Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
I'm asking because someone I know has a Kindle and would like the eBooks to open at the cover.
|
Jon:
I know, my sweet, that you will not like my response on this, but:
It is,
absolutely, Amazon's policy that
the SRL ("start reading location") is to be the first full page of text that is designated as the beginning of the content. For those books uploaded that are done via Word or PDF, Amazon sets the SRL, and that's the first page of Chapter 1. For books in ePUB/MOBI, the intake software (this is AFTER the publisher pushes "save and publish," which is called the Publishing Workflow or PW) looks at where the creator of the book set the SRL---and then promptly changes it to the first page of the first chapter.
Amazon's use data indicates that unfortunately, your friend is in the minority,
by a huge number. Most people, apparently, flip the book open and if the SRL doesn't automatically go to the first page of the book, they flip there themselves. Most users, apparently, have precisely ZERO interest in the cover, other than using it as a quickie locator on their Book Carousel.
I tell my clients that covers are click-bait--period. Nothing more, nothing less. Some will get upset by that idea, particularly if the cover is particularly close to their heart (which, BTW, usually means it's pretty awful, in my experience); but that's how it is.
Jon, I have to say, given the use statistics, really, your friend should resign his- or herself to clicking the GoTo, and then clicking Cover. It's not that much to do.
@Notjohn: generally, if you set no SRL in the book, in an ePUB, it stands some percentage chance that it will open at the cover, at Amazon, but understand
that it's a fluke. A somewhat predictable fluke, but a fluke nonetheless. You actually CAN set the SRL, and not have it show up in the TOC, but it's a few steps to do, and, no offense, but really, your book buyers and blog readers can all live without our methodology. :-)
You boys sure know how to set up such fun conversations.
Hitch