Search Inside the Book
July 3, 2006 by Lillie
There is a lot of controversy about the Search Inside the Book programs by Amazon.com and Google.com. Some publishers and authors are concerned that too much of the book’s content will be revealed to the public and cut into sales.
I realize there are some kinds of books that probably aren’t well-suited to the book search. If someone is searching for a recipe, for example, and they can find it by searching inside a cookbook, they might be tempted to copy the recipe and not buy the book.
But I think most books benefit from readers being able to read some of the copy. In a bookstore, buyers frequently read the back cover blurb and the first paragraphs or pages of a book to decide whether it appeals to them. When buying online, the Search Inside the Book offers the same opportunity.
Spring House has been available at Amazon.com but the first sale didn’t happen until after author David Bowles added the “Search Inside” feature. Coincidence? Maybe …
Spring House is also part of Google.com‘s Book Search. I’ll be watching both of these programs with the optimistic view that sales will increase as more people can flip through the pages of the book online as they would in a bookstore.
I’m surprised to learn there is a controversy over the use of Search Inside the Book programs. Your argument that readers inspecting a book naturally gravitate to the jacket or flyleaf of a book to determine if it is to be purchased is a good one. The same principle applies to Search Inside the Book for those shopping on-line. I assume that any writer, who is obviously a reader by default, would agree that before buying a book, it makes sense to examine a few pages and test the storyline, and that neither of these diminish sales but rather increase them. Your logic is convincing.
Thanks, Ruth. My original response was lost when I moved my blog.
[...] Although some publishers and authors are afraid that allowing readers to see what’s inside the book may hurt sales, I think it’s a good idea. When shopping at a bookstore, most people like to open the book and get a feel for what’s inside. Why should shopping online be any different? Lillie Ammann, who edited Spring House, has an interesting post about this subject on her blog: A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye. [...]
I really appreciate the Search Inside feature. It’s a great way to make sure that the book is what you’re looking for if you can’t physically go and see it yourself.
Kathleen,
I agree it is a great convenience for readers.