tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post2493005367883502484..comments2023-02-21T00:26:51.051-08:00Comments on Why Isn't My Book Selling?: I Loved You First (Coming of Age Love Story)Victorinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06052077366367623323noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-84600720467559633712012-08-17T12:36:18.179-07:002012-08-17T12:36:18.179-07:00Not my genre either, but what a fantastic title - ...Not my genre either, but what a fantastic title - that's what drew me here. I like the cover, too. I didn't read the first 300 because it's not what I read, although I read the excerpt and it's good. If I read this genre, I'd keep reading. Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384070533603453713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-57751708303785716202012-08-17T06:31:32.908-07:002012-08-17T06:31:32.908-07:00I actually really like the New Adult genre label. ...I actually really like the New Adult genre label. I know it's not as well known as Young Adult, but I do know that it's growing in popularity. And for years the college aged characters were shunned, because they didn't really fit in Adult and didn't fit in YA. I like that now they have a chance to shine, because college aged characters are awesome. There's so much conflict and growing that comes from that age. I don't think it's fair to have this taboo on writing about that age. And the more books we have that claim the New Adult label, the more known it will be. Just my two cents worth on that. And ignore that one star review. People can avoid buying the wrong book if they just read the description.Victorinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06052077366367623323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-44995889669085185842012-08-16T23:48:31.343-07:002012-08-16T23:48:31.343-07:00I appreciate all the feedback. I've started wi...I appreciate all the feedback. I've started with the easy advice and pulled the excerpt from the product description.<br /><br />I definitely hear what folks are saying about the "New Adult" genre. I actually had ILYF in the Young Adult section on Amazon at one time. A reviewer left a 1-star review because she felt it didn't belong in the "children's books," which is the category for YA. She was unhappy the characters were in college. I'm not even sure she read the book since her comments were misleading about the contents.<br /><br />Right now, ILYF is categorized under "Self-respect & Self-esteem" and "Coming of age." I added "Coming of Age Love Story" to the title shortly after to help with searches and ensure readers knew what they were buying.<br /><br />Though not as popular as YA, NA is genre. I guess I'd call it a niche genre which is gaining notice. Since it does have an appeal to YA readers, I've spent a lot of time targeting YA reviewers.<br /><br />Anyway, the 1-star review because I tried to squeeze ILYF into the YA category blew chunks. haha I swear picking categories is like perfecting a balancing act.<br /><br />I agree another editing pass wouldn't hurt ILYF. :) Every time I read a passage I find something I want to change to make it a smoother read... or worse! and error.<br /><br />Side note: The first paragraph in the product description is pulled from the book. It's about 500 words in.Reena Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16860984511692822921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-22824298620084556642012-08-16T21:42:57.312-07:002012-08-16T21:42:57.312-07:00I won't comment on the genre or cover issues, ...I won't comment on the genre or cover issues, because I think they've been covered already.<br /><br />But when I read this, I thought it was the beginning of your 300 words:<br /><br />"My best friend was more than just a best friend to me. Three words summed it up: I heart him. I'd never tell him though. I wasn't stupid. Besides, what he'd told no one, but me, was a little something I wished I could forget... or ignore. He was gay. I guess gay wouldn't be bad if I wasn't so in love with him. Now it was just cruel."<br /><br />I was confused when the next paragraph turned out to be the description. I was hooked, though, by the voice and the tension, so I scrolled down, thinking I'd read the description later. Well, I was confused again because there was ANOTHER excerpt in your description! Was this the beginning and not what I'd just read? Scrolling down some more, I finally found the 300 words and was confused YET AGAIN! This was yet ANOTHER beginning!<br /><br />Admittedly, Amazon readers won't be looking at your book in exactly this format, but I wonder if having two excerpts in your description--neither of which is the actual beginning--is turning them off?<br /><br />FWIW, I think that first paragraph in your description is an AWESOME hook and you should really consider making that the beginning of your novel. The party stuff is rather bland and boring. Hook your reader first!<br /><br />Hope that helps!Rachel Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13915069245790393030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-62772074964863037552012-08-16T20:05:03.677-07:002012-08-16T20:05:03.677-07:00OK, I wasn't going to comment, because this is...OK, I wasn't going to comment, because this is SO not my genre, but I have similar reservations about genre and cover, so this is just a +1<br /><br />Is there a problem calling it YA coming of age? Because Amazon does have a category for that.<br /><br />The cover is well-designed, but... rather monochrome. The girl is awesome but the choice of background and text colours make the cover fade in the background of more colourful offerings in the Amaozon jungle. If that makes any sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-66680009013637536672012-08-16T19:29:32.183-07:002012-08-16T19:29:32.183-07:00I'm not sure what genre I would have picked fo...I'm not sure what genre I would have picked for that cover. Not quite romance because of the young face. Could be YA. I don't think it helps to market it as New Adult. The last thing the reading world needs is a new genre. <br /><br />All that being said, I think it's a strong cover. I'm personally not a fan of the brown background, but I just don't like brown. If I'm objective, it works.<br /><br />Not a bad blurb, but I would lose the excerpt. Most of us here like the blurbs short and snappy and don't like anything extraneous.<br /><br />I liked the opening. I get a real sense of the heroine and who she is. I can also see her surroundings and the people she is with. <br /><br />I think the major problem is the genre. It's hard to fit that into the KDP categories. Change the categories to try to get some strong alsobots. <br /><br />This book has a lot of potential. Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04832055618604176686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-29575382615402985082012-08-15T15:15:01.427-07:002012-08-15T15:15:01.427-07:00Oh, I love it! The cover is gorgeous, and what you...Oh, I love it! The cover is gorgeous, and what you have here is definitely a hook. I love a good unrequited love story. (Glutton for punishment? lol!)<br /><br />As far as writing, some of the commas seem a bit much, which then makes the writing read a bit choppy. I second Victorine's suggestion to have someone edit or beta read, but the writing is really not bad. The voice is strong and fresh and very engaging.<br /><br />As far as why it's not selling, have you been marketing it as "new adult"? I quite like college-aged stories myself, but I'm not sure most readers know what to make of the term "new adult". I'm thinking of Jamie McGuire's Beautiful Disaster, and I think she just went for the adult contemporary crowd with that one. Others may steer for the young adult crowd instead, depending on the content.<br /><br />Other than that, I'm not sure why it's not selling! It looks good to me, lol!Laura Rae Amoshttp://lauraraeamos.comnoreply@blogger.com