My husband and I took a trip to the beach last week—pre–Memorial Day because we like condos that aren’t too pricey and beaches that aren’t too people-y.
We rented a condo with no reviews, so the whole time I found myself mentally drafting one. (After all, isn’t it my duty to make sure potential renters know what they are getting??) I evaluated the condo’s cleanliness, kitchen, balcony, mattress, décor, and wear and tear. Did the condo meet my expectations? Short answer: yes.
Readers evaluate a book the same way: They test it against their expectations.
There are multiple levels of good
Readers look for different qualities in different types of books:
- A straightforward how-to book needs to provide useful content with clear teaching.
- A literary memoir needs to contain a compelling narrative and move beyond competent writing to well-crafted language.
- Journalistic nonfiction needs enough sources that readers know they can trust the author.
Quality is often defined as how well a product or service meets expectations. By definition, quality is contextual because expectations vary.
Most books do not need premium quality in every facet, just in the relevant ones. Readers are evaluating:
- Did this experience deliver what I expected?
- Were the important things done well?
- Were the tradeoffs acceptable?
Different projects justify different investments of your time, effort, and cha-ching. The trick is aligning your investment to your own expectations and, more importantly, to the reader’s expectations.
Define the requirements
How do you meet the reader’s expectations? Understand their requirements.
My beach condo met my expectations because I knew what I was looking for:
- A balcony where I could look directly at the ocean and read my book while listening to the waves.
- A kitchen, because we prefer to cook most of our meals in. (See also prior note on frugality—yes, let’s call it that. LOL.)
- Cleanliness and pleasant décor (which in this case meant generic sand-dollar-and-beach-chair art and pelican figurines).
I knew my requirements for a last-minute getaway for two people, so finding the right condo was easy. When we got there, it had no hangers in the closet, crappy knives in the kitchen, and a little wear and tear. But because the condo met my primary expectations and the tradeoffs were acceptable, it succeeded.
If I had been planning a 50th anniversary celebration with four families and seven kids, my requirements would have been entirely different—a house rather than a condo, more bedrooms, bigger kitchen, nicer décor, more amenities. You get the picture.
Likewise in a book, readers have expectations that take into account:
- positioning/category
- author branding
- endorsements
- pricing
- book cover
- typography/interior design
- editing/proofing
- and more
A straightforward how-to business book can absolutely be “good enough” with serviceable design, clean editing, clear structure, and useful content.
But if the branding, positioning, or price signal “premium,” readers unconsciously expect tighter prose, better organization, more thoughtful design, more polished production—overall, a stronger reader experience.
Again, quality is contextual. Your goal is not “perfection” but rather meeting your reader’s expectations. So I am not telling you what you must do or not do (but I sure could make a long list of possibilities). What I am suggesting is that you think strategically about alignment.
When there is a mismatch
When your book does not meet the reader’s expectations, a few things can happen…
If you exceed the reader’s expectations, they might experience delight—they are getting more than they bargained for. (Yay!) I get excited when I find exceptional cover design on what I expect to be a standard paperback.
Or, your reader might not appreciate the difference—they might not even notice it—and your effort did not meaningfully change the reader experience. (You might still want that effort for your own standards though.)
If you fall short of readers’ expectations, they may feel somewhat puzzled or let down—even if they can’t articulate why. This can lead to less complimentary reviews and less enthusiasm, which can lead to fewer sales and less reader loyalty… You get the idea.
For instance, I recently read a business book by a consultant with a premium brand. The ideas were solid, but the reading experience felt more serviceable than polished: generic design elements, a nonstandard layout, prose that could have been tighter.
None of those issues alone would bother me in a practical how-to book. But here, I was struck by the mismatch between the premium positioning and the reading experience itself. Basic production attached to luxury branding creates friction because the reader’s expectations have shifted upward.
Give your book the “Beach Condo Test”
Think about your book project and your audience. (If you’re not sure you know your audience well enough, this article on reader personas might help.)
With your book and audience in mind, ask yourself these questions:
- What are the project’s nonnegotiables?
- What are the nice-to-haves?
- What would readers forgive?
- What would break their trust immediately?
- What is needed for the experience to match the promise?
The best beach condo isn’t the same as the best family reunion house. The best business book isn’t the same as the best literary memoir.
Determine the requirements for your book, and align your investment accordingly. Find the right quality for your context.
Wondering how to create the right match between your book’s quality and your reader’s expectations? Get in touch at karin@clearsightbooks.com, and we’ll see if I can help.