# Do book endorsements matter anymore?



## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

I admit that New York Times Bestseller or some other source's recommendation on a book will still get me to look at it. Endorsements don't get me to read a book or like it, but getting me to stop and look at the book speaks to the ongoing power of endorsements. Customer reviews don't move me at all on fiction books--I place zero confidence in them. 

But I pay attention to reviews of nonfiction in certain areas. For example, I've been brushing up on my stats lately, and I find myself carefully reading the customer reviews. I look to see whether the reviewer and I share the same approach, so I can gauge the usefulness of the book to me. I don't even bother with the editorial reviews in this area because they don't speak to such things. Conversely, I pay no attention to customer reviews of books in my own areas of expertise. I only look at the editorial reviews.  

I suspect that a lot of people behave in the same way. Yet I have the impression that what I'm broadly calling "endorsements" don't have the same effect they used to have. I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly why. I really don't think it has to do with a decline in the quality of the gatekeepers. It seems to be the market itself. Maybe it's diversification--I mean genres and subgenres, and sub-subgenres. There are so many books out there now that the gradations between them are too slight for endorsements to matter as much as they once did.

Anyway, I'm putting the question out there: Do endorsements matter to you anymore?      

ETA: I meant to include awards in this question too. What with the kerfuffle over the Hugos, it's probably a good angle to include.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I think I just don't read a lot of genres that get such endorsements. Those I read usually have a actual review in editorial, from a publication or large blog or such. 

I don't read non fiction and I don't read literary fiction. 

Just to be clear, when you say endorsement, you are talking about some other big author endorsing the book? 

Those don't influence me much, never have. I go by big blogs that review stuff I read, I go by reviewers, regular reviewers that is. A fellow readers review means more to me than some professional reviewer. Those are usually the ones where I get the info I search, in the others I often get a line by line laying out of the whole book. I don't want to know what happens in the book.


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## SusanCht (Oct 24, 2014)

I look at professional reviews in the endorsement areas to tell me if someone who cares about books liked it enough to read that book and think about it. PW, of course, is useful. If it's another author, it could be personal so I don't really care and customer reviews are only useful in evaluating whether I want to read the book and how successful that writer is.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

For me, I don't think any of the traditional promotional mechanisms have much impact on my reading purchases. I don't read reviews from magazines or newspapers, I don't look at best-seller lists, I don't attend (or even notice) author tours, and I couldn't care less if author X writes a blurb for author Y's book (since (a) I know that's very much a quid pro quo activity, and (b) I know from experience that just because anybody likes a book has little to do with whether I'll like it). And very, very few of the books I read win awards (at least that I know about).

Mostly I discover new authors by luck, Amazon recommendations (most get filtered out immediately by me, but I've come across a few gems that way), word of mouth (or word of keyboard) from friends and such -- but not from direct promotional activities by the publisher (including self-published authors). In fact, I'd say either there's a missing piece for me in the book discovery process, or I've gotten pickier with age, or writing has gotten worse in general, as I'm finding it harder and harder to find really good and satisfying fiction to read.


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## Amyshojai (May 3, 2010)

Hmnnn...

Since I began as a nonfiction author, having someone with credentials write the foreword and/or blurb the cover was pretty much required. Now I'm asked all the time to do this and...dunno about others...I have the read the whole dang thing to feel comfortable endorsing it. So I end up being very choosy, because that's time I could be writing my own stuff!  

I have been told by readers that my cover quotes from NYT bestselling thriller authors did make a difference in picking up my fiction books. I know how much goes into getting (or not getting) such things so it will make me believe one of two things when I see a glowing blurb: 1) the publisher called in a favor (they're pub'd by the same house) 2) the authors know/respect each others' work

Some very well established authors are incredibly generous to newcomers they've met and read. That can impress me. I've only read a couple of books that had glowing cover quotes that made me go "WHAT THE HEY"  

Others milage may vary.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

I consider recommendations as unpaid endorsements.  I've read a few of Zuckerberg's and Oprah's book selections.  I've read books recommended by my boss and by some of my friends.  I've read books recommended by folks here in KB.  I've read books suggested by my minister.

As far as I can tell, my kids enjoy my book recommendations.

You know who you listen to or respect.  So for that matter, positive feedback does influence me in some way.  However, at the end of the day, I am responsible for the reading decisions I make.  And I would never pass the blame to the ones who recommended or endorsed the books.  I do learn a little more about them from the books they recommended.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

The things I rely on more than anything else are the reviews on Amazon. Once you know the tricks they are usually quite good. You have to be aware that when there are only a few reviews and they are all good, check to see if the reviewers have reviewed many other books, especially of the same genre. If this is their first review, it's likely to be a friend or family review. Really long reviews that give a lot of information on the story are sometimes paid reviews. Once you know the tricks of the system, I find that the reviews are extremely helpful.

Steve


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

stevene9 said:


> The things I rely on more than anything else are the reviews on Amazon. Once you know the tricks they are usually quite good. You have to be aware that when there are only a few reviews and they are all good, check to see if the reviewers have reviewed many other books, especially of the same genre. If this is their first review, it's likely to be a friend or family review. Really long reviews that give a lot of information on the story are sometimes paid reviews. Once you know the tricks of the system, I find that the reviews are extremely helpful.
> 
> Steve


I like to skim the 2- to 4-star ratings to look for any consistent complaints, in order to see if there are any flaws of the types that I find particularly irksome.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

If the review reads like a blurb, I skip over it.  I also look at how it is worded.
I have seen some that sound identical to the author's voice.    Also if it is a very small niche with all glowing reviews I get suspicious. 
Books from bloggers, I discount all the 5 star reviews. 

As far as endorsements go.  Only one do I pay attention too.  If one person endorses a book, I know I probably won't like it.  Works backwards for me.


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

Atunah said:


> Just to be clear, when you say endorsement, you are talking about some other big author endorsing the book?
> 
> I go by big blogs that review stuff I read, I go by reviewers, regular reviewers that is. A fellow readers review means more to me than some professional reviewer. Those are usually the ones where I get the info I search, in the others I often get a line by line laying out of the whole book. I don't want to know what happens in the book.


I mean "endorsement" in the broad sense of something that's attached to a book to sell it. Awards, prizes, and bestseller success are endorsements when the publisher adds them to the editorial reviews of a book or slaps them on the cover.

As for fiction reviewers, I've never found one who's compatible.



SusanCht said:


> I look at professional reviews in the endorsement areas to tell me if someone who cares about books liked it enough to read that book and think about it. PW, of course, is useful. If it's another author, it could be personal so I don't really care and customer reviews are only useful in evaluating whether I want to read the book and how successful that writer is.


I agree about author endorsements on fiction. Stephen King's recommendation might as well be Colonel Sanders' recommendation for all I care. But nonfiction is a different bird. If someone who should know when a book is useful says it is, I take note of it.



NogDog said:


> For me, I don't think any of the traditional promotional mechanisms have much impact on my reading purchases. I don't read reviews from magazines or newspapers, I don't look at best-seller lists, I don't attend (or even notice) author tours, and I couldn't care less if author X writes a blurb for author Y's book (since (a) I know that's very much a quid pro quo activity, and (b) I know from experience that just because anybody likes a book has little to do with whether I'll like it). And very, very few of the books I read win awards (at least that I know about).
> 
> Mostly I discover new authors by luck, Amazon recommendations (most get filtered out immediately by me, but I've come across a few gems that way), word of mouth (or word of keyboard) from friends and such -- but not from direct promotional activities by the publisher (including self-published authors). In fact, I'd say either there's a missing piece for me in the book discovery process, or I've gotten pickier with age, or writing has gotten worse in general, as I'm finding it harder and harder to find really good and satisfying fiction to read.


I haven't looked at a bestseller list for books to read in a long time. I still read newspaper and magazine reviews, however. Of course, my interest is more literary. I'm not necessarily looking for something to read when I peruse reviews.



Brownskins said:


> I do learn a little more about them from the books they recommended.


Sometimes talking about books is more worthwhile than the recommendations themselves.


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

If Oprah Winfrey left a copy of my book on her desk during a broadcast, and admitted she only used it for a source of emergency TP when she discovered the stall lacked any, I would be a millionaire by the end of the week. If her fans--all 40 million of them--even saw her just touch a book, they would buy it immediately. This was the power of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club at its height, and still is today to a degree. Winfrey has turned many an author into overnight hits just by holding up their books and in one second saying, "Good book. Read it."
Will Wheaton is the reigning King of Geeks. If he mentions he really enjoyed a book and recommends people read it on any of his media sites, his fans will go out and buy it.
Neil Gaiman is at the pinnacle of being a celebrity author--among readers and writers alike. If he mentions he likes a book, his fans will flock to the bookstores to buy it and read something that he read and enjoyed.
On the other end of the scale, if a personal friend of yours is out with friends and sees an ad of your book, they will say, "Hey! I know this author! Lives next door to me. A really great person, you should read the book!" The person they are talking to is significantly more likely to actually go out and buy your book. Because of your mutual friend, the other person will feel they have a personal connection to you, and this makes that person more likely to buy your book.
Related to this, if you meet a stranger and talk to them about your book, they are more likely to go out and buy it if they perceive you as nice and honest. If they do enjoy your book, they are more likely to go out and tell other people to read your book and brag about how they met you. Consider actor Sir Patrick Stewart. After stage shows, even when he is exhausted after a long day, he stays at the stage door to sign autographs for fans and will stay there until everyone who wanted one has gotten one. He is kind, gracious, polite, personable, and patient with everyone. If you are ever lucky enough to meet him, I guarantee you will be a fan for life. You should strive to be the best person you can be when meeting fans or potential fans. If you have had a bad day and really don't want to deal with anyone, remember that just being able to shake your hand and say "Hi" could be the best day ever for that other person. Remember that you just made someone's day--that could make your day seem not so bad.

A celebrity mentioning and/or endorsing your book generates a huge amount of visibility. And the only way people are going to find your book is if it is visible to them.

By the same token, those last two examples show that regular people can carry a lot of weight in swaying someone to try out a new book/author. A celebrity is just one person. But their fans are many people, and those are the people you are trying to reach. And those very people will carry on the word of your book to others.

Very often, people will start off a conversation with, "I just read a really good book!" That's how I discovered Neal Stephenson's books many years ago. A friend said those very same words to me and then recommended Stephenson's books.

Of course, there is a flip side to all this. People who like that celebrity author's writing style might not like or be interested in yours. The recommendation would have to be in genre. If Danielle Steele recommended my hard sci-fi _Privateer_ to her fans, I doubt I would sell more than a dozen. But if John Scalzi recommended it on his blog, I could probably count of getting several thousand sales out of that endorsement in a reasonable period of time. On the other hand, my style is different from Scalzi's and his fans might not take well to it. Any possible sales could dry up in a hurry.

Regardless of how fickle things can be, an endorsement is still significantly better than nothing. The key is increased visibility.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Oprah's recommendations worked on me twice; after not being able to finish the second one, I realized her tastes were so unrelentingly grim I never read another book she recommended.  And I am a fan.  (She owns one of my aunt's paintings--how could I not be!)

If an author whose work I like recommends a book, I'll consider the book.  But otherwise I'll vet it in the same way I'd vet a book I stumbled upon.  I can't think of anyone who could recommend a book that I'd automatically buy.

(And remember--Book Corner--reader point of view!  Thanks!)

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Oprah's recommendations worked on me twice; after not being able to finish the second one, I realized her tastes were so unrelentingly grim I never read another book she recommended. And I am a fan. (She owns one of my aunt's paintings--how could I not be!)
> 
> If an author whose work I like recommends a book, I'll consider the book. But otherwise I'll vet it in the same way I'd vet a book I stumbled upon. I can't think of anyone who could recommend a book that I'd automatically buy.
> 
> ...


What Betsy said . . . . (except the bit about Oprah owning a family artist's work.) 

I vet 'celebrity' endorsements or 'author' endorsements the same way I vet Betsy's or NogDogs or Atunah's endorsements. In fact, I'd probably give MORE weight to those three (and others here) 'cause I know they're real _readers_ and not just people who want, perhaps, to be thought to be reading the 'right sort' of things.  I did used to get a lot of recommendations from my mother -- 'cause she knew what I liked and I trusted her judgement if she said she thought I'd enjoy it. Or even if she just said she thought it was worth reading. And we'd generally discuss. 

So, do endorsements matter? Sure . . . . but it depends on who the endorser is whether a _particular_ reader is going to respond. And, admittedly, though, like Betsy, I've never been able to get through any of Oprah's recommendations, there are a lot of people who will BUY based on what she says. I'm not convinced they'll all _read_, but a lot will buy.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Interestingly, just after I posted in this thread, I got a post by Pat Conroy in my FB feed recommending this book:

 
Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League

This is exactly the kind of book I like to read endorsed by an author I admire tremendously. So I'm going to look into it. Maybe put it on my wishlist. EDIT: Added it to my wishlist.

Link to Conroy's post:
http://www.facebook.com/PatConroyAuthor/posts/907835519257046:0

(I think this is a public post, so you shouldn't need a FB account to read, but I'm not sure.)

Betsy


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Agreeing with Ann and Betsy on Oprah.


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## JeanetteRaleigh (Jan 1, 2013)

Not because of the endorsement itself, but sometimes I will come across a book because someone mentions it. For example, if an author I like talks about a book that THEY read and enjoyed, I'll go hunting for it to see if I'll enjoy it, too.  Usually if I am going to read a book that I wouldn't have picked up otherwise, it's because of a friend.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

I will pay attention to recommendations by authors I enjoy. I won't buy the books immediately, I will look into them to see if they are interesting to me. 

If there is an endorsement from an author I enjoy on the cover of a book, I will take that as more likely for me to enjoy it, but only in that I should look further. I don't like endorsements like that being in blurbs. They bug me there. The fact there isn't a good place for them on amazon doesn't mean that I won't tend to look away immediately if there are lots of quotes of how awesome this book is instead of information that lets me make my own decision. 

Basically I treat recommendations by authors as similar to recommendations by friends; a reason to go and check it myself.


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## KristiBelcamino (Apr 20, 2015)

I will definitely pick up a book if I see a "blurb" by an author I love.
As far as endorsements, I really skim over ones from say, Publisher's Weekly, etc.
Awards, same deal. I don't really care about awards, but I do pay more attention if the author is a NYT bestseller.
- Kristi


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

KristiBelcamino said:


> I will definitely pick up a book if I see a "blurb" by an author I love.
> As far as endorsements, I really skim over ones from say, Publisher's Weekly, etc.
> Awards, same deal. I don't really care about awards, but I do pay more attention if the author is a NYT bestseller.
> - Kristi


I used to pay more attention to bestseller lists than I do now. I don't know whether it's because my interests have changed or whether the lists have lost influence. I can say for sure that awards have fallen out of favour with me. I used to follow the Nebula and Hugo awards, for example. It's not that I read every winner, but I went through the list. But I haven't looked at either in several years. This is why I posed the question. I'm wondering whether other people are moving in the same direction, which seems to be away from more institutional sources and toward&#8230;wherever.



Betsy the Quilter said:


> Interestingly, just after I posted in this thread, I got a post by Pat Conroy in my FB feed recommending this book:
> 
> 
> Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League
> ...


This is interesting. I'd been supposing a clear line could be drawn between endorsements and word of mouth. I'd been thinking of endorsements as something that comes from institutions (or outsiders in general) and word of mouth from personal acquaintances. But this example seems to blur the line between word of mouth and endorsements because of the quasi-personal nature of FB relationships. Something to think about.


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## Daniel Harvell (Jun 21, 2013)

Much as I do when seeking out a good restaurant or a reliable doctor, I ask my friends for solid book recommendations, though my response is based on the individual. If David tells me I should read this new book or try that sushi place, I'm there. If Josh recommends a novel or an eatery, I'm heading in the other direction.


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## KristiBelcamino (Apr 20, 2015)

Word of mouth for sure!
I've heard that you have to hear a book mentioned quite a few times before you actually bother to pick it up.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

KristiBelcamino said:


> Word of mouth for sure!
> I've heard that you have to hear a book mentioned quite a few times before you actually bother to pick it up.


That's true of almost anything. Especially with 'blind' endorsements -- i.e. you don't have any experience with the endorser so it's really just an advertisement for something you've never heard of by someone you've never heard of. That's why the ads on TV are so repetitive -- they air the same ones over and over in the hopes that they'll stick in your brain.

Or when you're advertising something people don't need _now_ but may eventually . . . you want to get your brand in their head so that when they are shopping they think of YOU.

And it does work; though it backfires on me because it makes me more likely NOT to consider the product when in the market.  I'm contrary that way.

Personally, I think series of ads with similar pitches but different plots (especially if clever) work better. But I still ain't gonna buy your junk just on the say-so of a paid spot on TV.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

WHDean said:


> This is interesting. I'd been supposing a clear line could be drawn between endorsements and word of mouth. I'd been thinking of endorsements as something that comes from institutions (or outsiders in general) and word of mouth from personal acquaintances. But this example seems to blur the line between word of mouth and endorsements because of the quasi-personal nature of FB relationships. Something to think about.


I'm not entirely certain why I got the post from Pat Conroy in my thread; it's not like we're friends or I've even ever met him. Maybe I liked his page or something at some point.

And, although I saw the recommendation on FB, I don't think it had more weight than if I'd seen it in, say a magazine ad. It was more that it was a recommendation of a book on a theme I like by an author I admire. So I checked it out.

Betsy


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

I hardly pay any attention to recommendations anymore, unless it's an author I really like endorsing a book. I would trust their opinion on whether I would care to read it rather than a friend's opinion. If I like the author's style and content, then I would more than likely enjoy the book they are endorsing. On the other hand, I have too often been burned or bored with a book that a friend recommended, as we have very diverse tastes in literature.


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm not entirely certain why I got the post from Pat Conroy in my thread; it's not like we're friends or I've even ever met him. Maybe I liked his page or something at some point.
> 
> And, although I saw the recommendation on FB, I don't think it had more weight than if I'd seen it in, say a magazine ad. It was more that it was a recommendation of a book on a theme I like by an author I admire. So I checked it out.
> 
> Betsy


Sounds like you've been data-mined. FB gives me the creeps some times.



lmroth12 said:


> I hardly pay any attention to recommendations anymore, unless it's an author I really like endorsing a book. I would trust their opinion on whether I would care to read it rather than a friend's opinion. If I like the author's style and content, then I would more than likely enjoy the book they are endorsing. On the other hand, I have too often been burned or bored with a book that a friend recommended, as we have very diverse tastes in literature.


It's strange when you think about it. Friends should be guides, but they rarely are. If Betsy's experience is any indication, FB's algorithms know your tastes better than your friends do. Like I said, FB is creepy.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

WHDean said:


> Sounds like you've been data-mined. FB gives me the creeps some times.
> 
> It's strange when you think about it. Friends should be guides, but they rarely are. If Betsy's experience is any indication, FB's algorithms know your tastes better than your friends do. Like I said, FB is creepy.


Indeed. I might have visited his FB page at some time, though not recently. Or, I have posted about similarly-themed books at times, maybe that's what their algorithms caught. Perhaps more likely as I think of it, as it's the first time any of Conroy's posts have appeared in my timeline.

Betsy


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## Guest (May 7, 2015)

An endorsement only matters to me if I know the source in some way. But I think people know I'm pretty analytic about this sort of stuff.  I don't just look at reviews, but I will look at a reviewers other reviews to get a feel if the reviewers tastes match mine. If I see a review on a vampire book that says "the vampires in this book aren't believable" and I see that the reviewer gave a five star review to Twilight, I'm probably going to ignore that review.   But if I see the reviewer has read and review books that I have also enjoyed, I'll probably take the review more seriously.

I think, however, it is important to keep in mind that folks who are active in online book communities are a bit more savvy about awards. They will tend to have a better grasp of the politics behind certain awards, or at least recognize which ones are contest mills and which ones are legit. The average reader who isn't active in an online community is still moved by awards and endorsements, even from anonymous sources. The more you become aware of how things work, the less they matter. 

Quick story:

When I first started self-publishing, another writer in a forum I frequented started talking about how he was nominated for a Foreword Book Award. He even had the sticker put on his book cover. Foreword had given him the file to use for his cover. And you think "WOW, congratulations!" And I know several of us checked out the guy's book because of the nomination. I wasn't particularly impressed, but...whatever. 

So the following year I decided to look into getting my book entered into the contest. I paid my reading fee and sent in my copies of the book. I then got an email from them "congratulating" me for entering the contest and encouraging me to tell everyone my book was a nominee. They then offered me the license to use the nominee logo...for a fee. Because EVERYONE who send in the books for the contest was considered a "nominee."

I stopped paying attention to certain awards after that.

So I think the more attuned people are to the behind-the-scenes stuff, the less some endorsements mean. But I know lots of people who are still influenced by endorsements and particularly awards.


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

Bards and Sages (Julie) said:


> I think, however, it is important to keep in mind that folks who are active in online book communities are a bit more savvy about awards. They will tend to have a better grasp of the politics behind certain awards, or at least recognize which ones are contest mills and which ones are legit. The average reader who isn't active in an online community is still moved by awards and endorsements, even from anonymous sources. The more you become aware of how things work, the less they matter.


I wonder whether online communities still mark some off from others when everyone seems to belong to one. In the old days you had word of mouth, newspapers, magazines, associations and awards, and eventually small online groups. Nowadays everyone has a blog, a website, and a Twitter and FB account-not to mention the huge number of people who belong to Goodreads and other forums. There seems to be one or more subcultures for each subgenre. All this has to undermine traditional awards (which were ultimately marketing devices anyway). But I haven't really seen evidence one way or the other.


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## geronl (May 7, 2015)

They do, if you think of it this way. The more people that hear other people (and see websites) discuss a book they liked, the more people are hearing and seeing it for the first time. Those are potential customers. When I see "endorsements" in the internet era, I don't think about the NY Times, I think about people using the internet. SO world-of-mouth is a form of endorsement in my opinion.


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## Yakob76 (May 8, 2015)

Personally I'm not always convinced that the books that receive these endorsements are there purely through the publishers contacts rather than merit. These endorsements are mostly just another branch of the corporate marketing machine, not sure many independent authors get a look in. 
I mostly rely on recommendations from friends. Or I just spend hours scouring the bookshelves in the bookstores.


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## Chinese Writer (Mar 25, 2014)

Endorsements by itself isn’t enough to make me what to read a book. But an endorsement with a recommendation from a friend, then I’m more likely to pick it up. I usually find my books through word of mouth from friends, and sometimes from the recommendations on GoodReads. And as shallow as it sounds, a good cover actually matters to me. I guess I see it as being part of the presentation of the story. Kind of like when a meal looks visually appealing, then you’re more likely to enjoy it.


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## V. L. Dreyer (May 11, 2015)

I've never really cared about them.  I place more faith in the blurb.  I will, however, glance at the negative reviews just to check for things that will trigger me (I have quite bad PTSD, so I need to be careful) and also to look out for things like repeated complaints about the grammar.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

My temptation was to answer your question with "you mean they ever did?"   I have not cared about author or celebrity endorsements since my late teens when I figured out how that game was played. Occasionally I pay attention to the recommendations of a handful of friends about fiction. But there's fewer than five people who play that role for me. Now for nonfiction if I encounter a fellow enthusiast for a particular subject that I'm also interested in, and receive a recommendation of a book on our common subject, that often moves me, even if I don't know the person well otherwise.


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## Lindy Moone (Oct 19, 2012)

As both reader and writer I am completely overwhelmed by the onslaught of promotional material coming at me. Who has  time to research whether this or that award is bogus, or this or that endorsement is tit-for-tat or a trad publisher's ploy? (Or a message from beyond, or from Satan?) I know as a writer I should make the time to learn these things, but as a reader? No. 

There are authors whose book recommendations would make me click through to a book's page. (Neil Gaiman and Chuck Wendig, for example -- or via seance, dream or time travel, my favorite dead authors.) But that wouldn't necessarily mean a buy, just a sample download. If Ambrose Bierce came to me in a vision and said "Buy this book; it's about sparkly vampires", I wouldn't do it! The author of The Devil's Dictionary had a wicked sense of humor, and besides, he could be channeling ANYONE. But I would trust Vonnegut. No one would dare channel Vonnegut.)

I do rely on word of mouth from trusted and admired fellow indies who love my writing and understand my reading preferences. (Ha. I say that as if such a thing is really possible! One day I snorkel through Gormenghast, another through Winnie the Pooh.) Even when recommendations come from people who know me well, results are a blurb read and possibly a sample download, not an automatic buy. I am more likely to sample a book by a KBoarder whose posts I enjoy than to follow up on anyone's endorsement. 

Are there really people who trust other people's taste to make decisions for them? About READING? That's just crazy.


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

The Hooded Claw said:


> My temptation was to answer your question with "you mean they ever did?"  I have not cared about author or celebrity endorsements since my late teens when I figured out how that game was played. Occasionally I pay attention to the recommendations of a handful of friends about fiction. But there's fewer than five people who play that role for me. Now for nonfiction if I encounter a fellow enthusiast for a particular subject that I'm also interested in, and receive a recommendation of a book on our common subject, that often moves me, even if I don't know the person well otherwise.


What's so funny about this comment, THC, is that several of your reviews on books have resulted on those books making my To Read list. More, many of these are books I would never have given a first look, much less a second look.


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## WHDean (Nov 2, 2011)

The Hooded Claw said:


> My temptation was to answer your question with "you mean they ever did?"  I have not cared about author or celebrity endorsements since my late teens when I figured out how that game was played. Occasionally I pay attention to the recommendations of a handful of friends about fiction. But there's fewer than five people who play that role for me. Now for nonfiction if I encounter a fellow enthusiast for a particular subject that I'm also interested in, and receive a recommendation of a book on our common subject, that often moves me, even if I don't know the person well otherwise.


I agree that the jig was probably up years ago for celebrity endorsement. But I doubt that (e.g.) the author blurbbing another author type endorsements were ever expected to get you to buy the book, only to stop and look at it and to get the blurbbed author's name out. Still, I suspect that even this function is losing power because media and buying channels and the rest of the culture around books is so diffuse nowadays.

As for nonfiction, I agree. It's a different game with different rules.


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