Sample chapter at the end of a book...love or hate?

[Kimberly Llewellyn]

Discussion is going on as to whether or not an author should add a sample chapter at the end of a book. Some readers love it; others hate it. What's your take on this? J. Ortolon discusses in her blog and got it me wondering...to add or not to add?  http://www.juliesjournalonline.com/?p=1658

[_Sheila_]

As a reader, I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other.  I usually read my favorite authors as soon as they come out so a chapter introducing the next book would be long forgotten by the time the book gets here.

Sheila

[Russell Phillips]

As a reader, I don't have a strong opinion about this, but I read an article some time ago which said that some authors put so many samples in that the reader finds they're at the end of the book when the progress indicator on their e-reader is still showing 60-70%. If I'd experienced that, I'd be annoyed.

Russell

[Ann in Arlington]

So. . .we're here in the Book Corner. . .so the question is being asked of READERS. . . .authors should not comment on why they do or don't include it in their books.

As a reader, I'm almost never going to read a preview chapter or anything like that.  I absolutely want to know if it's there, though. . . .not because I won't buy the book if it is, but so I know where the real end of the book is.  

Also, I am in the habit of rating and sharing on FB when I've finished a Kindle book.  If there's another 20 pages of 'preview material', from my perspective that's just so much junk to skip over so I can get to the FB link page at the end.

[Annie]

I generally don't read them, even if they're there. I find that I want to wait until the actual book comes out because I don't like teasers. They're like trailers, even though I watch them.

[Sherlock]

Don't hate them, but don't read them either.  Given a choice I'd opt out.

[Harry Shannon]

I used to love Gold Medal, Lancer, Ace and other paperback lines. They'd often include ads for other books in the back, and sample chapters by the same authors. For some reason it doesn't work as well for me on Kindle, but many readers seem to enjoy the bonus content.

[jmiked]

It's not important enough to be a love/hate thing, but I almost never read them. The only exception is a first book in a series where I'm on the borderline about reading any more of the series (and the second book is available).

Mike

[The Hooded Claw]

I never read them, and don't like the practice. Though hate is a bit strong to describe my feelings!

[history_lover]

Never read them. If it's the next in a series, I already know whether I'm going to read it or not by the time I finish the one I'm reading. If it's just another book by the same author, I will check out the sample in my own time. Especially if it hasn't been released yet - I don't like teasers.

[Todd Trumpet]

Don't hate them, but never read them.

If I like the book I just finished, I'll check out other titles by the author.  I don't need nor want a teaser chapter before I make that decision.  Besides, I tend to value variety, so I'll rarely read the same author two books in a row (unless, of course, it's a series).

So for me, it's wasted space.

Todd

[Tony Richards]

As a reader, I don't have a strong opinion about this, but I read an article some time ago which said that some authors put so many samples in that the reader finds they're at the end of the book when the progress indicator on their e-reader is still showing 60-70%. If I'd experienced that, I'd be annoyed.

Russell

That is just plain wrong, though I expect it's down to a mixture of overenthusiasm and simple inexperience, rather than anything more sinister.

[Borislava Borissova]

I don't like to read them and... I don't like to write. If a story is interesting, it will be in your mind and heart so these samples appear not necessary

[Linjeakel]

I don't read them - I prefer to download samples when the book is released or when I'm ready, so that I can continue to read it straight away if I want to.

They can be annoying when you're not expecting them to be there - your Kindle tells you you've got 10% of your book still left to read and then suddenly you come to the end, because the remainder is actually the sample. Very irritating. 

[leigh7911]

I don't like them, and I don't read them. Agree that it's annoying to think you've got a bit to go and BAM! sample chapter. I did read a short story the other day where the author said up front that there were samples at the end of the story, and therefore to not expect it to last the entire progress bar. Thought that was a nice touch.

[Ann in Arlington]

I don't like them, and I don't read them. Agree that it's annoying to think you've got a bit to go and BAM! sample chapter. I did read a short story the other day where the author said up front that there were samples at the end of the story, and therefore to not expect it to last the entire progress bar. Thought that was a nice touch.

Yeah, I've seen that too.  Even better would be if the end matter were marked via a direct ToC link so that there'd be a mark in the progress bar showing where it is.

[Elizabeth Black]

I sometimes read them. I discovered a new book by Doug Preston and Lincoln Child by reading a sample chapter at the end of one of their other books. Really piqued my curiosity.

[Atunah]

Not a big fan of them. Here is why. Some of the reasons have also been named by others.

When I am at 80% and suddenly the book is over and the rest is samples and excerpts. Peeves me off to no end. It messes with my sense of where I am in the book. In the same way I check sometimes when streaming a movie to see how many minutes are left.

I also read my samples on my time. I detest reading pieces of books. That goes for samples, excerpts etc. By the time I read a sample of a book, I have already vetted it to the point that its just for convenience sake. I buy the book when the sample is done and continue on. I do not every sit down and randomly read samples just because. Again, I don't like reading fractured stuff.

Also, when I am done with the book, I do what Ann does, just that I put the rating on twitter not facebook. So I don't want the end page of the book too far separated from the end of the story.

When I am done with a book, I am just pretty much done with that story for now. I want to just close the book and think a bit and grab the next one.

Another thing to add is if a sample chapter is not the very beginning of a book, I wouldn't have any use for it anyway. I do not ever read anything out of order when it comes to fiction. Cannot compute. Series have to be in order and I have to read a book from the first word of either prologue or Chapter one. I cannot read anything from the middle somewhere. I get hives just thinking about it  

Now what I don't mind are blurbs of other books, as long as they are in the same genre and aren't too long or too many of them. Then I can go on my own time again and do my vetting on those books to see if it is something that would pass my process. I am a picky reader that way.

That's all I got, I think.  

[Ann in Arlington]

Another thing to add is if a sample chapter is not the very beginning of a book, I wouldn't have any use for it anyway. I do not every read anything out of order when it comes to fiction. Cannot compute. Series have to be in order and I have to read a book from the first word of either prologue or Chapter one. I cannot read anything from the middle somewhere. I get hives just thinking about it 

Yeah, I don't get that either.  Though the annoyance doesn't quite rise to the level of developing hives.

In the Book Bazaar here, a lot of authors will post excerpts of their books as their weekly promo op. . . . .but I have no interest in reading a passage from the middle of a book.   I had no idea that people actually like to do that, but I guess some do -- maybe the same ones who read the last chapter of a novel to make sure they'll like the ending before they read the book. Some threads have a whole bunch of random passages. . .it's probably the whole book by now, in some of them, but out of order.

[Chris Strange]

I actually lean the other way than most people here, but I wouldn't go so far as to say I love them. If I enjoyed the book, I'll often read the sample chapter (along with Author's Notes and anything else) as long as they don't go on too long and as long as it's the first chapter of the next book. It helps me decide whether to get the next book now or another time.

I tend to expect a full-length novel to end somewhere between 90-95% on the progress bar anyway, so that never really bothered me. Same as when I'm watching a video online and the last 30 seconds are credits. No biggie.

[Seanathin23]

I don't read them, but don't care if they are there or not.  I'm still on the fence about including one.

[Ben White]

Dislike. Double-dislike if they're touted as 'bonus content'.

[Dara England]

If I'm reading a book I really like, then it's great to get to the end and find I have sample chapters from the next book. On the other hand, if I'm not crazy about the current book, I'm probably not interested in samples from the next. Not helpful, I know. 

[telracs]

dislike.  for a very simple reason, having to do with file size/locations.  if i see that something is 3000 locations, i expect a book to be a certain length.  if some of those locations are actually "bonus content"  then i'm getting something shorter than expected.  now, a single chapter of a book may not take up alot of locations, and i'll be fine.  but material that takes up a lot of the file (i've had some that were 25% of the "content" of a book) will irk me so much that i will avoid that author/publisher afterwards.

[Brad Murgen]

I never read sample chapters of some other book at the end of a book.  If I like their work in the current book enough, that's impetus for me to buy another book of theirs without needing to read a sample.

But I suppose enough people do, otherwise they wouldn't be included so much.