Does size matter?
How long is too long? How much is enough? How much sizzle is too hot?
I'm talking about posting excerpts on blogs.
Why, what did you think we were talking about?
Does reading excerpts online make you more likely or less likely to actually buy the book? Does an excerpt get you excited to read the rest of the story, or do your eyes glaze after a while and you don't make it down to the buy link?
What makes for a really good excerpt?
Personally, I love excerpts on blogs, and the extra chapters at the end of books that tease with the next book in the series. I've clicked links to buy a book after reading the excerpt, and I've totally gone back to amazon and ordered the next one in the series when I like the teaser chapter.
This is why I encourage guest bloggers to share excerpts - I know it works on me, so I'm assuming it works on other readers as well. I think short excerpts work best when paired with an interview or post, and a longer excerpt is better if it's on it's own.
But not always. Sometimes it backfires. I may like the premise, but the blurb doesn't hook me so I hesitate. And then inevitably forget about that particular book when the next shiny thing comes along.
And does size matter? (Excerpts, people, we're still talking excerpts. Get your minds out of the gutter.)
If anyone wants to chime in, let's get a conversation going. Puns and innuendos are always welcome. Obviously.
In the meantime, Happy Writing!
The perfect length...oh wait...yes, the perfect length of an excerpt, for me, is about the size of my screen. I'd rather not have to scroll because that tends to take more time. I try to visit as many blogs as possible, but I don't have a ton of time, so if the excerpts are too long I will skim or skip. But if they intrigue me, I will definitely buy the book (even if it takes me forever to get to reading it).
ReplyDeleteHmmm... how big is your screen, Jennifer?
DeleteIf the excerpt is too long, I'll usually skip instead of skim, and maybe not even leave a comment, depending on teh overall size of the post...
Great topic, Katie!
ReplyDeleteI like the shorter ones (for excerpts only of course). I agree with Jennifer. About the length of my screen is great. If I see that an excerpt goes on and on, I am less likely to even begin reading it.
Yeah, that's how I feel ...about excerpts. Thanks for chiming in!
DeleteLove this post. I like an excerpt that shows the tension/conflict between the H/H in as few words as possible, so 250-350 is great for me!
ReplyDeleteOoh, thanks for putting a number on it for us, Peggy! That helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to agree with "fits on my screen" (I use a laptop) but I'm also much more of a hard-copy buyer (like, actually standing in a book store reading the back cover blurb...) so you gotta hit me with action or tension immediately. And in fact, before the blurb, I want to see the cover. I've bought plenty a book on cover alone, without reading a word of the blurb...
ReplyDeleteI've posted before about the importance of a good cover, and you're so right. If a cover doesn't grab me, the book is easy to ignore. Nonstarter. But I always read the description too. Especially with the romance genres, because there are certain tropes I just don't enjoy as much anymore, for various reasons.
Delete....like falling in love with the new stepbrother is right out. Makes me feel itchy under my skin.
DeleteThis post is particularly well-timed for me today because I've been going the three books I'm getting ready to publish as a series to try to find the best excerpts. I agree, you must keep it relatively short, certainly no more than 500 words, but 300-350 is probably best. I'm putting together a media kit with some shorter and longer excerpts. I agree with Peggy in that you want to show tension or conflict between the characters. But you don't want to give away a big secret in an excerpt that will ruin the reading experience for the reader. You want to keep a few surprises!
ReplyDeleteCovers will initially attract me, but the blurb and excerpt make me decide whether to buy a book.
Best of luck with your new series, Jana! So exciting - but I totally hate the part of combing through your writing for good scenes. And the writing the synopsis part, boiling it all down to the bare bones.
DeleteWhen you're ready to send out media kits, please put my blog on your list! Good luck!
VERY important topic. I agree that I like excerpts--it not only gives you a sense of the tension as Peggy says, but of the style and quality of the writing. But I disagree about length--250-350 is just too short to get a sense of the story. (Plus it's really hard to find an excerpt that conveys what you want to convey in such a short bit). Agree that longer (1K to 2K) is way too long. I prefer 500-1000--both as a reader and a writer.
ReplyDeleteHere I disagree. It's hard to find a good excerpt that gives you everything in a short bit, but if you can find something that gives you the flavor, 250-350 is perfect, still leaving you wanting more and ready to click the buy link.
DeleteGood job...you have us talking. Normally, I'd say the longer the better, but in excerpts...I think shorter is better. We are all busy and who has the time to read an entire chapter. We just want a taste.
ReplyDeleteA taste, eh?
DeleteSeriously, I do agree about not having time to read a whole chapter. Although, an excerpt is different than when an author puts a teaser chapter up for fans. Although, I guess I've never clicked through to read one of those either, even from authors I follow. I almost always try out the sample chapters at the end of novels that tout the author's next book. Penny Reid totally hooked me with those. Actually, so did Peggy Jaeger - I've already preordered her next Will Cook for Love book because of those.