Quote:
Originally Posted by Connallmac
When I download a sample from Amazon that only contains three to five pages I delete it and forget about that title. I want to see at least 20% of the book when I'm sampling, unless you're just a great author that draws me right in.
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Hi Connallmac,
Thanks for sharing your views. Obviously we're not Amazon, but we understand the conditioning that works so well and which leads readers to expect 20% and upwards as a sample of a writer's work.
In some cases - for example, a short story - 3-5 pages may well be 20% of the work. And we certainly wouldn't discriminate against authors that
can draw you in by the first page!
We've found that very few readers read the whole chapter of a paper book before deciding on a purchase. In fact, most say they tend to be either losing interest or gaining it by the first couple of pages. This view also holds out in the practices of many traditional publishers when sorting through their slush pile. Although eBooks
may be different, it looks like this issue is somewhat like pricing; with widely varying opinions.
We're currently working on enabling writers to showcase some of their books for free on
ivanovella. Hopefully this will complement those books that have a preview, by helping readers to decide whether or not to buy.
Many thanks again for your feedback.
Jay