What Attracts You In A Book?

[wordsmith12008]

Is it the synopsis, or is it the cover art? Do you believe in "don't judge a book by it's cover" and just give every book a chapter before deciding?
In short, I just want to know what makes you pick up a book, and what are the red flags for you.

 

[LilRora]

Usually I'm attracted wither by cover, by title, or by tags. If the synopsis is good, I'll at least check it out.

Probably the most common red flags are badly written titles and synopses (mainly grammatical errors) and bait such as blatantly suggestive cover.

 

[Hoshino]

If it's dark, and depressing.

 

[AlwaysWanted]

> What attracts you to a book?

I know it's a simple answer, but I think it's the best.

What attracts me (and others) to a book is a unique, fresh, take on a genre or whole new overhaul of the way a book of that genre is typically supposed to work.

You see books like Shadow Slave & Solo Leveling have lots of success due to the fact that they made something unique out of their genres.

Solo Leveling was the original system necromancer manga, whilst Shadow Slave proves itself to be on the same level of uniqueness with it's new leveling system and different powers.

TLDR: What attracts me to a book is when it does something differently and new in an entertaining and fresh way.

 

[owotrucked]

Its plot and personality

 

[JamesFellen]

I absolutely believe in judging books by their cover. In my opinion: if you pour your heart into a story, you bother making a proper cover for it. There may be exceptions, but it‘s just a sign that the author cares.

If the title and cover are appealing I move on to the synopsis and figure out, whether the book is even something I‘m interested in. Original idea? Interesting setting? Basically figuring out if it fits. Then I read and may still drop it if it doesn’t meet expectations.

Red flags are for one grammar errors anywhere near the title. And not meeting expectations — putting a girl on the cover and a male-lead tag is an instant drop for me for example. I expect to see the main character there, not bait. Generally, don’t suggest the story does one thing when it actually does another.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

The red flags for me are: "Too many similar books out there so want to avoid that bandwagon" and "promises or hints at a lot of sex, and/or a lot of same sex sexual pairings, perhaps to the point of that being the story"
As for what attracts me to a story - either that I'm familiar with the author's other works, that it has been recommended by people I trust, or that there is something clever or unique in the synopsis.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

The title and tags

 

[deweyan]

Boobas

 

[mysterious_cube]

In order of importance: tags + genres > synopsis > first chapter

With tags and genres the red flags are just things I'm not interested in: School Life, Incest, Horror, Villainous Lead, etc.

With the synopsis and the first chapter I also look for signs of low quality: lack of periods, sentences that repeat the obvious implication of the previous sentence, lots of grammar and spelling mistakes, poor sentence flow, etc.

 

[Dec]

Cover and title has an impact when initially choosing the book (basically what I pick first, not if I read it or not), synopsis is next - if this hooks me up, I will read first pages to see how it is written.
Then, if writing style is to my liking, I will read it whole. If not, then it goes back on the pile I might look at another day.
Doesn't matter what type of book this is, nor what it covers. As long as author can hook me up, I will read it.

 

[Golden_Hyde]

when people talks about red flags, what comes into my mind first was "is this another variant of LitRPG stuff that people reuse over and over again?". If yes, than I'll walk back and never bother giving attention to it again. If no, then I guess I'll give it a chance, even if it's LitRPG.

the same goes with excessive curses. If they talk like having too much dirt in their mouth, I'm out.

 

[Rezcore]

The synopsis, art and first chapter. If the first chapter doesn't hook me with the thought that the plot will rock, I won't read it. The grammar is of secondary importance, it should at least be readable. Grammarly exists.

 

[Daitengu]

I've literally read books with just stars and a moon on it. So I don't have a good take on what I'm attracted to.

However I do know what is a red flag for me. Having a character that is not the MC on the cover. This often shows as a pretty girl on the cover while the MC is just some dude. I'm not a harem nor smut fan. I've read them in my 20's, but it's all just cringe post 30. What's this got to do with a girl on the cover? Well harem and smut often show romance targets instead of the MC.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

 

[LesserSarcasm]

The themes and the amount of chaps. I don't want cookie cutter stories or stories that end in 15 chaps especially don't want storied titles think up a decent name.

 

[Valmond]

I've literally read books with just stars and a moon on it. So I don't have a good take on what I'm attracted to.

However I do know what is a red flag for me. Having a character that is not the MC on the cover. This often shows as a pretty girl on the cover while the MC is just some dude. I'm not a harem nor smut fan. I've read them in my 20's, but it's all just cringe post 30. What's this got to do with a girl on the cover? Well harem and smut often show romance targets instead of the MC.

I never understood this, since really it leads to a higher drop off. People can flip the switch for the smallest thing, but straight up lying to them isn’t taken kindly.

However, it does work to get a massive amount into whatever the media is. I suppose it is a trade off in that sense.

Personally, I do not like misleading people. So I make things clear. Each book’s cover would have the MC.

Such as Books 1, 2, 3, 4.

5, 6, 7. These changes to another for each, as it covers a new perspective. With the lead taking quite a backseat.

Book 8 and 9, while these are a mix. These covers return to the lead of the series, as it points to them again.

Characters in Book 5, 6, 7 become close friends to the lead, so their stories are important in Book 8 and 9.

As well as especially important in four new added scenes in the series finale.

Point is, I like being straight up. I specifically label 5, 6, 7 as Yuri. So peeps know what is in them. And Book 6, has an additional warning for a lot of gore.

 

[RepresentingThree]

I usually check the title first along with the cover photo at the same time. If it appeals to me, I'll move on to the number of chapters and when it was last updated. Then I checked the tags, and finally, the synopsis.

For example, books I like and a book I don't

Like: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/141131/vaudevillain/

Don't: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/63609/goddess-collector-every-hole-is-a-goal/

Disclaimer: I'm not saying the book I don't like is objectively bad or that you shouldn't like it. It's just not my personal taste.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

Neither, it's the fans. There are so many books out there, and I have so little time to read, that I'll hardly ever just go out and browse for new books. I'll check places like the fantasy subreddit to see what books people are recommending and why they like them, then I'll look at the synopsis to see if it sounds like a book I'd enjoy, and then if I'm still on the fence I'll read a sample of it on Amazon.

 

[NtrAddicted]

A good title and a good premise. The amount of Chinese novels I've read through MTL is countless. Most of them had generic covers that had nothing to do with the story, but what kept me reading hundreds of chapters with rough translations was precisely a good idea behind the plot. If the story has a good title that connects directly with the reader and a good synopsis, I'll read it.

It's something personal, but I don't like stories with titles like "The Demon Lord" that don't say anything.

But something like "The Demon Lord Who Reincarnated and Destroyed the Cycle of Life" seems interesting. I like to know what to expect just by reading the title.