I am looking for a good book to read. Will it be yours? What I am finding more and more is - a good book is really hard to find. Seriously, it is. With the burst of Indie Authors entering their work into the marketplace at the click of a mouse, there are a million zillion titles for me to choose from, however, not everything out there is a good book. Especially when the author skips the important elements of producing a good book.Like great cover design
Let's' start there because as much as it is said that it shouldn't be done - readers DO judge books by their covers. Well - I do. If your cover is . . . um . . . not good, I'm not likely to think that the book is any good. If your cover doesn't appeal to me - then I probably won't read your book.
Like content editing
Okay, so you have a great cover that piques my interest. Maybe it intrigues me even. Then I go and look at the reviews. You have nineteen reviews, of varied stars, including two 1-star reviews. I'm definitely going to check those 1-star reviews out before I make a 1-click purchase. They both reveal that the story was all over the map, lacked character development and had no plot. That will do it for me. I won't read your book. I could tell from the cover that there might be issues, but reviews that tell the story of poor quality confirm my suspicions. (Note - if a 1-star review simply says the reader didn't like the work, that's very different. A 1-star review because you didn't respect your work and craft enough to serve it due diligence equals a 'no sale' for me.)
Like proof editing
So maybe your story was well constructed and designed, but there are a few reviews about typos and grammar errors. Who wants to deal with that during what is suppose to be an enjoyable read? I don't. A few errors here and there aren't bad. Really if there are only a few mistakes, but the story is strong, your reader is likely to forget about those errors before he/she writes a review. When you have so many mistakes that there's a warning message posted in your reviews, I'm not going to read your book. I'm just saying.
Now. YOU didn't skip any of the important elements. YOU have an eye-catching, professional looking cover. YOU had your book edited for content and error. AWESOME! I've been looking for your book!Unless it's about zombies and vampires. I don't want to read that . . . not today.
If you have a great book please recommend your title to me. Please! I need something good to read. Leave your book title, a 2-3 sentence synopsis, the price(s) and sales link in my comments. I just might read your book.
By the way - I get several hundred visitors to my blog every day . . . you might just wanna post your book in the comments section.
Kimberly T. Matthews
"I knew exactly how many condoms were left in his gym bag, in a little black box, wrapped in gold foil. Seven. Each time I randomly checked for no other reason besides I knew they existed, there'd always been seven. So I was taken aback that morning when I went to do his laundry, peeked in the box and only found three..."
Lisa from - "Lisa's Dress"
Click here to download on Kindle!
=======================================
Enjoy my blog? Get a FREE 14-Day Subscription to your Kindle! Just click below.
45 comments:
Thanks David! I will add it to my Kindle!
Hi Kimberly,
My latest release HART'S CHOICE (A Novella). Professionally edited, professional cover design.
Profit proceeds are going to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada. Hope you will consider...
Hook: For the lucky ones, there is a love so powerful that when it comes along, it changes everything.
Amazon US Link: http://ow.ly/dzWZM
Hi Kimberly,
Everything you said in your blog post is so true. You wrote the sentiments of so many readers, including me.
My latest book is SHADES OF THE FUTURE. If you had a pair of sunglasses that allowed you to see the future, would you change it? When Mariah Davis sees a disaster heading her way, she tries to avoid it, but things don't always turn out as planned, even when the future is plain to see.
Here's the link to more information and buy links on my blog.
http://suzannelilly.com/books/shades-of-the-future/
10% of the royalties will be donated to an animal rescue program.
Thanks!
Kimberly,
I just sent you a copy of Fourth and Forever. Check your email, then enjoy.
Yours to count on,
Bert
As an indie writer I am so tired of the rehashed tripe about not being edited - not using professionally made covers etc. I have read a lot of incredible stories with awesome covers by indie writers. Writers who have stepped out of the box and taken risks with style and genre lines.
A first time author may not be able to afford $800 to get a book professionally edited, so they do the best they can. They may not be able to afford $150 for a half decent cover artist, so again they must work with what they have access to.
If the author does go the $$ route and spends $950 on editing and cover - that means there will be a long period when all the profits from the sale of the book go to pay off the expenses and the author receives no compensation for her work.
Who is the author working for? Herself, I hope.
I agree with your comments :). It's tough to find good stuff to read, and imho, indie authors shouldn't use the excuse "I don't have money" as a reason to not be professional with their writing. Doing the best you can frequently isn't good enough, and it only hurts your sales (if you put out a poor product, readers won't come back for more - that hurts you, the author).
I'll throw one of my books out, it's a mystery, professionally edited with numerous 4-5 star reviews. Reed Ferguson is a detective who loves film noir and detective fiction - the series are fun and suspenseful. And thanks for letting me share.
http://www.amazon.com/Doesnt-Happen-Ferguson-Mystery-ebook/dp/B005DJHWRW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1348162227&sr=8-4&keywords=renee+pawlish
I realized I didn't put the title there, der...it's THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE MOVIES :)
Hi Kimberly,
Some excellent points there. I totally agree that if an author is prepared to put his or her treasured work out there for the world to see, they should do everything within their power (and budget - Victoria Adams does have a point) to make it as professional, enticing and error-free as possible.
Hopefully, that is what I've done with my grandfather's novel, Pegasus Falling. It is the story of a World War II paratrooper, Sammy Parker who, after attacking a German officer, finds himself incarcerated in a concentration camp. There he discovers not only the horrors of the Nazi's final solution, but also Naomi, a woman who Sammy comes to depend on to survive. When the camp is liberated, the couple are separated and Sammy must battle to find out what happened to the woman he loves.
It has a 4.6* rating on Amazon and has been named as a Top 5 Finalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2012 contest.
I hope the cover and quality of the edit meet your approval, and who knows, you may even love the book. (Don't worry, it is completely zombie and vampire free.)
http://amazon.com/Pegasus-Falling-Cypress-Branches-ebook/dp/B007K8QM8E/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1347297229&sr=1-5
Mike
It sounds wonderful Carolyn! I will be sure to check it out. Thanks for recommending! :-)
Hmmm! Intriguing indeed!! Thank you!
Bert you're the best! Got it! Getting my gift now. Thank you!
As tired as you may be Victoria, and as expensive as editing/cover design may be for some authors - it doesn't negate the point that those things impact sales. That is the just truth of the matter.
Renee, you are definitely someone I've been meaning to add to my TBR list! Thanks for sharing your title!
No zombies and no vampires sound like a good deal to me! LOL!
Hello,
Im Toyin... and I would like you to check out my book...Its called Oh So Youre From Africa? How Come You Speak English?
Its not available yet but you can read the first chapter...I want to know what u think...
http://www.amazon.com/YOURE-AFRICA-SPEAK-ENGLISH-ebook/dp/B008R44W32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343740412&sr=8-1&keywords=toyin+olaleye
This is my brand new release erotica book, an unusual but remarkably sweet combination of fetish and love story. I won't include anything other than the link because even the title is 18+ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009AYWKBY
My best wishes, and thanks so much!
Hi Kimberly! What an awesome and generous blog post!
I have a science fiction novel with a nice cover and it has been well edited. It doesn't have vampires or zombies, but it does have aliens, robots, and a woman who is also a spaceship. Because spaceships are awesome.
It is the first book in a trilogy. The second book will be out before Christmas!
It's called Edge of Infinty, and you can get it on Amazon here:
Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00589OMCK
I do often wonder if the cover of my most recent book doesn't scare some folks away. I don't think it's bad (in fact, I quite like it!) *but* it's YA romantic comedy about a girl who wears a specific kind of makeup..okay okay, so she's a Juggalo and looks like a mime/clown, but if you enjoy romance and want a laugh I think it's worth checking out :)
A short & sweet less than 140 character pitch that caught the eye of an agent: Darcy wears makeup as a deterrent but still attracts 2 boys. Are they truly interested or is she a pawn in a long standing rivalry
Tears of a Clown has 4 and 5 star ratings and sells for $4.99
It's available on Kindle, Nook & Kobo, but here's the kindle link: http://www.amazon.com/Tears-of-a-Clown-ebook/dp/B008LZGWXA
I thoroughly enjoy your honesty. As an avid reader, I share your sentiments. As a new author, I can understand the difficulty of paying the money to have your book professionally edited and cover professionally created. But if you care about your writing, if you care about your book and how it represents you as an author, then you will do everything you can to place forth a quality representation. I have read far too many books with errors that, if they would have simply used the spell and grammar checker in whatever program they were using to write, they could have easily corrected them. Nothing is perfect, I have to remind myself of that everyday. But a little bit of effort goes a long way.
I have just recently published my debut novel. It is a paranormal romance but has no vampires or evil monsters. Knightingale is a book about two people who's destinies are entwined, yet they have lived separate lives because the evil within this world is doing everything it can to keep them that way. David is a member of an ancient family of protectors called the Knight Family which possess supernatural powers used to secretly protect this world from evil. Yet David faces a dilemma in which he must decide whether it is best to uphold his family laws or break them by revealing himself to his assignment before her enemies destroy her.
This is the first book of the Knightingale Series. The link to the Kindle version is http://www.amazon.com/Knightingale-Series-ebook/dp/B009B4P1MS/ref=la_B009B6NKME_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1348197143&sr=1-2 It is currently available to Prime Members for free or $2.99. It is also available in print for $10.99 here https://www.createspace.com/3642806.
I would be honored if you would read my book. Thank you very much for the opportunity to share it with you!
Hi Kimberly,
I agree with your comments - it can be very off-putting to find grammatical errors in a book. I have read many books from indie authors who have a good story to tell, but I am often deterred from going back to the same author twice when I find umpteen spelling and grammar mistakes. A good story is not enough. The harsh reality is that books are judged by their covers and how well written they are as well as the story they tell. An author owes it to him/herself to produce the best work they can. We need to impress the reader with our professionalism if we want to sell more than our first book.
I hope I have done my books justice.
Passion Killer: Murder Mystery.
If your best friend and ex-lover was accused of killing your boyfriend would you stand up for him? Would your friends stand by you?
http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Killer-ebook/dp/B007AGMHFI
I have just received the proof copy of my second novel, Shadows of the Dead. It is a horror with no zombies or vampires, just some old fashioned ghosts.
Shadows of the Dead: Horror
What would you do if you found your dream house and it was rumored to be haunted? Would you buy it anyway? Would every noise in the still of the dark night have you paralyzed with fear?
Coming soon.
Oh my!! For grown ups only huh! Thanks for the link Millie.
Toyin, please share with me where I can find the first chapter. I see you have great reviews - that's awesome!
A woman as a spaceship? I usually not a sci-fi reader, but change is good right? I will check it out! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this MBee. I will take a look!
Hello Kimberly,
All your points are good, and so many great books have been posted above for you to consider. I have noted couple that I would like to read myself too! I just would like to add one thing, tastes differ and reading is a very subjective experience. So, not all stories and books have to appeal to everyone ;-)
Here is my book - My Trickster ($4.99)- a psychological thriller that is peppered with glam confetti and lush descriptions. I love experimenting with styles and words a lot. I show rather than describe. It has very cinematographic feel to it.
http://www.amazon.com/My-Trickster-ebook/dp/B0070B0A5W
I enjoyed and agree with your post. I will admit that, as a Triberr member, I have a bad habit of tweeting and getting on with my busy day. But I couldn't pass this one on without checking it out. Glad I did.
Unfortunately, you have many valid points. But the lack of quality proofing and editing isn't confined to the indie author. More prevalent, probably, but I've groussed quite a bit over the last few years that one of my favorite, and best-selling, authors needs to fire his editing staff. Typos are bad enough, but errors in content are difficult to swallow, especially when I pay close to $20.00 for a hardback copy.
If you are interested in a MG read that promises no zombies or vampires, I would love to offer you a copy of Michaela's Gift. Just let me know and I'll send it along, with love, from me, to you.
Ok liked the post. Valid comments all. So here it is:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Plate-of-Bits-ebook/dp/B008W7DFWI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Hi Cordelia! What exactly is an MG read? Forgive my ignorance. I could just ask Google, couldn't I? :-)
MG typically stands for Middle Grade, a subset of sorts of Young Adult. Normally meant for readers aged 9-13 or so
Harry Potter books started as MG as did the Percy Jackson books I believe.
Sorry, Kimberly. MG is middle grade. 8-12 or so, even up a little higher for some. I didn't mean to make you feel ignorant, so please forgive me for that.
No forgiveness needed. Thanks for teaching me something new today!
Cover - ok on the Kindle, pretty good on print. Professional edit - check. No zombies or vampires - check. Unicorns, fairies, princesses, evil wizards, happily ever after? check
"The Lost Unicorn" will be free from Sept 26 - 30 at Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lost-Unicorn-ebook/dp/B0099EODTM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1347596167&sr=1-1&keywords=lost+unicorn
A book you could read to your children over and over, and still enjoy it. If you like fairy tales that is. - M
Chocolate Beet Cake??? Hmmmm!!!! The game of Gauntlet is very interesting too!
The murder mystery, I can deal with. Horror? (Hiding in a closet!) I'm definitely not a horror reader, but perhaps some of the other commenters are.
Perfection Unleashed meets all of your requirements. :-)
http://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Unleashed-Double-Helix-ebook/dp/B008E98YFM/ref=la_B008EEIG1Y_1_1_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1348759015&sr=1-1
Thanks Jade! Downloading a sample! :-)
Hi Kimberly...found you through a retweet and am adding your blog to my RSS feed. I'd just like to add as a reader that it drives me bonkers when I see a cover that's too blurry in thumbnail size! I don't expect to read the fine print, but my poor eyes want to at least guess at the title or author's name. Indie authors, check your cover at thumbnail size and in grayscale, too! Make sure your fonts pop and save a reader's eyes! :)
Kimberly, thank you so much for your generous invite to post our books in the comments. Forever Material might just be the light, fun read you're looking for ($3.49). My cover artist is a real gem and my editor's a peach and both are professionals.
She's absolutely sure he's not the Forever kind. He's absolutely sure she's right. But he's still going to prove her wrong.
Barbara knows her bad boys, and Jake is the right kind of Mr. Wrong in this battle-of-the-sexes rom-com romp.
http://bit.ly/IYVECu
Thanks for adding me Athena! I hope you enjoy all future posts, as well as comb through the previous ones.
I'll be sure to check out your book! :-)
I loved this post. Wonderful ideas. Hope people are listening. I am a book reviewer and I get books that are sometimes so full of errors, I stop reading. Some of the accompanying emails cause me heartburn and I can only expect that if the email is non-professional and full of errors or really not an full email at all, the book must be more of the same. If you are proud of the product that you have completed, make sure that your email requesting someone to review the book sounds professional. Otherwise, reviewers are probably just hitting the delete button. Donna
Thank you Donna, and I am glad that as a reviewer you have chimed in. It is so important for authors to remember that their skill is being assessed any time the pen is put to paper (or fingers to keyboard) whether it is an email, a tweet, a status post, or an actual manuscript.
I have to agree with Kimberly, Victoria. I had 8 people proof-read my book (authors, teachers and a doctor) and still paid for professional editing. It was much cheaper than the $800 you suggested, probably because there wasn't as much work for the editor, but he still found 2 pages of errors. I was also able to reduce the cost of my professionally designed cover by searching over 3000 photos on istockphotos before choosing the one I wanted for £14. Then a graphic designer turned it into a briliant cover at a fraction of the usual cost. There are too many inexpensive professionally produced books out there for people to waste their money on amateur stuff.
Hey Kimberly, I read Lisa's Dress in a short story collection, Bubblin' Brown Sugar. Loved it! Please take a look at my book. Professional cover by Robin Ludwig, edited by Cherie Reich, proofread multiple times and story structure engineered by Larry Brooks' book.
Best of all: Free Oct 8-10
Current ranking: #55 in Free
Broken Build (Silicon Valley Romantic Suspense)
Jen Jones hides a horrible secret behind her new degree, toned body, and exciting job at Silicon Valley’s hottest startup—until a man linked to her past is killed in a hit-and-run.
CEO and founder Dave Jewell is about to land a huge deal. He doesn't need blood on his car, threatening phone calls, and Jen wrapped in broken code and blackmail.
A gang of thugs hunts Jen, and she takes refuge in Dave’s protective arms. Together, they must thwart a killer and rescue an innocent victim from their past. Love blossoms, but a damaging revelation points straight at Jen, threatening to tear them apart forever.
Thank you for that recommendation Rachelle! It sounds like a great read, and I have downloaded my copy. :-)
I loved the way you approached this post, Kimberly. Thanks for disclosing.
May I share WITHOUT REPROACH with you. It is written by Ellie Jones and myself and is priced at $3.19 and available on Amazon http://amzn.to/N1QWXC
Wealthy Spanish artist, Juan García, dies, and leaves his beautiful Spanish villa and riding school to Jenny. This is bizarre because she is English, has never been there, never met him, never heard of him, and is not related.
It becomes worse as she starts to vaguely recognize certain rooms. Jenny freaks out when in the entrance hall to the villa she discovers a painting of herself... naked.
Juan’s young brother, Eduardo, believes she is a gold-digger and is out to prove it.
Jenny finds herself struggling with Eduardo on several levels; his certainty that she had an affair with Juan, his own escalating attraction towards her, his belief that she may be involved with threatening letters against him... but then she starts to get threatening letters too, and it all gets out of hand.
Post a Comment