I ate dinner at a Chinese buffet tonight. I am horrified to think of how many calories I actually consumed, but more importantly, I hate to think about how many of those calories I didn’t enjoy. I saw all those options in front of me, and I partook of them simply because they were there and they looked good. And the price was right.
Then it hit me. E book offerings are kind of like the Chinese buffet. Browse your buffet of downloadable e books and you’ll find a veritable smorgasbord for you to choose from at prices too good to pass up. How do you choose? In the end, you sample many, simply because you can. They make it so easy, and everything looks so good, how can you resist?
Ah, there’s the problem. Caloric overload. Most of what you get leaves you feeling bloated and unsatisfied, and not long from now you’re just going to want more. You can go back to the buffet. It will be there, offering you endless choices. Surely something will be there that is satisfying. You might get lucky. Or you might just get more of the same, more that leaves you feeling like you wasted your money and you’re just going to want something else in a little while.
To the readers, I say this — read the reviews. You don’t want to get stuck with something that has no value. Read the reviews on the site you’re downloading from, but also check elsewhere. There are plenty of book bloggers who give honest reviews on their own sites. A little homework up front will save you money in your pocket and time to read something worth your while.
To the writers, I say this — if you self-publish, only put your best effort up there. Typos, grammatical errors, syntax problems, and of course, poorly written works only strengthen the argument people make against self-published authors. I can hear James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams saying “If you build it, they will come.” Well, if you write it, they will download it. And if it’s written poorly, they won’t download anything else. You’ve got one shot. Make it count.
The readers are hungry and the buffet is open. Don’t send them away wishing they had gone somewhere else.
Thanks Russel. Agreed. Can’t beat good food and good writing! Now, if someone could figure out a way to combine the two… (No, cookbooks don’t count.)
Enjoyed the post, Staci. I’m with you. Good food and good writing are two of my favorite things.
Terrific analogy, Staci. If you write it and edit it and it’s good, THEN they will come.
Thanks, Pam. I can’t wait until your new book is out there. I’m sure they’ll be coming in droves.
You are absolutely right on both counts. Janna makes another good point. I’ve been shouting about writers putting out their best stuff, and at this point, if we’re to be taken seriously as independent authors, it’s even more crucial. Just because you can format and slap up a book in two weeks, doesn’t mean you’re an author. Thanks for posting this – loved the analogy to a Chinese buffet (or any food trough where we can eat anything on the cheap but probably should stay away from most of it!).
It’s sad that food reminds me of writing, but I’m passionate about both, so I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. But you’re right, we have to put our best efforts out there, or we can’t expect people to come back for more. Thanks for the comment.
May I add use the ‘look inside’ feature as a taste test. I’ve heard many readers say if they can’t look inside the book there is no review that could persuade them. Thank you Staci.
Good point, Janna. A little nibble can go a long way to letting readers whet their appetites for more.