are becoming popular. So maybe that will dilute the quality of writing in the publishing world.

I'm just rambling now. But you have really got me thinking. Great topic! I might even link this to my own blog...

Honestly, I think writing is in way more danger from failure to properly teach love of the language than it is from blogging, or even texting. If a writer is suitably grounded in the language, he or she won't be thrown by writing blog posts.

I resisted blogging for so long because I was afraid it would take away from time spent on my fiction writing. But the truth is, I enjoy the break from fiction sometimes and know I should at least write *something* to keep the schedule going.

That being said, the key for me is to not schedule blogs. Ie: I blog when I feel like it, not because I've committed to three times a week.

Blogs are also a great way to network with other writers and promote what you are working on.

The fate of literary works or the craft of writing I think in no way is affected by blogging. At least when it comes to the actual writing. My biggest problem with blogging is the time it takes away from working on my manuscripts. I am told as an up-and-coming author that a blog is a must, but struggle with making enough time to do both. How do you ever do it? Everyday there are a few new posts on your blog. How do you do it and squeeze in the time needed to be the great agency that you are? (I'm speaking as a whole to your entire agency).

I think if we had more classes in schools developing a child/young adult's ability to write something other than an essay and forced poetry writing would be better off, but as it is we don't have enough children exploring creative writing outlets, at least not where I come from and the schools I attended.

Even at my college our options are limited and not all that great, which tends to put a negative spin on creative writing. So all people are doing is developing a hatred of poetry, writing essays that they can't stand, and turning around and butchering the English language in text messages and IMs for the sake of talking fast.

Very few people I actually know have a real blog, and the few that do take pride in what they are saying and how they are saying it. I also have to agree with Angela, that if we teach people to respect the language and thoroughly ground them in it, then there won't be much of a problem when it comes to blog posts.

I feel like I'm not making any sense now, but this is a great topic. Thanks for bringing it up!

I don't think blogging will kill writing. I don't think anything will. It's been around a good long while now and yes every ten minutes some article will site the end of publishing, the end of literature, the end of the written word replaced by 3D interactive robots etc but I just don't think there's any real evidence that it will happen. There are more books than ever, more choice, more stories and genres and it's not going to disappear because we have other options. It's the alternatives that fall in and out of fashion, books and stories stay strong through all of technologies advances.

For me, blogging and tweeting have taught me a certain kind of discipline: to write even when I don't feel like it. I also try to make my posts and tweets interesting, and make them expansive or concise where appropriate. It's also helped me make a lot of writer friends, which is such fun!

But I have to admit, this kind of thing does take time away from writing a book, especially when you have a lot of other stuff going on in your life. I find myself checking my emails and Twitter and the blog before getting down to actual 'work'. It's amazing how addictive it can be.

I echo the comments above mine: this is a great topic, Miriam!

F. Scott Fitzgerald said: "You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say." The opposite holds true for most blogs: "You don't blog because you have something to say, you blog because you want to say something."

Will blogging kill writing? I don't think so, but I do think that the proliferation and growing popularity of blogs is making it increasingly difficult for authors to reach their target markets because so many people, especially teens and young adults, are spending (read: wasting) so much valuable time reading gossipy blogs and meaningless tweets that they no longer have the time - or, worse, the desire - to sit down and read a meaningful book.

Writers will always write. I'm more concerned about the readers.

Thanks for raising the question!

Suzanne Evans

I don't think the question should be about whether writers are no longer able to write deep, meaningful pieces. The right question is about what the audience (the readers) want, and can absorb. In a world where 140 characters is the norm, and a writer has 3 seconds to get a reader's attention, blogs are a terrific medium.

To answer franklycreative and to dispel the notion that all we do is blog, each of us has an assignment to do one blog post per week (my day is Wednesday) and one longer post every 10 weeks or so. That way, we generate content every day but no one has to devote an inordinate amount of time to it.

Thanks for all your feedback. It is an interesting issue, isn't it?

I have found that blogging has actually helped my writing, as it has allowed me to make connections with other writers and to learn from them. Of course, I don't follow a set schedule and only blog when I have something worth blogging about, so it hasn't become stressful for me.

On the other hand, though, I have noticed that the increase in my blogging presence has led to a decrease in time spent revising my novel, so it definitely does have its disadvantages. I'm aware of that, though, and I am trying to find a balance between delving into the resources that blogging and moral support that provides me and spending time on the writing that is really important to me: my book.

My blog is where I post short story fiction on an almost weekly basis. It has been so useful to have that weekly deadline, and the comments from readers have been supportive and encouraging. So in that respect, it has been a good experience.

As Jess said, making connections, sharing, and learning make the blogging community an interesting one. The trick is to not let blogging, twittering take away all the time one has to write.

Moderation in all things. :)

I do have my concerns about the fate of literary works, I fear they will become a thing of the past, and books will be written more for shorter attention spans, such as short story collections centering around a common theme, like blogs turned books. A bigger concern I have is the ability for readers to even be able to read or comprehend books of literary merit when they spend so much time online taking writing shortcuts for texting, emailing, blogging and such. Much as the art of letter writing and cursive has disappeared. I do believe that great literary works will still be written because I see it happening but will they ever see the light of day? I hope so or I will be bored. I also worry greatly about the fate of America's economy, what with all this online fun, is anyone getting any actual work done? Hours were not added to the work day to maintain an online presence and we were all so busy before the internet! Something has to give to accommodate cyberspace.

At one time two blogs were created each second, according to a 2006 study.
http://www.cyberjournalist.net/news/003674.php
50 million blogs out there and counting.
I personally think blogging is a fad to some extent, as was myspace, replaced by facebook and even that is not as good as it once was. Once everybody jumps on a bandwagon you can't hear the band.
I think the numbers still might be close to 50 million because most people peter out and delete, but in cyberspace nothing ever erases completely.
I took my blog down from blogger because they would no longer support hosting on my server and I was tired of it anyway. It was like a new toy for awhile and then I wanted to do something else. Also, it was a rejection of google/blogger decision to no longer support FTP, which would have transferred control of my files from me to them.
Right now I browse publishing industry blogs because I am looking for information that would be helpful to getting my novel out there. After that objective is achieved, who knows where I'll graze. No where that doesn't have useful information, for sure. Blogs have kind of replaced magazines in that respect. Specific interest type media.
I think many blogs are painful to read and it breeds a culture of self-obsession. But, cream usually rises to the top.

Timely post. I've temporarily abandoned my fledgling blog to focus on my WIP. Why do I feel like I left my toddler at the train station?

I believe we are all hungry for stories: every length, every type, every stripe and color, as long as they are compelling. The popularity of short form forces writers to stay on our game and grab readers by the throat.

I've seen very many profound and incredible blog posts. However, those bloggers aren't usually the type to post every day. Their posts take time to develop, and it almost seems like their is something of an inverse relationship between quality of posts vs. frequency of updates. (Of course, there are exceptions!)

Thanks for the link; it's definitely a question worth pondering.

Hm. No, I think just the opposite is the case: the more you write, the better you get at it. Blogging is much more accessible to novice writers than even short stories and essays. As you continue, there's a natural longing to define your online identity, and one of the ways to do this is by developing your voice. There's also more opportunity to experiment, since you've got next to nothing to lose, and you can get feedback from readers almost immediately.

If the novel has any competition, it's not from blogs or tweets, it's from movies. I'll be interested to see how the advent of affordable amateur equipment and software shapes film as a genre.

short pieces can be well writing. The craft will remain. But our attention spans are shrinking, so those "long, satisfying narratives" will likely become a dying breed.

I keep my blogging time completely separate from my scheduled daily writing time on my WIP. My WIP gets its morning work no matter what while my blog is only updated if I have time in the evenings. Also, most of my blog posts are reviews of books. Even if no one read the posts, it's useful for me to write one each week to keep up on my reading and to force myself to put into writing my thoughts on other people's writing. When reviewing and writing fiction, it’s not important that I be right, only that I have an opinion. In my case, I think blogging has strengthened my manuscript writing. If I find a situation in my WIP similar to a book I’ve reviewed (though never exactly the same), I can reread my review and apply the lesson I learned there. If I don't think something worked in someone else's book, chances are it won't work in mine either.

I think blogging appeals to our human need for instant gratification, instant feedback. Why spend years “writing” when you can only spend minutes blogging, or tweeting, or whatever?

But there’s still something to be said for the amount of time it takes to produce something. If babies could be gestated in a day then motherhood would be a trivial thing; anyone could do it. I think writers of the future will have to do both: produce for the instant market and also for the timeless. There’s no reason to complain about it. Just gotta do it.

I like the challenge of generating written text on a regular basis and getting feedback from others. I don't think of blogging as writing per se, but I do feel it has helped me hone my skills to some extent, and work to a deadline. It's easy to churn out indifferent prose, but harder to think of complete pieces with beginnings and endings that make sense.

It works best for me if I use blogging as a reward after getting a certain amount of writing (or, more likely, rewriting) done.

I'm writing a "blogoir," (blog meets memoir) which will serve as a first draft of a book-length memoir. I love the structure that weekly or bi-weekly blogging provides. I have developed a nice following, and it sure beats writing in isolation, wondering if my work will resonate with anyone once it sees the light of day.

I know people like to make wild claims, but come now. That's like saying the existence of ice cream will keep anyone from eating spinach. Things can actually coexist, people. (Mmmm...spinach.)

if i go to an authors website i want to see a few things:

1. FAQ section
2. Bio
3. Bibliography- including the order if it's a series. There's a few series i read and it does my head in when i go to the authors site to find out the next book in a series and the order isn't clearly set out!

other than that i don't look at anything else, including book extracts, usually i'd only go to an author's website if i've already read one of their books and liked it.

I sort of think that the coolest author sites are like the specials features on dvds. I tend to be interested in the authors of the books I really, really like, so I tend to like author sites that tell me about the person as well as information about their books. I regularly read the Robin McKinley blog, both because I like her books and find her interesting. I bought a book from John Scalzi because I read part of the first chapter on his website and had to read the rest. Things like authors who do podcasts and blog and post interviews tend to make me frequent their sites because I'm interested. Right now the internet, blogs and twitter are where I get the bulk of my reading suggestions.

As a reader I like the bios. I like to know what led them to write the things they do. I also like to know if they have any projects in the works or exciting news about current books (signings, movies, etc.)

As a writer I like to learn a little about their writing process and their journey to publication.

I don't visit many author sites on a regular basis.

I agree with WriterGirl. If an author has a series it's important for him/her to have the order in which they should be read.

I like to see tour dates of where the author might be signing, or speaking. Even blog tour info is nice to add, or what website or newspaper/magazine the author might be interviewed at.

Bio and FAQ site as well as Contact Me info for devoted fans who want to write to the author.

Any links to a blog or other website the author recently contributes to. Links to a Twitter or Facebook (fan) page.

Perhaps a few personal pics where the author shows herself (or family, pets) off. A fan likes a brief glance into the world of the author whose books they buy.

Perhaps a page devoted to their fans who aspire to become a writer themselves, offering tips and maybe their own story of how they came find an agent and become published.

Ooh, bookmarking that for the day I (hope I) need an author website.

The most important things for me are are the bio section (which hopefully will have some random and interesting tidbits instead of just detailing birthplace, education, and where they live now), a bibliography, and some sort of FAQ or interactive section where authors answer questions about inspirations, etc. (This could be done on a blog as well, and if it is, I hope there is some sort of roster or tagging system so it's easy to find those posts.) I also like a "recent updates" section where they can list new stories, upcoming appearances, etc.

EDIT: My word verification was "imbibes", and I always feel a need to point it out when the verification forms an actual word.

Also book trailers are so sweet. Even if it's just a scan of book covers from their collection to some music that reflects the mood of the stories is cool. Teresa Medeiros has a trailer like that and it put a smile on my face.

I'm a sucker for biographies. It's nice to know where a person came from, or how that might have influenced their writing.

Also, excerpts from books are always good. I've purchased many a book based on excerpts I found on author websites.

I've noticed a lot of people have been posting playlists for their stories lately. As I do this myself, and am a notorious music whore, I enjoy seeing what others feel suit their books.

Also, I agree with WriterGirl - it's nice when an entire series is listed in publication order, so I don't miss anything.

As a reader, I like to read bios, faqs and author blogs. I don't often go look at much more than that. I also like when they have their books listed, then I can see what ones I've missed.

I've never seen playlists, but have one of my 'writing tunes' on my blog. That's cool. I'm not crazy about personal information such as what they cooked for dinner last night or how cute their dog is when he does this or that.

Information about writing and publishing, tips and stuff like that is always interesting to me too.

In my experience, a fancy site doesn't make or break how I feel about the author - except when it bogs me down.

A landing page that has too many bells and whistles turns me off. It slows the process of reaching the following chunks of info I'm in pursuit of:

Author Bio
FAQs
Overview of Stories
Blog Link
Excerpts

In particular, I like to know the author's story - where they grew up, how they found their calling, details of their first deal, etc.

- Julie Duck

I love when an author's website is unique, yet organized and professional. One example of this is Erynn Mangum's website, www.erynnmangum.com. I like the design of her website and how it expresses herself.

I think an author's website should be that way. I also like it when they have up video interviews, as well as FAQ, their contact information, their journey through publishing, advice, and summaries on their books.

Tessa

I agree with everything that's been posted so far, with the addition that I love seeing extra stuff, fun things like quizzes or games that relate to the author's books.

For instance, Stephenie Meyer's book playlists and extras are fun to look at; Gail Carriger has a really cool link to a place where you can dress up her main character; and Jacqueline Carey has an amazing gallery of fan tattoos, which relate to her books. I think stuff like that is so great, because it gives you more than you're looking for, and entertains you. It makes you keep going back to their website and read about their new projects, etc.

I think it's also a good idea for unpublished authors to have a website. It can make you look professional, and it certainly can't hurt when prospective agents/publishers see it. Also, through facebook etc., you can keep tabs on people who want to read your book (if it ever gets published), so that you can hit them all when your book makes it to the shelves. I even put a sample chapter up to keep people interested.

As an added bonus, it really makes your book feel real. When I finished my book, there was a horrible anticlimax. I think I was expecting champagne corks popping, and Mexican trumpets somewhere in the distance, not to be wandering around the house, kicking furniture. When I put the website up, it felt really good.

It can be done very cheaply too, my friend did mine for me, he said he would have charged about $400 for it to a regular customer. You can see it here as an example of a simple website:

www.davidgaughran.com

I think the number one thing I want to see from an author's website, and I really don't see it often enough, is a printable backlist, with series books in order. That way I can just print it out and take it to my library or bookstore.

I'm not big on long drawn out author bios, but I'd like to see a little something to give me a feel for the author. Blogs are always good, but I don't have enough time to wander author blogs like I'd like to.

Also, I love deleted scenes, snippets, excerpts, ect. Like Rachel Caine has a bunch of free short stories on her website and even lists where in the series the stories are set. Love it. I spent hours reading those stories. They keep me sane between her books.

Another important item on an author website is who to contact to request interviews. I have a part time book blog and it's time consuming to try to surf author websites to find out where to go to request an interview.

I think the thing to consider is the author wants it to look clean and professional and not amateurish. It's an online business card.

Thanks for the comments, folks. They are really interesting and very helpful. Keep up the good work!

This blog is one of my favorites. All of your comments are so helpful. I'm filing them away in my brain and know that when I become publish they will be invaluable.
Thanks.

I don't really read adult fiction, but I live in Canada and of course, I'd heard of Margaret Atwood. However, when she started this tour around the world (an eco-tour) I heard a couple of great radio interviews with her (BBC & CBC) and she mentioned Twitter in both of them and I began to follow her myself. I put her book on hold at the library too. It works.

Although, no matter how many times I give myself the talk and head over to Facebook, I just cannot figure it out. I'll have to stick to Twitter and my blog.

Wonderful piece. I've read Atwood for years because she constantly reinvents herself and her material, while staying essentially. Atwood. This is one more great example. What a wordsmith. What an artist. What a fun lady!

I totally agree, it is terribly hard to find authors on the internet and sometimes they are just promoting their books...which would be fine if I weren't looking for a blog actually about them and their writing process.

After reading that, I admire Margaret Atwood all the more. I tweet and I have a Facebook account, but Twitter- and Facebook-networking do not thrill me. But I tell myself that if I ever really need them, they're right there where I want them.

I have not yet joined the throngs of tweeters. But shortly after setting up a fan page on Facebook, I started selling copies of my 10 year-old self-published book again. To the point that I will deplete my inventory very shortly.

Now, I have invited fans to follow along as I work to secure an agent and get my second book published through the traditional channels. I provide updates on my progress. And to keep fans engaged, I pose a Question of the Week, regarding books and reading, of course! I hope by the time my book is published, I will have established a sizable group of supporters who will rush out to buy it! ;)

I highly recommend the use of social media, for everyone from aspiring to established authors.

Teaching authors when they can control something and when they can't is probably a huge part of your job!

I wanted to ask a related question. I've heard authors say that they try to be aggressive in their reversion of rights clause so that if their books go "out of print" they can get copies themselves to sell on Amazon or they can put it back into print on iUniverse. Could you talk about this? Also all the related issues, such as: Is the cover art usually just licensed or is it usually bought outright? What other things does the author not "own" of the original printing?

I guess I'm asking how an author can prepare him- or herself for this eventuality?

There are too many variables for us to give general advice on that since what’s best for one author might be bad advice for another and publishers’ contracts vary widely, except to say that this is one of the many reasons that authors need agents--both to be well prepared contractually and to figure out the next step after a book goes out of print. The answer, as with so many things, is to talk to your agent!

-Lauren

Thank you!

At my day job I work for an international nonprofit with a healthy marketing budget. I have stopped running almost all ads after research confirmed my suspicion that they were not motivating -- triggering, in other words -- the "purchase decision."

(I'm being cagey on purpose; my company doesn't sell products but the thinking is similar: we want people to do something.)

What does work? Word of mouth. I am pouring the money I might have spent in advertising into grass-roots efforts to get people to recommend various things in person. And while surely a print ad can drive awareness in general, and word-of-mouth tends to occur when there's awareness, the astronomical cost of print ads, combined with the difficulty of tracing ROI, makes them untenable for me. I just can't justify spending the money on advertising when other things are more effective.

OK, rant over!

As a reader of primarily genre novels, I've always found that the stuff I'm most interested in reading doesn't get that big budget attention. So no, I am pretty much never influenced by book ads--or for that matter, book trailers--when it comes to buying books.

Here's what does hook my interest, in no particular order:

1) My Amazon Recommendations list. "If you liked this, you'll probably like this other thing" works pretty well with me.

2) Occasional ads placed on sites I'm visiting anyway, such as Tor.com or Smart Bitches Trashy Books.

3) Blog posts by authors I regularly follow, who often mention forthcoming books by their colleagues.

4) Review posts by people on my Friends list, or review blogs I'm following, of which there are a couple.

5) John Scalzi's "Big Idea" column, which has influenced me to grab at least two books off the top of my head.

6) Good ol' fashioned browsing in the bookstore: i.e., thinking 'hey that looks like fun' when I see a cover, reading the blurb on the back, and thinking 'sure why not'.

7) Fictionwise's "featured books" sections on their homepage, which have occasionally gotten me to snag ebooks I wouldn't otherwise have bought. Same for the targeted discounts they send me on their newsletters.

I always liked the print ads because I have such a poor short-term memory: I might see a book mentioned online but then I tend to drift onto the next page or link and soon forget. With an ad (or review) in print, I tear it out if I like it, and put it in my handbag or coat pocket for the next trip to the bookstore.

Our local bookstore makes good use of print ads too, pinning them up for people to browse to help promote the titles in store.

Angela has pretty much said it all for me, though I've never heard of John Scalzi's column and do not buy ebooks (yet).

Word of mouth, blurbs or reviews by trusted authors/bloggers, and the occasional browsing session work best for me.

My girlfriend reads most of her books based on recommendations from her friends. The last book I was recommended was an old R.A. Salavtore book, but that was back when I was in high school. As a working adult guy, I'm more often recommended non-fiction than fiction.

So how do I find out about books? Movies based on books, books in front of the bookstore, and author's websites. I like reading Neil Gaiman's website, and I read his comics as a kid. I have also been picking up books that are in the series LOST out of curiosity. As for reviews, I really only care about the amazon reviews. Newspaper reviewers come across as too pompous. I don't care if it's good lit; I just want to read a good story.

Does an ad cause me to buy a book? Never. Does a review cause me to buy a book? Sometimes. Do recommendations cause me to buy books? Often. These could be word of mouth, something I read, or amazon's predictions for what I will like.

I don't read magazines or newspapers -- I have the internet -- so I don't think I have seen a print ad for a book in the last 5+ years.

However, I do read the newsletter sent out by the Sci Fi book club and I have purchased a ton of books after leafing through that newsletter.

After that, I hear about most new books from Chuck Palahniuk's official website, The Cult or its sister site, The Velvet.

I bought a book—from an ad in The New Yorker no less—called The Story of Stupidity which turned out to be someone's self-published thesis. I still have it on my shelves,

I don't really pay attention to print ads at all, whether for books or other things. My eyes pass over them without really registering.

However, I can't say that they have NO effect because if I'm trying to decide between two books and I've heard of one somewhere (but can't remember where) and haven't heard of the other, I'll buy the one that triggers a memory. Usually that memory is caused by twitter or blog mentions, but it could also be from an ad.

LOL about the beret...I have spent many a lost minute considering the purchase of a poke boat, though.

As for "what works..." Word of mouth is king. Facebook's Virtual Book shelf. NPR. Blogs. I rip out hundreds of slivers about interesting things I find in everything from the New Yorker to Entertainment Weekly, those, however, more often than not, end up washed in my pajama pants.

I am also most driven by finding things for my stduents to read, so if I think a book's appeal or theme matches one of my courses, I am much more likely to turn that ripped out ad into a purchase.

Mary Witzl:

John Scalzi is an SF author with a high-traffic blog at http://whatever.scalzi.com. One of the things he regularly posts is a "Big Idea" column, showcasing other authors and the central idea that got them started on whatever book they have coming out next. It's focused on SF/F, but he does a nice variety of forthcoming work.

It's inspired me to pick up the awesome YA novel The Forest of Hands and Teeth (by Carrie Ryan), and more recently, Malinda Lo's Ash.

Thanks for these thoughtful answers, which really are instructive. Publishing houses would do well to do a better job of targeting the on-line space to build word of mouth. But much as i see the writing on the wall, I can't help but mourn the passing of regional book review sections (and regional newspapers)which are the inevitable byproduct of falling ad revenue. I too make my reading decisions based on a combination of reviews and word of mouth. I'm also in the fortunate position of havng books thrust in my hands with an accompanying "you MUST read this." I almost always dip in, and if it grabs me, I feel it only fair to keep going.

The problem with advertising is that you can't measure your success. If I see a book on NPR or Oprah for that matter, it might take an ad to remind me to buy it. You can't rule out the cumulative effect. Also, if no one buys book ads, we won't see book reviews, which are big motivators in my family. Sometimes you have to support an institution (buying expensive ads) so it will be there when you need it.(reviewing your book)

I have never read any reviews. I hate to know anything about a book before I read it. I don't even read the jacket. I know! How do I choose? Well, truth be told...sometimes the cover. Also, the author. And often the first page of a book. I seem to have way more books than I can possibly read anyway, so my system's working for me.

However, I have recently started picking up books featured by bloggers who I know like to read the same things I do. I don't actually read their reviews, but they almost all use star systems of some sort, and if the cover looks good, they reviewed it and gave it 4-5 stars, I'll pick it up. So yes, bloggers are influencing me, but I haven't stopped reading professional reviews because I never did. It seems like they have always given away too much, which makes me cautious.

I recently picked up FAT CAT a magnificent YA, an I chose it based on the fact that a blogger I know liked it a lot.

I'm not a big fan of reading reviews before reading a book either, but that's also how I am when it comes to movies. I don't want any hints or preconcieved notions about it going into it. My students love hearing reviews for the books their peers are reading, however, and so I set them all up on goodreads.com to get the oppurtunity to not only hear the opinions of their classmates, but also other kids their age.
My students also love Book Commercial Wednesday we have in class, where I have to do a run-down of all the books I've read and get them to want to read it, and then they get to do their own book commercials as well.
WHEW! Out of breath. I had no intentions of making this long of a comment... :)

P.S. Meant to add this bit. My book doesn't come out until May, and I am more amused than concerned about my Amazon ranking (how low can I go? 2 million? 3 million?), but I've recently received two really, really good blogger reviews for my book, and out of curiosity, I monitored my Amazon ranking. For a few days after these reviews posted, my ranking spiked from 3.5 million or something to 180,000. I know that is probably only a few book sales, but it does mean that at least a few people probably acted based on these blogger reviews. And on a book they can't even get for 3 months. Peer reviews may have more weight than we think.

If I'm uncertain about buying a book, I read the reviews from readers on Amazon, not the professional reviews. I find a teen posting "Luved it. It was grate!" to be a much better recommendation than all the formal, educated essays out there.

I know librarians who still use the traditional School Library Journal reviews, etc. but for the general book buying public, I think reviews are far less important than how much shelf space the publisher initially buys for the book. Good books do get shared by word of mouth, but they have to first get into the hands of readers, and the reality is that many buyers simply wander into a store and pick up something that catches their eye. The one or two shelf copies, (spine visible, not cover) of my books will sell because someone's seen a good review. But many, many more of someone else's books will sell because their publisher is bigger than mine, and has a lot more money to put towards buying large displays.

Personally, I read a book becautse I want to read it and I choose it because I like the jacket copy and the first page. If I'm undecided then I'll pick a random page half-way through the book and see if I like the writing.

Reviews, books or movies, don't sway me either way. But if I was looking for reviews on a book, I would read reviews from peers who like the same genres/subjects I do.

I read professional book reviews and occasionally I write unprofessional book reviews at my website, but I’m far more likely to buy my next book based on a common consensus of online folks or people I know. And I always make reading runaway bestsellers a top priority as I hope to write runaway bestsellers. I assume that if a bunch of people want to read a book, like say enough to buy it, there must be something about that book worth learning from and applying to my own writing. I read Dan Brown and James Patterson with the same close attention I give John Updike and Toni Morrison.

I find it really helpful to use the reviews on Amazon -- I'll browse a handful of the ones marked "most helpful," look at the spread of ratings (i.e. 1 to 5), and then read a few of the most negative reviews. This combination usually gives me a good sense of what it will be like to read the book, and in the case of fiction, whether I want to, and for non-fiction, which of a handful of books on the topic is the best resource.

I definitely pay attention to reviews, especially bloggers' reviews (if I trust the bloggers and know them to have similar reading tastes). But I also read trade reviews, I talk to librarians, and I swap books with friends who share my reading tastes.

How sad that someone would threaten a lawsuit over an unflattering review. I can't imagine I'd be thrilled to get a bad review myself, but I'd rather take that risk than live in a world where freedom of expression was limited by the fear of financial ruin.

I get most of my reviews from the blogosphere, and I read a wide variety of them. I've found a couple book review blogs that have largely the same reading preferences as I, so I trust them the most.

On Goodreads, I like to read the most negative reviews --- something one person hates in a book, I might not mind so much. This way, I know if I'll be ok with a book's (perceived) flaws.

Also, I use the first chapter as a decision-maker because it gives me an idea of the author's writing style.

Thanks Michael - I just signed up.

Yes, thanks for the link to "TBPB"

I have a Fan page for my character and my own personal profile on Facebook (plus the other things like a website, Twitter, a blog and on and on).

I have a direct url on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/sashajacksonmysteries
which is great because even if people don't have a FB account or aren't signed in, they can still go to my Fan page.

I think the FB fan page is good because it allows quick and easy updates, event info, photos, and I reach people I otehrwise might not come into contact with.

It doesn't have to take much time - a quick poste here and there or a note or a status update - so it can be mere minutes a day if I so choose.

Besides, I figure there's nothing to los, so why not do it!

Jill

I don't think I've looked at many authors photographs of the books I love. Honestly, I probably have a vague idea of what two or three of them look like - and I don't really care. Perfect teeth, hard abs or the newest OMGSOHAWT wardrobe doesn't mean a person can string a complete sentence together that's even interesting. If my favorite author wears a paper-bag and has dreadlocks and chipped fingernails - well - that's the way they choose to live and I still like their latest book. Then again - I'm probably a slight eccentric myself....

I buy any book that interests me. While I know what my favorite authors look like, many of the books I read, I have no idea what the author looks like and in some cases, I've never even heard of the author before picking up their book. It's definitely safe for me to say that looks and status have no influence on my book purchasing habits. I'm much more interested in the book itself than what the author looks like or their "status."

I've only purchased one book based solely on the author...Melissa Gilbert's autobio. Otherwise, they had to win me over with their writing. Looks, etc...has nothing to do with it.
PLJ

I'm sorry I've found the prospect of picking up a book based on an authors looks, well - hilarious as all get out.

Take for example Stephen King. If anyone looked at his original author bio pictures, he's there in all his glory in thick coke bottle glasses. Not appealing to those who base things on looks. Oh yes, age did him a world of good and refined those looks.

Another example is Clive Barker. Handsome devil, but he's off limits to the female persuasion of us readers. Not to mention his looks kind of overshadowed the dark premise of his books.

Both men, great authors. One not so alluring the other handsome as all get out. I've loved them both for - wait for it - none other than their writing. Their looks or gender preference never once crossed my mind. (Hugs)Indigo

Absolutely not! Without naming any names, some of the most prominent celebrities have written some of the worst books on the market, and often with the "help" of others. Without the name recognition they had before "writing" the books, their works would probably have never been published at all. Madison Avenue strikes again.

I'm going to be completely honest. Sometimes I hear about one of these rock star authors and feel compelled to pick up one of their books. Not because of the way they look, but because of the way they seem to have accumulated a rather mad following of devotees. Sometimes I fall in love with an author and then am a bit weirded out when I find out what they actually look like (or sound like). This has actually happened, and I won't name names, but the truth is, after being startled by both mediocre writing and mediocre appearance, I gave both writers the benefit of the doubt when it came to their actual work, but I have to say, I was a bit surprised on both accounts.

No. I'm thinking of my favorite books and I can't tell you what any of the authors looks like -- except for one. I did look at Markus Zusak's picture AFTER buying and reading The Book Thief because I had to see the person who wrote such an amazing book. That's the first time I've noticed an author's appearance.

I don't think I've ever looked at an author photo before buying a book, and if I look after reading it, it's mostly out of curiosity (and will earn a second glance only if they look exactly as I would have pictured them, are surprisingly good-looking, or the photo is humorous. And even then, it's only a "huh"-type reaction.)

I remember hearing stories before CALAMITY PHYSICS came out about how gorgeous all the Penguin sales dudes thought Marisha Pessl was. I'm sure that helped sales, although not on the consumer end.

Yes, an author's looks and/or celebrity can influence my buying decisions -- negatively. If the bio implies that the author thinks his/her being Miss America or a soap star or a centerfold will make me buy the book, I am LESS likely to buy it -- because the implication is insulting, and because it seems that the author is more interested in being famous than in writing great books. On the other hand, if I happened on a book-signing or reading by an unknown (to me) author, the person's "presence" could be a decisive factor. But looks wouldn't matter.

An author's looks and/or celebrity isn't going to influence whether I buy his/her book. It just doesn't make sense. Why would it? So, okay, their attractive... Does that mean they can make me forget about my crappy day? Maybe, maybe not. There's no definitive correlation. So for no it's still a big fat NO.

I couldn't care less what an author looks like, but if I catch a book signing or an interview and they're not very nice (it doesn't happen often, but I've seen a few), then that deters me from buying and even reading their books. I don't care how well they write - there are too many nice authors that I would much rather support with my valuable time and hard-earned money. But that's just me...

I would never use my photograph to help sell my work. Mind you, if I did, no doubt it would sell millions and I would quickly be invited to be the lead singer of a flash-in-the-pan rock band, but it's not really where I want to go with this literature thing. I prefer the darkened rooms and the sweat over a keyboard - don't ask me why, but I think that's slightly less crazy than swaggering across the audition hall on a TV Pop talent contest looking for your big moment in the limelight. Keep it sexy, but keep it underground. (Please make your own judgement on my tone of voice here) Nice article and very relevant.

What Tracy said. I've found myself shying away from the works of authors who I've heard are pompous and rude. Which is probably just as silly as choosing books because the authors are good looking, but there it is.

How long until a mysterious, reclusive author is a selling point? ;)

Looks most definitely do NOT influence my buying, however I can see if an author is getting more publicity due to their style/looks/persona, that more household names will hear about them and therefore, more books purchased.