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!
