I seldom recommend stories because my taste in fiction is often esoteric. But if you enjoy slightly weird romance, "The Tugboat Man and the Lost Continent" by D.T. Iverson is a pretty good read. https://storiesonline.net/s/13834/the-tugboat-man-and-the-lost-continent
Thank you for the recommendation, it was a very good story. I skipped right by it in the stream because of the goofy title and the description that says little about the story itself.
Thank you for the recommendation, it was a very good story. I skipped right by it in the stream because of the goofy title and the description that says little about the story itself.
That highlights the importance of a well-constructed description. That short 2 chapter summary does more to sell your story than however many chapters you tack on. Authors need to spend time crafting it to ensure it accomplishes what you desire (getting readers interested in the story).
That highlights the importance of a well-constructed description.
I wonder at times how many good stories get overlooked just because of that factor. Sure the codes and genre help narrow a search down, but the deciding factor has to be that description.
edited to add: Its like the print industry. A paperback book will have one or more paragraphs either on the back of the cover or on the flyleaf. Those paragraphs are there to make the buyer spend the money.
A paperback book will have one or more paragraphs either on the back of the cover or on the flyleaf. Those paragraphs are there to make the buyer spend the money.
I've always said, there's a hierarchy to book design. A catchy title will grab a readers attention (getting them to take the book off the shelf). The cover is the first thing they see, and it gets them interested enough to turn the book over to read the book description. If that works, they'll open the book and read the first paragraph/page, and hopefully, that'll be good enough they'll buy the book.
However, if any of those fail, especially the first ones, then no one will ever even glance at the book.
IMNSHO one of the best cover blurbs is from Oath of Swords by David Weber
Whom the gods would recruit, they first tick off . . .
Our Hero: The unlikely Paladin, Bahzell Bahnakson of the Horse Stealer Hradani. He's no knight in shining armor. He's a hradani, a race known for their uncontrollable rages, bloodthirsty tendencies, and inability to maintain civilized conduct. None of the other Five Races of man like the hradani. Besides his ethnic burden, Bahzell has problems of his own to deal with: a violated hostage bond, a vengeful prince, a price on his head. He doesn't want to mess with anybody else's problems, let alone a god's. Let alone the War God's! So how does he end up a thousand leagues from home, neck-deep in political intrigue, assassins, demons, psionicists, evil sorcery, white sorcery, dark gods, good gods, bad poets, greedy landlords, and most of Bortalik Bay Well, it's all the War God's fault. . . .
Which pretty much sums up the book without spoilers.
Also the ones that DON'T have a blurb only the "Buy This Book" by people that I have never heard of rarely get my money
Also the ones that DON'T have a blurb only the "Buy This Book" by people that I have never heard of rarely get my money
Heck even if its someone I have heard of. It won't get my attention. It has to be relevant to the story not someone telling me to read it.
edited to add: And I never trust reviews from the Times or other publications. I always tend to ask how much were they paid for it.
Thank you, I enjoyed the story. The author hinted that he may expand this story line. I hope he does.
I'm kinda weird, on sol I tend to see the description and codes and not the title. Which now that I think of it could explain why I've had to ask for help on the lost stories thread.
I think we each need to refer others to good stories by new authors. Lazlo and Crumbly, and Woodman and Lubrican don't need referrals. When they post a new story, people flock to it. But we need to spread the news when talented new authors appears on SOL. It's too easy to bypass a story if the description isn't all that it should be.