How readers decide what to read.

May 17, 11:21 PMWriting ExaminerTiffany Colter

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Is she selecting your book?

     This is the first of seven articles on getting readers to pick you. If you missed the article outlining this series you can read it here.

     What will make a reader pick up one book and buy it while ignoring another? This is a crucial question to an author of book length fiction or non-fiction.

     What will make a reader decide to read one article or blog and skip another? This is crucial to a writer who is developing a following through internet and print media.

     While there is no “Secret” to getting traffic there are a few things that every writer can do to increase the likelihood that someone will decide to read their work over another’s.

     There are a few things that a reader considers before buying a book or stopping to read a blog. Some of these you will have control over, others you will not. The key to positioning yourself in the best possible way is to work on those you can control.

1.    The cover—Yes, your book will be judged on its cover. Likewise, your article will be judged by its layout. This article is formatted with plenty of whitespace, short bulleted points for easy reference and a picture. Consider whether you’d be reading it if it were written in two or three long paragraphs. Keep these small details in mind when writing print and online copy.  For books, sorry, you’re at the mercy of your publisher.

2.    Name Recognition—Think of some of your favorite books. Who wrote them? Would you read something else of theirs? Of course! What about unknown authors? The best way to sell the book is to make your name recognizable. In book sales, as in politics, people will superimpose their perception of an individual if they recognize their name. Therefore, make sure people recognize your name when they’re browsing the bookstore shelves.

3.    Be likable—In his book, “Selling the Invisible”, Harry Beckwith makes the following assertion. “College, then, seduces us with the notion that real life will be an oasis where sheer talent is what counts…Life is like high school. Those things that made you popular start mattering again. Hate it, fight it, march in the streets against it, but it is true.” [Beckwith, pg. 52] The best way to be likable as an author is to create a great story, offer a website that appeals to your target readership and follow through on promises.

4.    More on those promises—The key to all of this is to write an engaging article, a great story or a useful blog. Make sure that once you have their attention you give them more than they expected. Then they’ll not only come to read you again, but they’ll be happy to tell others about you.

     So what is it that makes readers decide? They connect with you in some way. Whether that connection is name recognition or past experience with your work if a reader feels that ‘something’ they will give you a chance. Your job then becomes building that connection with as many readers as possible. In our next article we’ll talk more about that. “Getting Noticed”, the next in this series. Click the "Subscribe to Email" link above so you never miss a single article.