My author club still meets, but via instant messaging and most of us have discovered that readers really don’t care who published your book. Small press, Indie, Traditional or the Man In The Moon for all they care.
Think about what it’s like when you’re shopping for a book. You look at the title, the author’s name, and the sales copy on the jacket (or online). Do you really know or bother to look at or even care who published the book? No you don’t. Most consumers don’t pay much attention to the publisher. A few read reviews and want to know that the book appeals to them; the publisher doesn’t really matter as long as it’s a good read.
After conducting our own poll we found that most people read the inside cover or the excerpt to see if they wish to buy it.
The Self-Publishing Stigma Has Left the Roost.
When self-publishing first started dominating the scene, there was a terrible stigma attached to it. Vanity press companies may have had a lot to do with it. People used to automatically assume your book wasn’t as good as one released by a traditional press. However, that dividing line has faded.
Today, as long as your book is professionally produced, interesting—it has a great cover and comprehensive editing—then you have every reason to be proud that you took control and produced your book your way. Because waiting around for a traditional press is almost the same as waiting for your lottery numbers to fall.
Please do not misunderstand me, I have nothing against those who has a traditional press contract. More power to you. Congrats. This is for those who weren’t so lucky. For it’s even difficult to get a small press to take your manuscript on unless your work is spectacular! They are pickier than large press because they have a lot less to work with and a lot more to lose.
This for those who are flying solo.
unholypursuit
The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail 
Yeah. I only look at the title, blurb and price tag while buying a book. Couldn’t care less about who published it. There have been times when I’ve bought books just because it was super cheap during a sale 😀
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Hi, thanks for dropping back. Yes I, took, mainly looks at the title, blurb and price tag while buying a book, I have boxes of books purchased everywhere from Library sales to One dollar store and bookstore sale bins.
I wasn’t even conscious of the publishers existence until I started trying to find one. I knew book didn’t materialize out of the thin air. Buy I never really thought about them even when I used to write reviews for them. My mind was moreso on the author and what they put into creating the book.
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I agree. Price play a bigger role than who publish it. 😉 Some people are stuck on the cover. I learned not to be fooled by a pretty cover. Often times pretty covers are like pretty people with no substance. All the energy and money is spent on the cover with nothing inside the book.
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Nope, readers don’t know. Don’t care. We never bother to look to see who published it.
What a lot of readers, like myself dislike is a great cover but a crappy story. It like a form of deception. I would rather a crappy cover and a great story any day over a great cover and a crappy story. I am not going to be staring at the cover for hours.
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Thanks Brendan for enlightening us poor authors. Yes, our poll reveal exactly that. That readers don’t care who published your book.
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I share your point here. Title first. Then review or blurb. There, I go.
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Thank you.
Yes, it’s usually the title that catch my attention moreso than than the book cover. And then the title persuade me to open the book and then read the blurb. I rarely make decisions to read a book based upon reviews because each person’s opinion and taste is different. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect that.
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No, real readers do not care. Only those who read to show off cares about all that.
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Thanks for letting us authors know. 🙂
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I think you are so right, as long as the book as an intriguing cover and title, decent interior design and sales copy that interests the potential buyer, I don’t believe they care who published the book nor would an unknown author be a discouragement. Of course, a well known person will attract readers for no other reasons, still one should do fine self-publishing. Plus, there are ways to make your book appear to be from a publishing house, if you care to go to the trouble. Good post, thank you very much.
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William, thank you. Thanks for dropping by. My author’s group took a survey and this was the conclusion. I know when I select a book to enjoy I don’t care who published it. I care more whether or not the story is interesting
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A lot of well known writers’ works are edited to death. Killing the author’s style.
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I agree, you can tell there could be something else between the scenes.
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Reblogged this on The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail and commented:
I think this post states how readers feel. 🙂
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