GreekChat.com Forums  

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > GLO Specific Forums > Alpha > Alpha Kappa Alpha


Register Now for FREE!
Join GreekChat.com, The Fraternity & Sorority Greek Chat Network. To sign up for your FREE account INSTANTLY fill out the form below!

Username: Password: Confirm Password: E-Mail: Confirm E-Mail:
 
Image Verification
Please enter the six letters or digits that appear in the image opposite.

  I agree to forum rules 

» GC Stats
Members: 325,130
Threads: 115,503
Posts: 2,196,060
Welcome to our newest member, zmaisongoogleto
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-04-2004, 08:10 AM
Senusret I Senusret I is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,783
What Makes You Purchase a Novel?

Hey everyone...I'm on my way to work, but I wanted to pose this question to all of you right quick.

Many of you may not know this, but I am a writer -- currently unpublished. I've been trying to get a literary agent for the past year and a half or so. It's tough work, but I've been learning a lot about the publishing industry through my rejections.

I have also recently been investigating the option of self-publishing. I thought I knew a lot about marketing and promoting literature, but I figure I'd ask all of you this question:

What makes YOU purchase a novel?

Word of mouth?
Are you a member of a book club that makes monthly suggestions?
Do you come to GreekChat for suggestions?
Do you regularly browse bookstores for new titles? (reading the back covers, etc)
Do you read Black Issues Book Review or some ther literature-related magazine? How about book reviews in mainstream publications?

Just curious!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-04-2004, 11:16 AM
aopirose aopirose is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Where stately oaks and broad magnolias shade inspiring halls
Posts: 2,109
Usually the cover illustration. I am a sucker for Fabio. j/k.

I mainly depend on book club referrals because I don't have a lot of free time. Also, if there is a particular author that I like, I look out for the newest title.
__________________
Love me some him.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-04-2004, 11:29 AM
btb87 btb87 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Seemingly in perpetual registration
Posts: 2,111
Send a message via AIM to btb87 Send a message via Yahoo to btb87
I don't belong to a book club, but word of mouth definitely helps.
I also look at the book covers as well. I like light suspense (Mary Higgins Clark) and absolutely LOVE John Grisham. I've read every one of his books. I love autobiographies and usually consider purchasing them (even if I don't know the author), and generally go in search of African-American fiction.
__________________
Just a little too lazy to come up with a siggie right now.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-04-2004, 11:35 AM
Lady Pi Phi Lady Pi Phi is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: "...maybe tomorrow I'm gonna settle down. Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on."
Posts: 5,713
Send a message via AIM to Lady Pi Phi
I am a book buyer (meaning when I want to read something I usually buy it).

I rely on word of mouth, recommendations from friends and family. I've also used GC as a resource for books (GC is how I heard about The Da Vinci Code and precceed to read all of Dan Brown's books). I do like to browse through bookstores and read the descriptions of books. If one tickles my fancy then I buy it.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-04-2004, 11:58 AM
greeklawgirl greeklawgirl is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: The Old Pueblo
Posts: 3,272
I enjoy browsing through bookstores, and I'll keep word-of-mouth and recommendations in mind. For me the ultimate test of whether I buy a book or not is the first paragraph. If the author doesn't catch me by the end of the first paragraph, I won't spend my money on it.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-04-2004, 12:04 PM
lovelyivy84 lovelyivy84 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 3,533
Send a message via AIM to lovelyivy84
I'm a BIG browser- I can stay in the bookstore for hours. A blurb on a jacket from a writer I like does wonders. Good cover art does draw the eye as well. But when all is said and done it's the story. The story and characters have to be compelling.

My new job is in publicity for a BIG ol publishing house, so I can tell you all about it in a month or so.
__________________
It may be said with rough accuracy that there are three stages in the life of a strong people. First, it is a small power, and fights small powers. Then it is a great power, and fights great powers. Then it is a great power, and fights small powers, but pretends that they are great powers, in order to rekindle the ashes of its ancient emotion and vanity.-- G.K. Chesterton
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-04-2004, 02:08 PM
Toujours_Jolie Toujours_Jolie is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 85
Send a message via AIM to Toujours_Jolie
When I like an author, I usually read all his or her books (whether I know anything about the book or not). I usually find out about new authors by browsing the bookstore or reading book reviews.
__________________
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-04-2004, 02:42 PM
Jill1228 Jill1228 is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: NJ/Philly suburbs
Posts: 7,172
Send a message via AIM to Jill1228
Co-sign! And it doesn't help that I am in walking distance of a Chapters bookstore!

Quote:
Originally posted by Toujours_Jolie
When I like an author, I usually read all his or her books (whether I know anything about the book or not). I usually find out about new authors by browsing the bookstore or reading book reviews.
__________________
"OP, you have 99 problems, but a sorority ain't one"-Alumiyum
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-04-2004, 04:21 PM
Senusret I Senusret I is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,783
Thanks for the responses everyone, keep them coming!

In general, I browse the African American fiction and African American studies sections. For fiction, I pretty much look for the authors I am already familiar with. For non-fiction, seeing the cover helps, because I'm not automatically looking for a specific topic. Like this week, I saw the concise desktop edition of Africana, but I didn't get it because I'm holding out for the unabridged edition.

I don't generally purchase mainstream fiction unless it has been highly recommended (like the Davinci Code, which I just bought). I also like science fiction, and if I like the author, I will most likely keep supporting that author until I own all their books, like Octavia Butler.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-04-2004, 04:36 PM
mccoyred mccoyred is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Greater Philadelphia Metro Area
Posts: 1,835
I am pretty much a bookstore browser, too. If I recognize and author and I like their past books, I will generally buy it. I always search the AA Lit, the mystery/crime and the personal improvement sections; I buy very few biographies, though.

I have to limit myself to 3 books or $50, whichever is more, per bookstore visit!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-04-2004, 05:14 PM
Senusret I Senusret I is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,783
Quote:
Originally posted by mccoyred
I have to limit myself to 3 books or $50, whichever is more, per bookstore visit!
See....I can't do that. I just spent a hunned at Borders the other day. I can't just buy books, I gotta get books and either music or DVDs.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 06-04-2004, 06:05 PM
mulattogyrl mulattogyrl is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: The Matrix
Posts: 4,424
Send a message via AIM to mulattogyrl Send a message via Yahoo to mulattogyrl
I can stay in B & N for HOURS. I ususally look in Af-Am non-fiction, but I like mysteries and novels too. I also look at what's on the NY Times bestseller list. I always read the back covers of books and see if it's about something I would want to read about. It doesn't matter what kind of book it is, I will just pick up any book and read the back of it. You find a lot of interesting books that way that you may not have picked up otherwise.
__________________
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

It's a jungle out there.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 06-04-2004, 06:11 PM
AKA_Monet AKA_Monet is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Beyond
Posts: 5,092
Re: What Makes You Purchase a Novel?

Quote:
Originally posted by Senusret I
Hey everyone...I'm on my way to work, but I wanted to pose this question to all of you right quick.

Many of you may not know this, but I am a writer -- currently unpublished. I've been trying to get a literary agent for the past year and a half or so. It's tough work, but I've been learning a lot about the publishing industry through my rejections.

I have also recently been investigating the option of self-publishing. I thought I knew a lot about marketing and promoting literature, but I figure I'd ask all of you this question:

What makes YOU purchase a novel?

Word of mouth?
Are you a member of a book club that makes monthly suggestions?
Do you come to GreekChat for suggestions?
Do you regularly browse bookstores for new titles? (reading the back covers, etc)
Do you read Black Issues Book Review or some ther literature-related magazine? How about book reviews in mainstream publications?

Just curious!
I browse bookstores and look in the African American interests.

Then I am usually buying books that are biologically- or scientifically-related.

I just started a book club at my church. So I am buying the books to participate in that event.
__________________
We thank and pledge Alpha Kappa Alpha to remember...
"I'm watching with a new service that translates 'stupid-to-English'" ~ @Shoq of ShoqValue.com 1 of my Tweeple

"Yo soy una mujer negra" ~Zoe Saldana
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-04-2004, 07:18 PM
abaici abaici is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: In SoCal, serving all mankind
Posts: 3,580
I frequently browse the bookstore. Also, I offer suggestions (read:give) books to my friends and relatives. I love to give the gift of literacy.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 06-04-2004, 10:34 PM
Proverbs31 Proverbs31 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 997
I love browsing through book stores! If the book cover looks creative or artsy I usually pick it up. I also like to read the back to see if the story line sounds interesting. (I read mostly books by black authors and inspirational books). My favorites are EJD and Terry McMillan.

Essence Magazine usually does book reviews every month and I almost always purchase the novels listed there.
__________________
"When I wake up, everything I went through will be beautiful." Jill Scott
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.