tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post5642034328908503255..comments2023-02-21T00:26:51.051-08:00Comments on Why Isn't My Book Selling?: Hurricane ReginaVictorinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06052077366367623323noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-32339023110869087892012-04-19T10:17:46.984-07:002012-04-19T10:17:46.984-07:00Wow! Thank you all so much. I hear what you're...Wow! Thank you all so much. I hear what you're saying, and I agree 100%. I somehow had to hear it from other people, though. <br /><br />All the adverbs - I never considered that before. My book usually have beginnings I'm never totally happy with. I assure you they do get better. ; ) I'm going to have to look closer for point of view errors. <br /><br />Confusing blurb - yeah, I really can't write those. Bad cover - yeah, I agree. <br /><br />But it's much more meaningful to hear it all at once, and from people who obviously know what they're talking about. You're all more or less in agreement, too.<br /><br />Just to sort of explain my design choices on the cover, the text was to represent a storm, and the picture is of a town in Iceland. <br /><br />I don't like all the blue, or the placement of the picture and text. I think I had to increase the canvas size for Lulu or something and got even more blue border. <br /><br />I think I found my cover artist: http://humblenations.com/2012/04/16/jason-christie-branding/<br /><br />At any rate, I'm going to apply what I've learned here across all of my books. If any of you would like a copy of any of my stuff, email me, please. collabs.and.covers @ gmail (Musical collaborations and cover tunes - not book covers. ; )<br /><br />Thanks again, so much!<br />Jason Z. ChristieJason Z. Christiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17662433953036042624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-77169654266156539142012-04-16T20:31:15.459-07:002012-04-16T20:31:15.459-07:00Yes, I totally agree with the others who commented...Yes, I totally agree with the others who commented about the cover and the typeface. It's a Sci-fi/Fantasy book but it seems not, looking at the cover. As a book formatter and designer, I understand some authors have strange idea of how their cover will look like. It needs some edits on the typeface, making it more thrilling..as well as the cover image.The Book Formatterhttp://www.thefastfingers.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-15981417370971299622012-04-16T11:53:06.037-07:002012-04-16T11:53:06.037-07:00I agree with the cover concerns. There is nothing ...I agree with the cover concerns. There is nothing about the cover that draws me in. <br /><br />Also, I read through the first 300 words, and I think this manuscript would benefit from some serious editing. Where is the hook? Why should I keep reading? And not to harp on adverbs, but there are too many. Also, it doesn't make a whole heck of a lot of sense. I don't know whose POV it is, and I can't really make sense of what is going on.<br /><br />I think the author would benefit from reading a few books on writing, particularly Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. ( http://goo.gl/RRWUS )Oh and listening to the Writing Excuses pod cast. (http://www.writingexcuses.com/)<br /><br />A critique partner would also be a great idea.daphne dangerlovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09765367776561796512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-29859999073576866072012-04-16T08:26:20.727-07:002012-04-16T08:26:20.727-07:00The cover is definitely not sci-fi. From the cover...The cover is definitely not sci-fi. From the cover and title, I thought it was a thriller about a Category 5 hurricane destroying a peaceful village.<br /><br />The blurb was confusing. It's never a good idea to compare yourself to a famous author in your blurb. You're setting up the reader for disappointment.<br /><br />Adverbs are fine in very small doses, but things like "sternly and stoically" are over the top. I use adverbs myself, but sparingly so that when I do use them, they have more effect. <br /><br />After "sternly and stoically," the captain is gritting his teeth and then delivering the next comment "calmly, evenly, seriously." A "High C" captain would not be going through such extreme mood swings. They are usually, calm, cool, collected. <br /><br />Sorting my way through the blurb (which needs to explain more about the sci-fi aspects), it sounds like a good premise.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04832055618604176686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-36729258304738899552012-04-16T07:17:08.067-07:002012-04-16T07:17:08.067-07:00I have not yet read the other comments, so forgive...I have not yet read the other comments, so forgive me if I'm parroting others.<br /><br />First, of course, the cover needs a facelift. The blue and the font are equally offputting.<br /><br />Second, the blurb: Normally, I am not at all in favor of 'in the style of' blurbs, but I think for this particular genre, the first paragraph is not only apt, but necessary.<br /><br />The third paragraph, however, is sorta nonsensical, and either needs to be replaced with something inclusive that invites readers along on a grand adventure, or cut entirely. <br /><br />Third: (okay, I just saw the comment above mine and yes, the adverbs are like red signs to the reader screaming LABORIOUS READING AHEAD. And I'm sorry to say that the lack of editing is very visible in the position, style and number of dialogue tags. I would have chased you with an Exacto knife until those adverbs and tags were more reader-friendly.<br /><br />Last: I sent the sample to my Kindle, and this may be a personal thing I have from my old hard-copy manuscript days, but the courier font turns me off like a switch. Times (along with curly quotes) feels more sleek and modern and inviting, so a simple font change might improve the atmosphere.<br /><br />All of that said, the premise really does sound interesting. The entire package just needs some love to make it more inviting.Meg Silverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03919607581424128410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-25677194069127386712012-04-16T06:44:45.302-07:002012-04-16T06:44:45.302-07:00Holy adverbs, Batman! I agree the opening needs wo...Holy adverbs, Batman! I agree the opening needs work. The description just confuses me. Why does the world need saving from her? Does she have supernatural powers or something? I have no idea from that description what kind of a book I'm getting. <br /><br />As for the title and cover, I would never in my wildest dreams have guessed that it was SciFi/Fantasy. I'm sure those things aren't helping with sales. A new cover could work wonders!Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15317161957206192048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-87338509960180008072012-04-16T06:34:56.568-07:002012-04-16T06:34:56.568-07:00The cover is all wrong for the book. Would've ...The cover is all wrong for the book. Would've never given a second glance or guessed it's sci-fi. I thought it's maybe some family saga, non-fiction piece of a small towns survival after a hurricane or something like that.<br /><br />So I'd say change the cover.Katja Rinnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15905268906021135646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5142930702674170471.post-62528251822702433492012-04-16T06:33:09.791-07:002012-04-16T06:33:09.791-07:00In my opinion, the cover is the weakest link by fa...In my opinion, the cover is the weakest link by far. It looks unprofessional, from the fonts to the blue borders. But more importantly, this cover is very misleading. <br /><br />It looks like a book of poems or a romance novel. It absolutely does not look like what you describe: sci-fi, fantasy, Asimov, Heinlein, adventure, cliffhanger.<br /><br />The description could be stronger. Can you clarify the conflict? And provide some real plot points. The list of locations is a good start. Are there fights? Chases? Gadgets? Trained attack parrots?<br /><br />The writing in the sample is not my cup of tea. It feels wordy and a bit awkward to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com