Ladies and gents, Fall TV is back, which means you will soon be subjected to Bachelor and ANTM references and generally be made to wonder how it is that I can be a literary agent who loves Ian McEwan and Melville while also being a tad too obsessed I mean fascinated by questionable-at-best reality television. I heart Fall!
But let it not be said that I am reading less because of all the good TV that’s on — I figured the debut of “Gossip Girl” on the CW was excuse enough to read the eponymous YA novel. Have to say — I really enjoyed it. Such attitude! Such dish! Such bad human beings! I loved it.
Meanwhile, back in book land, the little ole publishing industry often gets accused of not doing enough market research on its customers. Some people think we should be more scientific and, you know, figure out what kind of advertising works. Well! Let’s change all that. This is a HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC survey of REAL READERS that will result in some NEBULOUS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE.
So here’s this week’s You Tell Me: How did you decide to buy the book you’re reading? Friend recommendation? Advertising? Book club? Random impulse buy? Debut CW series produced by Josh Schwartz featuring teenagers behaving very badly? (guilty – although I’ve been meaning to read it for a while. Which I guess is kind of worse.)
Let’s show those “scientists” where they can put their “formulas.” I bet they made all that stuff up anyway. Can’t fool me! Quadratic formula my foot.
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jjdebenedictis says
Good timing, Nathan! I’ve spent absurd amounts of money in the past two weeks on novels. Why, I daresay, I am a scientific study unto myself. *preens*
1) The Wizard Lord by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Because:
I was buying a whole whack o’ books by authors I knew and decided to take a chance on one I had never heard of. I also skimmed a few pages of the book and liked what I saw of the writing. I would not have taken the chance otherwise.
2) The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Because:
Kay, at his best, is OMGSQUEESOBRILLIANT!!!
3) Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Because:
I skimmed a few pages of the books in this series and every one sounded great, so I bought the first one. I had heard of the books via people whose blogs I read.
4) His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novak
Because:
I’ve heard enough people squeal in delight over the concept. Also, if I don’t like it, I can give it to my dad, who likely will.
5) Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Because:
I haven’t read much Gaiman, and I’m still vaguely trying to figure out why some of my friends have practically erected shrines to him.
6) Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Because:
The first book (see above) was pretty good, and I’ve heard the series only gets better.
7) Endymion and The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
Because:
Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion seared themselves into my brain. I consider Dan Simmons to also be OMGSQUEESOBRILLIANT!!!
Also, I intend to buy Making Money by Terry Pratchett and The Electric Church by Jeff Somers very soon. Pratchett – simply because I loooooove Pratchett, and Somers because I’m seriously intrigued by the book’s premise.
The Anti-Wife says
Just finished “Bad Girl” by Maya Reynolds – a 5 cold shower rated book. Getting ready to start “Look Me in the Eye” by John Elder Robison. Both are blogging buddies.
Luc2 says
I’m a bloodsucker. If I like a writer, I stick to his work until bursting. My current victim is Terry Pratchett.
Once in a while I read a bestseller (Kite Runner, currently), and a classic (The Moon and Sixpence).
Jenny says
Well, the book I am currently reading, Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History (by the author of the Midwife’s Tale) came from the library which probably bought it thanks to a good review in Library Journal.
The last book I bought was a romance written by an author who was in a critique group with me six years ago who has now published four books. I always buy books by anyone I’ve gotten to know online.
Julie K. Rose says
I picked up Ann Benson’s THE PLAGUE TALES thanks to a review in the last Historical Novels Review. A great deal of my library list comes from that journal, actually.
I just got Charles Holdefer’s THE CONTRACTOR thanks to a rec by a friend. Haven’t started it yet, but it looks interesting.
Jess says
I’m reading Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I’d heard it mentioned as a good book but I’m not usually into Big Fat Fantasies OR hardcovers, but I saw it featured on the publisher’s website, and then I saw that it won the Quill, so I caved and went to the bookstore, picked it up and looked at it. I only *bought* it because I read the prologue and first chapter *in the store* and liked them. I’m really enjoying it. (I’m picky. I’ve been burned.)
Topaz says
I picked up the book I’m currently reading because I was looking for more books by an author I recently learned I really liked.
Lisa says
I read a review by Scott Esposito of Conversational Reading and The Quarterly Conversation (he’s great) and it intrigued me enough that I bought The Children’s Hospital, by Chris Adrian. Scott didn’t steer me wrong…
Alex J. Avriette says
Was interested in reading another Larry Niven book, and curious about the fact that he wrote it with Jerry Pournelle. Amazon suggested it.
Gracehoper says
I’m reading The Children’s Blizzard by David Laskin (non-fiction). I bought it after reading the back because it seemed similar to a project I am working on (a non-fiction about the Lone Pine Earthquake of 1872).
Picked it up at a yard sale but most books I buy (or not)depending on how the back cover reads. This one was fascinating – the back cover AND the book.
Gerri says
I find almost all my books in one of two ways: perusing the shelf at a bookstore(fiction), or perusing specific topics on a book seller’s site(non-fiction). Recommendations make up a very small part of what I buy.
Danette Haworth says
I read Rules because I’d heard about it on Verla Kay’s boards.
A lady at McDonald’s told me about the Prey series by John Sandford.
Laura Lippman, Anne Tyler, Edna Buchanan, Elizabeth Berg, and Leslie Glass were all serendipitous discoveries made while browsing the shelves.
Calenhíril says
I’m reading The Deception of the Emerald Ring, the third book in the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig. My writing group meets at Borders in the literary fiction section (which is right next to the alternate lifestyles section, which is always interesting) and kept seeing the covers for these books. I was never tempted to buy them, though. Went to the library a few weeks ago and saw Emerald Ring on an endcap, checked to see if they had the first two in the library, and checked all three out. Happy I did, especially since they were free 😉
Anonymous says
I’m reading The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross because I enjoy his blog.
cyn says
reading marjorie liu’s debut novel tiger eye. put it on my wishlist because i read her journal, and got it for my bday.
Dave Wood says
I’ve got “Pattern Recognition” beside the bed out of reader loyalty to William Gibson, but I haven’t been able to work my way very far into it. I guess I’ll have to read the back cover to regain some enthusiasm for it; I’m sure it’ll get better.
Meanwhile, I’m reading, “Across the Nightingale Floor” by Lian Hearn because I’m a sucker for pseudo- Japanese pseudo-historicals. Just picked it up in the store based on the back cover and a few excerpts.
Anonymous says
Hey Nathan — I have a Gossip Girl / book question for you:
Cecily von Ziegesar based her GG characters on real-life people and apparently just tweaked their names a teeny, tiny bit. Like by a letter or two.
Is this, er, legal? Seems fraught with problems.
WendyNYC
Nathan Bransford says
Wendy-
There are publishing attorneys who specialize in issues like that and since I’m not a lawyer I don’t want to say anything too specifically on the subject — but I will say that authors usually sweep away all identifying details when fictionalizing a real individual. So there you go.
Dave Wood says
I do have a question today and it’s even kind of on-topic. A while back I was scouting for books to name-drop as comparable in my query. I came up with one that has some similarity in feel and subject matter, but it has some serious flaws that has gotten it slammed by about %25 of the reviewers on Amazon (who loved its strengths).
So, my quandary is: Do I mention the book for agents who ask — and say I think my book avoids those issues? Or do I mention it and leave any implied criticism unmentioned? Or do I just keep my mouth shut, despite the agent’s query requirements?
Nathan Bransford says
Dave-
Without knowing the specifics it’s really difficult for me to offer advice, although I will say that in general it’s preferable to make your book seem as completely different from what’s out there as possible rather than present it as like something else with one thing changed. Hope that makes sense.
Other Lisa says
Wendy, I used to do Errors and Omissions insurance research (for films and TV). Is it problematic? In a word, yes. In fact, the Supreme Court ruled in the 70s that the fictionalization of names alone does not protect a literary property from litigation. This was over a fictionalized version of an encounter group (I think), and the real-life therapist took exception to the book’s portrayal and sued.
If a person feels he is being portrayed on TV without his permission, he can certainly bring a lawsuit. He might not win, but the industry tries to prevent such nuisance suits from being brought in the first place, thus E&O research.
I don’t know what the publishing equivalent of this is, but I would guess that there is one. I would also guess that it might be somewhat less of a problem in publishing than in films/TV, because for the most part, your average book does not get the exposure of your average TV show.
Anonymous says
Interesting. Apparently, many of her fellow grads know *exactly * who she is talking about, but maybe it was fictionalized so much it wasn’t a problem? Anyway, thanks.
WendyNYC
Dave Wood says
Thanks, Nathan.
It does, and in general, I wouldn’t mention the book at all.
I guess I won’t, even though Peter Rubie’s site specifically wants “works to which it (the queried book) might sensibly be compared…” It feels wrong to mention an author’s work and then say, “but I think I do such and so better.” Feels like hubris. LOL
Kathleen says
I picked up The Light Ages by Ian R. Macleod because my local bookstore had a “recommended” note on it, and the cover blurb was good (“smoke-and-sorcery saga to rival Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy”), and because I had decided I needed to branch out and read more different Fantasy authors.
Lupina says
PLAN B by Anne Lamott and THE SUPERNATURALIST by Eoin Colfer were impulse buys based on having read their other things.
MAN-MONKEY was sent to me by the author and Ann Tyler’s BREATHING LESSONS was a lucky find at a library book sale.
Spartezda says
Hm. The book I’m reading now and the book I read last were both found from mentions on blogs. I’m about to start the Lord Peter books by Dorothy L. Sayers, which came from one of my favorite authors co-dedicating one of her novels to Sayers.
And the book I am just leaving to pick up from the library, well, that one I saw mentioned on blogs and was reminded of by a billboard for its TV series.
Looking at this, I realize I rarely, rarely ever buy something I spot cold at a bookstore–usually I read about it on Amazon, see a blog’s recommendation, or read a library copy first before buying my own. Or all three! I am a cheapskate extraordinaire.
(One of my happiest memories is the day a local library branch was getting rid of a bunch of YA books because they’d got in new, not-twenty-years-old-and-overloved copies of them, and since some of the librarians didn’t feel right about just tossing books in a Dumpster, they let me cart away for free loads of hardcover Diana Wynne Jones, Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and more. ‘Twas beautiful).
Madeleine says
I’m currently reading STARDUST (loved the movie– but I swear I normally read the books first! This is a ONE TIME THING!) and TWILIGHT (I’ve got a 12-year old sister. ‘Nuff said.)
Fun question!
Church Lady says
Chics with blogs. No wait. I mean, cool chics with intelligent blogs.
Bakerman says
Hard to pin down intuitiveness, but I’d say 1) title; 2) cover; 3) and if I’m still holding it in my hands (or on the Amazon screen), the specifics.
But I’d like to turn Nathan’s question around a bit, since what moves the agent may be more to the point.
I’m mystified by this cover: The Almanac of Political Corruption, Scandals and Dirty Politics – which struck me as a whimsical animation. Of course, that may be its intention, a light-hearted glimpse into an otherwise intriguing subject. Absent the availability of an Amazon excerpt, that remains my impression.
One of the great advantages of the Internet is the ability it now gives us (the writers) to look over the agent’s product – not just the genres and subject matter, but how the agent/agency specifically markets the work, the book, the finished product… the publisher’s majority input notwithstanding.
Lora T. says
I just finished THE CHILDREN OF HURIN by JRR Tolkien. I first heard about it several months before it was released on a website that I can’t remember the name of. Anything by Tolkien ususally finds its way onto my bookshelf.
Steve Axelrod says
I’m reading 3 books right now — two, actually, since I just finished “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime”. Great book, by the way, and all the more so by my lack of foreknowledge or expectations. Anyway: Mark Haddon … found the book on a customer’s table, needed something to read at lunch. Love at first sight. I’m also reading “Winter” by Len Deighton, part of his magesterial, 10-book Bernard Samson saga. The first three — “Berlin Game”, “Mexico Set”, “London Match”, were reccomended to me by a friend, who knew I was going on a long bus trip and needed survival reading. Genre fiction raised to the level of literature.
Finally: “Heaven’s Net is Wide”, the first of five “Tales of the Otori”, by Lian Hearn. I saw the books in a bookstore, liked the covers, read a paragraph and bought all three books. (I’m a sucker for a cool cover — I started reading Stephen King because of the creepy double cover of the “Carrie” paperback: Carrie’s eyes were literally cut out — all you could see were flames. When you got to the next cover, it was a drawing of the town on fire. Instant sale).
I do that a lot … like the cover, open it up … check out a paragraph and decide. I bought three sub -continental door-stop novels that way: “A Suitable Boy”, “Shantaram” and “Sacred Games”. No regrets, so far.
P.G says
Well most of what I am currently reading is for research purposes. The one lonely novel I am about to begin is by
Terry Pratchett, “Making Money”.
I mainly get all my books from the library I work at. I process nearly every book that comes in so this means I can read the back of book.
I also get to read the McNaughtons lists of up and coming books plus all the Advance Copy books that come into the library.
AHHH! Its a sweet life.
Alex Fayle says
The last three books I read were by authors I would read anything they wrote (yes, even half-awake middle-of-the-night toilet-paper notes).
Charles de Lint: Widdershins
Jasper Fforde: First Among Sequels
Diana Wynne Jones: The Pinhoe Egg
Stephanie Zvan says
Well, the book I stopped into the store to buy today won’t help with the market research. I bought it in part because I wanted a final copy when I offer critique on the next in the series and partly because I’m in the acknowledgments. The three impulse purchases were Nero Wolfe books, which series I’m currently devouring.
In general, fiction needs a recommendation (friend with a good track record, buzz from a trusted source, previous experience with the author). Non-fiction gets impulse purchases based on subject and liveliness of the prose.
Kate H says
Friend referral accounts for my current read. Some sort of referral from someone whose opinion I have some sort of vague reason to respect accounts for most of my reading. But I have to confess I patronize my local library a lot more than any bookstore, real or virtual–I just don’t have the money to buy, or the room to store, all the books I read.
A Paperback Writer says
I’m currently in the middle of two non-fiction books, both of which I picked up because of their titles in two different bookstores in too different countries. (Blackwell’s on Nicholson Street in Edinburgh, Scotland last July and The King’s English Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah two weeks ago.)
I just finished a good YA book (Orphan of the Sun) that I chose because it was in the “other customers also bought” section on Amazon.
I would say these are both fairly typical methods for me to choose books.
A Paperback Writer says
A PS to my comment:
neither of the books I chose by their titles was displayed prominently. I pulled both books off crowded shelves where all I could see was their spines.
Jordyn says
Question: What happened to all the HILLS references? You got me hooked on the show and now you aren’t even talking about it! *alligator tears*
Okay, but seriously, time for book talk.
Um… I was attracted by the COVER of the book. (I know, I’m breaking a major rule here.) and the book ended up being awesome, so after taking it out of the library I finally put down my $18 and bought the dern thing.
AmyB says
The book I just finished–“Beggars in Spain” by Nancy Kress–was recommended by someone on an email list I read. The one I’m about to start–“The Green Glass Sea” by Ellen Klages–was recommended by a presenter at last year’s World Fantasy Convention, in one of those panels where the presenters name their favorite books from that year.
Mystery Robin says
I’m reading The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly right now (FANTASTIC mystery!) I actually went into B&N for Deadly Appraisal by Jane Cleland. But I couldn’t remember the name of the book to save my life – or her last name – and apparently the info desk can’t look things up by an author’s first name and a general description of what the book’s about (geez!)
So, I set out looking at every book in the mystery section hoping to find one by a Jane. Instead, this caught my eye because of, yes, the cover, and I wondered why Beverly Cleary was writing mysteries – then I looked more closely.
By the time I finished reading the back I was sold. The flap copy and cover were beyond fabulous and it’s my favorite setting (Anglo-India int he 1920’s).
Angie says
My current book is a reread — Queen of the Amazons by Judith Tarr. I was just automatically buying all her books for a while. The last first-run book I read was Making Money by Terry Pratchett, the latest Discworld book. He’s another writer whose books I just buy automatically — no marketing needed.
Angie
Rob says
Currently, I’m reading a book called “Horse Heaven” as research for my current manuscript. It was recommended by literary equine people. Pure Word-Of-Mouth.
K.C. Shaw says
I picked up Austin Grossman’s Soon I Will Be Invincible this weekend after seeing its mention in Galleycat. If you go to the “authors” subsection and scroll down to last Wed. (Sept. 19), you’ll find it under the caption Superhero Novelist Declares “Geek-Lit Throwdown.” The exchange was so hysterically funny that I absolutely had to have the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. I read it Saturday and now have a missionary’s zeal to get the word out to everyone about how great it is!
Go on, y’all, go read it!
Jennifer L. Griffith says
A friend/librarian recommended “Where Rivers Change Direction” by Mark Spragg, which happens to be the One Book, One Community current selection.
I’d say 90% of what I read are recommendations of friends, but I only read about 25% of what’s recommended.
Josephine Damian says
Neil: The Prestige book is one of my top favorite reads this year – a thousand times better than the movie.
Me? Am reading “Heart Sick” by Chelsea Cain – (a library book)- saw it reviewed in the NY Times and they only tend to review the more literary thrillers. They gave it a rave but the NYT has given other thrillers raves that turned out to be not deserved.
“Heart Sick” is really good, so far.
Am picking up Gerritsen’s latest – “Bone Garden” today at the lib. Know about the book from reading her blog, and I’m planning on reviewing it.
Just finished classic by Dawn Powell, “Turn, Magic Wheel.” Had to buy book since my library did not carry it (shame on them). I read about it in a daily newsletter I subscribe to called “Today in Literature.”
I loved it so much, I reviewed it on my blog https://josephinedamian.blogspot.com
I’ll also review “Heart Sick” and “Bone Garden.”
And, of course, my forensics college textbooks!
Josephine Damian says
PS: Nathan, did you know Donald Maass always asks this question at every lecture/workshop he gives? He’s quite curious to understrand a what makes a reader buy a book.
Rachel says
For me, it’s a combination of things:
1) Recommendation from someone who’s opinion I’ve liked in the past.
2) Cool cover (I’ve bought books just because of the cover, but then again, I’m a designer by trade.)
3) Back copy/first pages. Sometimes I stumble on a book and the idea just sounds so awesome, I open it. If the first page keeps whatever feel I was looking for, I buy it. This was how I bought _Bergdorf Blondes_, which was WAY off my normal book buying habits, but I loved the first few pages (hated the ending, but the book was really fun over all).
Those 3 habits account for 99% of my book buying.
Rob Brooks says
I’m currently reading “Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire,” by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola. I heard about it because I read Golden’s blog, where he mentions all of his works in progress.
Kanani says
I just finished reading “Member of the Wedding” by Carson McCullers. I read “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter” before this. They were recommended to me as great examples of catching the emotions within a character.
I’m also reading a volumne of poetry by Robinson Jeffers, which was inspired because I really wanted to reconnect with my California roots and also the literary gems that have come out of there.
sylvia says
I’m reading Sapphires and Garlic, my mother bought it for me. Before that I reread The Last Unicorn because I saw a reference to it online (as the forefather of Fantasy) although I have to admit I’m pretty sure originally my mother bought me that one as well. Other books I get because I’m intrigued by a review (professional or just on a blog) … when someone mentions a book that they loved, I’ll punch it into Amazon and read the blurb and the reviews on the site — if I am still intrigued, I’ll make a note to watch out for it.