What makes you buy the book?

After snagging a 2 million dollar deal, Amanda Hocking was quoted as saying “I want to be a writer,” she said. “I do not want to spend 40 hours a week handling e-mails, formatting covers, finding editors, etc. Right now, being me is a full-time corporation.” (Quote courtesy NY Times, click here for the full article).

Maybe with a two mil deal Ms. Hocking can now simply sit back and solely write , but the reality is that for the rest of us, all those things are an everyday responsibility and many of us still have full time jobs.

Which brings me to the point of today’s blog. To be a full time writer you have to sell books. If you don’t, you don’t get paid and eventually your publisher will drop you. That doesn’t mean that your not a good writer or your books aren’t good, it just means that you didn’t sell enough of them.

Why not? What makes readers buy a book? Here are a few things I can think of, but I’d love to hear from you. With a few books about to be released this year, I’d like to know that I’m focusing my efforts in the right direction.

Is it the cover?

Reviews from book bloggers?

Reviews at the online retailers?

Videos, whether chats or movie-style trailers?

Word of mouth?

Price?

Or is it something else. Inquiring minds want to know. Please leave your comments about what influences your book buying.