Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
This Week’s Theme:
Things That Will Make
Me Pick Up A Book
Initial Thoughts:
I will fight you on being the most superficial of superficial when it comes to picking up the next read.
(and oh my god I have not posted in so long I apologize).
Step 1a: Autobuy/read Authors
Attaining the status of “I will read your grocery list” is incredibly difficult easy. Just write a solid book that garners a 4+ from yours truly and baaaaaam, I will buy everything from you. Also helps if you’re rad as fuck on social media (e.g. Twitter).
Example: Patrick Ness. Leigh Bardugo. Jeff Zentner.
Step 1b: The Community (see: hype)
If I’m being honest, most of the time, “recommendations” are a no go for me mainly due to my random/sporadic reading habits of picking up the most random of titles even if I ought to be following a regimented schedule due to reading commitments. But, there are times when hype is so loud that I have to read it just to potentially shit see what the fuss is about (and in most cases, it’s always unwarranted hype…).
Example: Red Queen and The Crown’s Game.
Step 2: Book Cover
The face-iest value of face values. Look, if it’s ugly as shit and looks like you used Microsoft Word Art (or god forbid Comic Sans), chances are it’s a no go. Design is key.
Example: colour palettes. embossed text. no faces or models
Step 3: The Blurb
Alright. Let’s say your cover is passable. I flip to the inside cover (or the back) and read what you have to offer. If you a) tell me the ENTIRE plot in your synopsis…bye felicia. The point here is to pique interest without vomiting all them stories into two-to-three paragraphs.
Being surprised is good; intrigue is great.
Step 4: Tome-worthy-ness
Look: 500+ page books are suerly wonderfully immersive. But that’s potentially TWO other great books I could be reading. Is it worth it? Am I that interested in this book?
This is what is stopping me from reading Sanderson’s Way of Kings…
Step 5: The “Pilot” Chapter
So I open this book and read the first few pages. Am I engaged with the preliminary conflict? Do the words grip me? Are the characters those I can identify with, humorous, will offer a jolly good time? These factors and more all considered in the first chapter.
It also helps if the threat of looming death is already on the first chapter…because, well, it just helps.
Step 6: Ignore the above steps
Just start reading.
Afterthoughts:
I don’t actually follow the above but it just happens seamlessly without thought…do you follow any of the above?
Cheers,
Joey
connect:
afterthoughtAn // twitter
anotherafterthought // goodreads
picturevomit // instagram
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
For your Step 1b: I think it’s advantageous for me that I’m a reading teacher who gets recommendations from other reading/English teachers. We are probably the most discerning readers on the planet, because we’re not going to give trash to our students. So I guess all of that is to say, sometimes the hype is real but it depends on who the hype is coming from. I love the way you set up your list. Happy reading!
eli @ the (book) supplier
My TTT
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See, first impressions are important. Anyone that says they don’t judge a book by its cover are lying!! We all do it.
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Your selection process makes a lot of sense. I have a couple of auto-buy authors as well and I wouldn’t have picked up some books if the author hadn’t constantly popped up on my Twitter timeline. These things matter in today’s world. But I also agree on all the other stuff you said haha
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I couldn’t agree more about the reviews and hype! If you write something I like, I am very loyal, and if absolutely everyone is screaming about your book, I will probably give it a go!
Check out my TTT here: https://travelinretrospect.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/top-ten-tuesday-the-things-that-make-me-read/
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Love step 4… of course the cover and blurb (though I forgot the cover on my own list *hides face in shame*) but I loved that you consider length, I totally do that too… I have to really trust an author if it’s a longer book. Love the post!
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I am a superficial and moody reader. Unless a truly trusted source recommends me a book. Then I may look past things that irk me ;P
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I often use Step 3 to validate Step 4. Like if the synopsis seems to tell me everything that is happening in that 500 page book…I won’t be picking it up anytime soon (read: ever).
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Books with comic sans on the cover deserve to be burned. Never trust someone who doesn’t use it ironically. 😂
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Hah I really enjoyed your list. I’m the same way with whether or not its engaging. I always hate getting a super beautiful book and then opening to the first page and it bores me to death. Time worthiness is also key because who has time to read an immense book when they have other things to do?
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Love your list, Joey. Also, yes it’s been too long since you have posted, but well…bet you’re busy reading all the books …. right?! Haha 😉
I have some authors that I’d definitely read anything from, their grocery list has to be all kinds of fabulous haha. And the power of the community/hype is….gigantiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiic, really. So many books I have read because of everyone’s recommendations haha.
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