For Fantasy/Sci-Fiction Lovers: What Makes You Reada Book?

[paulpablo]

A lot of you know that I’m a writer. As such, I’ve been looking for ways to deal with all the competition out there. I begin to think part of it is just sheer luck. But I’ve been reading a lot of advice from the "experts" and they all seem to say I need to establish a relationship with my readers. That sounds so crazy. I’ve never read a fantasy novel because I thought the author cared about me personally.

So I’m asking you, the readers, the real experts on why you pick up any particular book. What makes you interested in a book? Especially a book by an author you’ve never heard of, or do you only read books by famous authors? Should I make a name for myself by robbing a bank?

I know how you feel because I've dabbled in trying to promote music on youtube. 

I got my first good comment from someone I don't even know on a new song I made the other day and even getting that one comment was like getting blood from a stone.

Which isn't too bad since only about 5 people have viewed my videos.  BUT I haven't really started promotion yet I'm just testing the water.

I plan to really ensure I have good material anyway before I really push for promotion, I'll pay for it or use other tricks if I have to, my music is improving week by week so I'll wait a bit.

Anyway to get back to your main question, I've got some bad news for you.  I've only ever read books that I've already seen films of, or books written by the same author of good films I've seen.  The best two examples are Stephen King, Irvine Welsh, I also bought American Psycho, clockwork orange and considered buying fightclub but never got round to it.

The only other books I read are classics like Mice and Men, Dracula, 1984 and so on.

I've never picked up a fictional book randomly and just started reading because it's a big investment of time.  I need to know I'm going to enjoy it more than a video game or just a different better book.

It's difficult enough convincing people you don't know to listen to a 3 minute peice of music you've made, convincing people to invest a few hours in reading a book by someone they don't know must be a world of shit I imagine.

The only thing I could possibly think of is some crude/cool front cover, maybe someone getting their brains blown out in detail, or something overtly sexual, or both.

It is a bit crazy how some crap things become famous and other amazing things aren't well known. I agree to some extent things like this are based on luck.

[Astonished]

To answer the question in the title of the thread and not having read any posts within it: Almost exclusively by recommendations from friends. They're almost always a miss as far as what they and I will commonly find enjoyable, but I at least give them a chance. Occasionally it'll spark me reading an entire series.

[Alex K]

@paulpablo

It is indeed difficult to get people to listen to a piece of music cold. One way to promote electronic music would be to use it as background music on YT videos on other topics. Do you know youtubers who might be interested in using your music?

[paulpablo]

@paulpablo

It is indeed difficult to get people to listen to a piece of music cold. One way to promote electronic music would be to use it as background music on YT videos on other topics. Do you know youtubers who might be interested in using your music?

I do know someone who gained a significant following on youtube but to put it simply they're just difficult to work with.  Their following is based on something they did a long time ago, they don't do much these days.

When I'm extremely happy with my music I plan to use the following tactics.

Like you said use the music on other people's videos, for example you get all kinds of compilation videos on youtube like worst accidents ever, luckiest people ever, best sportsmanship, worst sports fights.

Another thing similar to this is to get my music on another channels playlist, good thing about this is that you get lots of views and publicity, the bad thing is that I think you give up some rights to your music to someone else, I think that's the case anyway.

I've been producing music using other amateurs acapellas which I might get some attention from possibly off the back of any publicity they have.  Unfortunately this is another idea that has been done to death, every acapella on youtube has several remixes made of it already but I like making that sort of music anyway so I don't see it as hard work.

I'm not against just straight forward paying for publicity in some way.

Ontop of that using facebook, twitter and whatever else I hear about.

I think my music has only just started to get acceptably good anyway so I'm taking my time before promoting anything too much.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm trying to put together a blurb.  Exactly what do you want the blurb to do? What information do you look for? And what's best left out?

You're in an elevator. Somebody asks you about your book. You have three floors to sell it to them. Go.

[Alex K]

I'm trying to put together a blurb.  Exactly what do you want the blurb to do? What information do you look for? And what's best left out?

You're in an elevator. Somebody asks you about your book. You have three floors to sell it to them. Go.

I love elevator pitches!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Seriously, try recording your blurb and play it back as an "interested party". This works for me because I stop seeing words on a page very quickly and just hear someone speaking to me. I had "audible books" back in 1958.

[Rhondazvous]

Queen of the Quantum Realm in 82 words


Nobody knows where the deadly purple plague came from. Even the powerful Earth mage is scratching his head. But when his parents fall ill, Jawan looks for clues in places h e’s not supposed to go and finds himself trapped in a world of swirling mists and hostile subatomic particles. He thinks the queen is crazy to put him in a dungeon and then expect him to save her realm from their prophesied enemy. Until he realizes it’s his own world that’s in danger.

Does this blub fly or sink?

[Neo-Scholastic]

I'm trying to put together a blurb.  Exactly what do you want the blurb to do? What information do you look for? And what's best left out?

IMHO the primary purpose of a blurb is to let the reader know what they can expect, not a plot summary. The blurb should indicate the time period of the story such as the near future (Neuromancer, Hominids), the far future (Dune, Foundation), or an epic that spans across time (like Dr. Who does). It should reveal something about the setting such as whether the story happens in "a galaxy far far away", New York, or a Parallel Universe. I also want to know the premise of the story: time travel, alien invasion, political intrigue, etc.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Queen of the Quantum Realm in 82 words


Nobody knows where the deadly purple plague came from. Even the powerful Earth mage is scratching his head. But when his parents fall ill, Jawan looks for clues in places h e’s not supposed to go and finds himself trapped in a world of swirling mists and hostile subatomic particles. He thinks the queen is crazy to put him in a dungeon and then expect him to save her realm from their prophesied enemy. Until he realizes it’s his own world that’s in danger.

Does this blub fly or sink?

Honestly, I totally zoned out. I have no idea what most of those things mean by themselves or in relation to each other.

Give me a clear premise, set a tone, establish the protagonist and their goal - their conflict - in terms that I can understand.
There's a deadly plague. Fine, I understand what those are. The language leaves me confused on the tone. I don't really know where/when this is happening, or in what genre. But it does quickly establish what I assume is a major source of conflict, and that's a good thing.
Jawan's parents are sick and so our protagonist has clear motivation to do something about it. Great!
Other than that, to anyone who hasn't already read the thing and has context, it's nonsense, nonsense dealing with very abstract ideas. Fine when we have some proper context, not so much in a blurb.

I'm sure it's very interesting to you that the Earth mage is stumped but I don't know who that is or what that means. And the second half is a very brief and largely abstract summary of the plot. It's stuff I don't care about because I don't understand it yet.
Not to say I couldn't be persuaded to find it interesting, but you need to hook me on the emotional level before I can be expected to read far enough to find out. Communicate the theme. What is the story ABOUT and how does that concept relate to the development of the protagonist?

Intrigue, don't confuse.