Quote:
Originally Posted by Doitsu
I've just read the Kindle preview and I've to say that everything about the book screams "Self Published" starting with poorly photoshopped cover and the use of a monospaced(!) font in the body text.
If the book is that important to you, you may want to have a professional book designer give it a do-over. The same goes for your 80's style web site.
As for the originality of the book, there are countless books and TV shows with very similar themes, for example, the recently canceled US TV show Awake comes to mind. |
Hi Doitsu,
I guess originality can only be judged on the whole book. Otherwise nothing is original really. Every new film is another love story or crime drama or sci-fi epic or period piece or comic flim and can always be compared to something. Hunger Games - hailed as original was so close to Battle Royale - it could have been a remake IMO! Although the BR film was good and the HG book OK!
I see Awake was cancelled but at least its user review average was still 8/10 which would please me if I wrote it! It does sound intriguing though so I might have to download the episodes.
I think my overall concept and story is original but then I would agree that re-occuring death (thanks Mr.Scarlet!) and some kind of loop (Groundhog) have been done before. My characters were very real to me and I stared at pictures of them in front of me as their lives unfolded in a literary sense. One or two parts were quite emotive writing them and I shed a number of tears I admit. But what I really hope is that for a few dollars people will be deeply absorbed in the Dead Loop and certainly not regret reading. If I get a high percentage of reviews on Amazon giving it less than 4 stars then I have definitely failed!
I take on board your comments on the cover and website and font, although I hope I will be judged on the writing and story. That said, it would be a real shame to me if people were put off by the picture on the book. I had to use those pictures because they were taken and given to me by people who were physically inside Pripyat so I had to take them as they were. I do want my presentation to be good and so I thank you for taking time to look at my website and offering some criticsim.
How was the video trailer... ropey?