Q&A with Gail Z. Martin Oct. 24 - 31 discussion

In a bricks-and-morter bookstore, you can wander the aisles, pick up books with great covers, read the back, skim the middle, maybe even sit down in a chair or on the floor in the aisle and read a chapter or two. it was a great way to discover new authors, books and series.

How do you make your selections on an online bookseller when you can't handle the merchandise? What makes you choose one book over another when you aren't looking for a particular book or author? Do you ever take a chance on a new book, or just go looking for something you already know you want?

Unless I know that I am going to buy something specific on a website like Amazon for example that is perhaps cheaper than from a bookshop, I do not tend to buy books from online sites at all. The majority of what I read comes from either the bookstore or from a charity/ secondhand bookshop, where used books that are cheaper in price can go to a loving new home! I do heed book recommendations from friends and if I have herd about an author that I like releasing a new book, then the prevalence that I shall end up buying it is quite conclusive.

Lucinda wrote: "Unless I know that I am going to buy something specific on a website like Amazon for example that is perhaps cheaper than from a bookshop, I do not tend to buy books from online sites at all. The m..."

That makes sense. One of the issues I've heard other authors worry about is that the experience of browsing bookshelves is so different between a real store and online--harder to just happen upon a new author online--or so many authors fear.

Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Unless I know that I am going to buy something specific on a website like Amazon for example that is perhaps cheaper than from a bookshop, I do not tend to buy books from online sit..."

I have to completely agree with that statement. In my local bookstore for example (Waterstones), you can browse the different sections that are divided into specific genres and if an author has released a new book then there is a card next to it. The book not only stands out from the others on the bookshelf but there is also information explaining what the new book is about, and what the author has previously written. Normally as soon as i walk into the shop there are brightly colored eye-catching posters and stands on tables advertising what to read, what is new and what is most popular. Sadly online one cannot find any of this and so i feel that the advertising is more noticeable to readers in a shop than on a website page.

Lucinda wrote: "Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Unless I know that I am going to buy something specific on a website like Amazon for example that is perhaps cheaper than from a bookshop, I do not tend to buy books fr..."

That's a real issue for authors as we (sadly) move into a world with fewer real bookstores. Not only do you lose the effectiveness of store window displays, stand-up displays and end caps, as well as the "shelf talkers" you describe, but you also lose the input from friendly, book-loving employees who can make knowledgeable suggestions.

And, as any reader knows, a lot of books are impulse purchases that begin with picking up something that "looks interesting" and then deciding to take it home with you (unplanned).

It's very difficult for an author to come up with marketing that effecitively makes up for all those changes (and most publishers leave 99% of the consumer marketing up to the author except for the top bestsellers).

I don't do impulse buys. That's for cons and libraries. I just received a Kindle in July as a gift. All my buys so far have been by site recommendations, authors tweeting and retweeting about them, and sales. I think online is reviving the short story market, just because putting them there is a great way to get people interested in trying you out. I'm loath to try out a new author and shuck ten bucks on them, but for a buck, I'll be your huckleberry.

Trevor wrote: "I don't do impulse buys. That's for cons and libraries. I just received a Kindle in July as a gift. All my buys so far have been by site recommendations, authors tweeting and retweeting about them..."

My point is that when I do an in-store signing (something else you can't do on Amazon), most of the time the people who buy didn't come to see me--they walked in and met me and made an impulse purchase. For authors, that is harder to achieve in a completely online environment.

I tend to go to online resources only if I already have a title in mind. This makes me nervous about how to market my own books as ebooks.

Betty wrote: "I tend to go to online resources only if I already have a title in mind. This makes me nervous about how to market my own books as ebooks."

I think that's a hazard of the online bookshop. Amazon can suggest all the "people who bought that also bought this" titles, but it's not quite the same as meandering down an aisle and picking up a book to look at.

So then the issue becomes--how can you get people to hear about you and your book so that they have a title in mind when they go online--your title!

I often go by word-of-mouth, but I also frequent Goodreads. I tend to check out books that score high marks there, then I'll head over to Amazon, check out how many stars and reviews a book has, and if I'm still intrigued I'll read the preview pages (the "Click to Look Inside" feature). So, that's pretty much how I go about it.

J.M. wrote: "I often go by word-of-mouth, but I also frequent Goodreads. I tend to check out books that score high marks there, then I'll head over to Amazon, check out how many stars and reviews a book has, an..."

That's interesting. Do you ever just take a chance on something that catches your eye with a cool cover, good price or snappy description?

A cool cover does have some impact on my purchasing choice, but it's what's inside that counts. That said, a bad cover absolutely kills a book. This includes typography; even if it's a stellar piece of artwork, amateur layouts and font choices will turn me away just as quick. The cover needs to look as professional as it can. So, I guess in addressing your question, at least partially, a great cover alone will not make me buy a book, but a poor cover will make me NOT buy a book.

And really, regarding my post above, in today's market where anyone can publish independently, even a halfway decent cover with decent typography will still keep a book in the running for my dollars. But a crappy cover, forget it.

Also: a snappy description certainly helps. And, also, I restrict my purchasing for ebooks to $7.99 and under. If a book breaks that barrier, I won't buy it. Anything above that and my brain will not accept that I'm paying $9.99 or more for "words transmitted through the air." I need something tangible I can hold in my hand for anything above $7.99. Shrug. I don't know why that's my benchmark. It just feels "right." And, honestly, I really lean toward ebooks $5.99 and under.

J.M. wrote: "A cool cover does have some impact on my purchasing choice, but it's what's inside that counts. That said, a bad cover absolutely kills a book. This includes typography; even if it's a stellar piec..."

Great point--and I know several authors who believe a good book was killed by a bad cover. Of course, as traditionally published authors, we get no say in the cover!

J.M. wrote: "And really, regarding my post above, in today's market where anyone can publish independently, even a halfway decent cover with decent typography will still keep a book in the running for my dollar..."

That makes sense, but does it keep you from buying books from the major traditional publishers? Just wondering, in the wake of the Apple e-books lawsuit (in which my publisher Hachette/Orbit was one of the first to settle).

The whole thing was over how to price ebooks and how to pay publishers/authors. Part of that centered on whether to create common pricing at about $9.99 for major publisher releases (much like nearly all paperbacks are $7.99) or to have a wider variation.

Just curious about your thoughts!

I realize the major publishers have justified why they have to charge what they do for ebooks, but setting a standard price at $9.99 will lose me as a buyer. It's tricky for them, I suppose. My budget limits me to my personal "$7.99 and under" rule. I just won't pay more than that for an ebook. So if they are forced to price set at $9.99, well, then they are going to get zero dollars from this reader; whereas if they would adhere to $7.99, my wallet readily opens (go $5.99 or less and then you're really talkin').

I will, however, pay more for a physical book. And I don't know if I'm weird or what, but I've never been a fan of hardcovers. I prefer mass markets, trade paperbacks, and softcover graphic novels for some reason.

I wonder if mine is a typical mindset?

It will be interesting to watch the ebook pricing issue work its way out. I don't think traditional publishers have really changed their business model sufficiently to rethink how they earn their money with the new technology.

On the other hand, it's going to be rough if what happened in music happens in publishing. It used to be that bands toured to promote an album, and the album made them money.

Now, bands release an album to promote a tour, and they make money from the tour tickets and merchandise.

That works great for music, but who wants to go to the Lollapalloza Author Tour and watch us write?

Ha! I don't know if I could handle that kind of pressure! Although would we write new stuff every tour, or just re-write our most popular passages over and over and over...?

Gail wrote: "In a bricks-and-morter bookstore, you can wander the aisles, pick up books with great covers, read the back, skim the middle, maybe even sit down in a chair or on the floor in the aisle and read a ..."

I suppose I do it the 'Old Fashioned' way, by recommendations from an informed Book Seller. Which is why I actually find myself not liking the Big Box Book Stores. I know they try to teach their Staff to be competent in their field but honestly most of the people working there are just doing for a Job more than any particular love of Books.

I am fortunate enough to have had the same local Book Store (shout out to Lots-a-Books in Cold Lake!) for 26 years and it has never steered me wrong. They know me and they know my reading habits. In fact that is how I found my way to you Gail!

Once I find an Author I enjoy I generally follow them as well as I am able, picking up a few new Authors from their own Reading List or Recommendations and so on.