tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post3153514589512275900..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: The Value of EbooksJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51140408503997776472010-04-09T14:58:13.218-05:002010-04-09T14:58:13.218-05:00I think your price model is great, for now, but yo...<i>I think your price model is great, for now, but you should probably hope that others DON'T join your bandwagon for your windfall to continue.</i><br /><br />Maybe. Or maybe I'll accrue enough fans before that happens to be able to compete with the NYT bestsellers even when our prices are the same. :)JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-4560241395852926012010-04-09T14:48:01.597-05:002010-04-09T14:48:01.597-05:00Right now, the $1.99/$2.99 price works because it ...Right now, the $1.99/$2.99 price works because it IS so low, which is why it is an impulse buy. If every publisher did what you suggest and priced their books this low, then things would be the same as they are now with the $9.99price because no individual book would stand out as less expensive or a "cheap buy." We'd all be on an equal playing field. Consider the 99 cent purchase from iTunes. Almost all songs are 99 cents or $1.29 - but people still aren't just buying everything. They're buying what stands out; what's advertised and promoted; what's popular.<br /><br />I think your price model is great, for now, but you should probably hope that others DON'T join your bandwagon for your windfall to continue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-40120920584501903212010-03-18T00:34:50.110-05:002010-03-18T00:34:50.110-05:00Anon,
I would NEVER let people see a video of me ...Anon,<br /><br />I would NEVER let people see a video of me writing. That's just creepy and voyeuristic. And I'm sure most authors feel the same way. (Also wouldn't a video of someone writing be really boring?)Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5852959496805858792010-03-17T08:05:54.025-05:002010-03-17T08:05:54.025-05:00Jane at DearAuthor in her latest ebook roundup men...Jane at DearAuthor in her latest ebook roundup mentioned an effort to increase value of an ebook by offering some stuff that was edited out <b>and</b> access to a video of the author writing in his office. All this for only an extra dollar. (ebook $14.99, video and extras $15.99) No word on how the extras are to be delivered, especially the video. <br /><br />Hubris any one?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87387811302012853412010-03-16T17:05:59.135-05:002010-03-16T17:05:59.135-05:00Hi - I'm new. Great blog....will read more whe...Hi - I'm new. Great blog....will read more when I get a chance. But to eBooks:<br /><br />I run a Small Press in Australia - eBooks aren't too popular here yet but we hope that they will be in the near future. <br /><br />We use eBooks as a way to get people to try our books so we sell the for $3.50 each (and often 2 for 1) 80% of that price goes to the author and the rest to us. We take such a small cut because we don't think we do enough to warrant anymore. We hope that if they like the book they got for such a negligible price that they might try others.the minxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09776182390505772288noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-52687850750028208112010-03-16T13:12:52.897-05:002010-03-16T13:12:52.897-05:00Another corollary: The value of an ebook is what t...Another corollary: The value of an ebook is what the author earns from it.<br /><br />Making $2 from a $2.99 ebook is better than making $1.50 from a $9.99 ebook from a major publisher. July will be interesting.<br /><br />Scott NicholsonAuthor Scott Nicholsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09778999586794284457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60119639640724222902010-03-14T14:10:45.896-05:002010-03-14T14:10:45.896-05:00Esther,
I love that idea of reading ebooks on the...Esther,<br /><br />I love that idea of reading ebooks on the treadmill at the gym! You're right, that's an IDEAL use for the Kindle. Now I have to have one!<br /><br />Harry,<br /><br />I think there is a time and place for ebooks and a time and place for paper books. Sometimes I like the instantaneous thrill of being able to read the book I want... RIGHT NOW, without getting in the car and driving to the bookstore or library, where they usually don't have the book I wanted anyway, or waiting for Amazon to deliver it through UPS.<br /><br />Even though I don't have a Kindle yet, sometimes I buy Kindle books and read them off my computer through Kindle PC. If I LOVE a book and want it forever and ever, I'll buy it in print, but to me, I don't get bent out of shape over paying for a reasonably priced ebook and then somehow losing it. I mean when we go to the theater we can't take the movie home with us. We're paying for the one time experience.<br /><br />For me, ebooks are like that. If I'm going to read a book more than once, I want it in print on my keeper shelf. <br /><br />If I'm not going to read it more than once, there is no sake in "acquiring it" just to acquire it and I'm already used to spending money for perishable things I can't "keep" such as movie rentals (which often cost more than many lower priced ebooks anyway), movie theater tickets, tickets to see any show of any type, food.<br /><br />Yes, I could use the library more, but I don't because the library's options are limited as well. I live in a very conservative area where most of what I'm likely to want to read isn't stocked. And I don't want my reading experience limited by what my library stocks, or inconvenienced by waiting for inter-library loan.<br /><br />I also read a lot of books now that ere ONLY available in E.<br /><br />You make a lot of good points, but they're all dependent on the temperament of the individual as well as the situation they find themselves in. <br /><br />It's not practical for me to pack just one book while traveling because I have literally NO idea what I'm going to want to read. Being able to select from my entire library holds a strong appeal for me.<br /><br />What I would like to see is publishers start bundling the ebook with the print book, or else maybe offering the option to buy both print and E at the same time for a buck more.<br /><br />Though in order for this to happen beyond just the publisher's own websites, places like Amazon are going to have to allow this buying option. If/when they do, I'll be utilizing it so my readers who buy print also know they have E for situations where E is more convenient for them. I always want to be convenient for the reader. The more the reader finds convenience, the more the reader will read.Zoe Wintershttp://www.zoewinters.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-60630530408763495972010-03-14T09:00:35.503-05:002010-03-14T09:00:35.503-05:00I won't pay more than a dollar for a book anym...I won't pay more than a dollar for a book anymore, unless I'm pretty sure I'll like it, then I'll pay two dollars. Most I get for free as promotional offers. I'll never buy another book made of paper--unless it's 99 cents--and I doubt that's likely. If everyone gets as cheap as me, what's that tell you? Must be a scary thought for publishers.Rex Kuslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629682795065138786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-77356800192565827562010-03-13T18:59:26.724-06:002010-03-13T18:59:26.724-06:00Does anyone here read ebooks for pleasure? I don&#...Does anyone here read ebooks for pleasure? I don't see the attraction.<br /><br />1. At 9.99, the paperback, if it exists, is probably cheaper or about the same price.<br /><br />2. The physical book has no drm, is not locked into a specific reading device and is readily shared. Once read, it can be resold, traded, donated, or grace a bookshelf. A bookshelf gives insight into the reader's mind. The bookshelf is the first thing I look at when visiting someone's home. Looking at a printout of digitally stored titles just ain't the same.<br /><br />3. A real book doesn't obsolete itself. I reread books I bought thirty years ago. Beta tapes, anyone? Vinyl discs? CD's? DVD's? and all too soon, BluRay?<br /><br />4. When traveling, a paperback is tough and fits in anywhere. Pocket, purse, carry-on, suitcase. No amount of crushing, bumping, dropping, etc., is likely to damage it beyond readability. True, you can't carry fifty books with you. But if you're on a business trip, will you have time for more than one book? If you're on vacation, what are you doing reading, aside from killing time in a cattle car with wings? If you're computer savvy, you'll probably take a laptop with you. Do you really need to bring a special device along just to read a book?<br /><br />5. It's a dark and stormy night and the power goes out. You can't access your ebooks because wifi is down and your backups aren't accessible. Or the battery drains and you can't charge or replace the battery. Candles, flashlights, and a real book win this round.<br /><br />6. You buy a new digital edition of a book that soon causes controversy. The publishers surreptitiously replaces your stored book with an altered version since they've recently discovered that people won't put up with having a paid for title yanked from their digital libraries. Doesn't happen with real books.<br /><br />7. You like to read in bed and fall asleep, ereader in hand. In the morning you wake up to discover you've crushed the screen of your ereader with an errant elbow. Doesn't happen with real books, though I admit you can't wipe drool away with a damp sponge.<br /><br />I could go on, and on, and on. I'd like to hear the obverse.hemingdalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04766007268386104974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-45511996833438257542010-03-13T11:09:57.052-06:002010-03-13T11:09:57.052-06:00Hi Joe !
Just a question: and what about legal ass...Hi Joe !<br />Just a question: and what about legal assistance ? If you are an author linked to a publisher you can profit by his lawyers, otherwise ...<br /><br />Best from CamelotSir Robinhttp://www.goodthing.itnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12942891551861643292010-03-13T11:08:27.660-06:002010-03-13T11:08:27.660-06:00Not sure where the post went but... re reviews on ...Not sure where the post went but... re reviews on Amazon:<br /><br />"When I look at my sales on Amazon, an obvious pattern emerges. The books with the most reviews have the most sales.<br /><br />So it seems it's in my best interest to get as many reviews as possible."<br /><br />---<br /><br />Correlation does not equal causation. I figure you're playing here, as this is an alpha meme that statistically obsessed folk like me use to confuse real people.<br /><br />Imagine if you were serious! hehe. I can see the comments now...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-38469797423786077682010-03-13T10:45:49.484-06:002010-03-13T10:45:49.484-06:00I agree e-books should be much less then hardbacks...I agree e-books should be much less then hardbacks. I buy a lot of ebooks for 2.99 or less just to try authors I have never heard of. In fact, I tried Joe Konrath because of a free Kindle download that I liked (never heard of his name before)and then bought more of his e-books. I did the same for Eric Flint and John Ringo whom I first tried by a free download from Baen.com and Eric Flint writes that giving some books for free is a great advertisement plus he even views "pirating" as free advertizement.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09309654536689465661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-37850959361911218042010-03-13T10:36:09.524-06:002010-03-13T10:36:09.524-06:00I've read several of your blog entries and I&#...I've read several of your blog entries and I've found some very helpful information. Thanks for sharing. I'm currently on the fence as far as going the e-publishing route. I'm glad to see this side of it and not just the traditional publishers side. <br /><br />There's certainly a lot to consider. Like you suggest, it's not something to rush into and I'll give it a bit longer with my querying, however, it's nice to know that even if I don't meet success down that path, there is an alternative.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13267066733031149882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-82094706804960706712010-03-13T10:32:42.460-06:002010-03-13T10:32:42.460-06:00National Geographic long ago established a workabl...<i>National Geographic</i> long ago established a workable publication model for upscale, advertising-subsidized, book-length publications. Movies do it too (though running too many ads and trailers will just annoy people). Public radio and television have perfected the art of the non-ad ad. When it comes to books, I believe the right balance and implementation is out there waiting to be found.Eugenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03182644885948983861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-12258369479135900992010-03-12T21:39:42.357-06:002010-03-12T21:39:42.357-06:00From a reader's perspective...
I've bough...From a reader's perspective...<br /><br />I've bought kindle ebooks at all price points. Everyone loves a deal, and I've acquired some great deals. Tor used to give away free kindle books, on Amazon, different ones monthly. I got a great Hugo award winner that way that I hadn't yet read, and then went on to buy the next in the series months later when it became available. <br /><br />I've also bought a few books above the 'sacred' $9.99 threshold. These were books for which I just couldn't wait for them to go lower, ie, next in series but not on best-seller list, favorite author's new release etc. Savvy kindlers know that the prices will go down eventually and will wait if there is something else good to read in the meantime. At least this is the way it worked with the old Amazon sales model. I'm not sure that will happen with the new agency model. <br /><br />In the last two years since I've had the kindle, I've also bought a few hardcovers and plenty of trade paperbacks. And I've bought ebook versions of books I already had in dtb versions. I refuse to buy cheap mmpbs anymore (except for my teen). The reading experience is better on the kindle and I usually just get rid of them anyway. <br /><br />If anything, I've been reading more, and I like trying out new genres. Cheaper books allow for experimenting into new areas. I'm not the only kindle reader who thinks the device has helped expand and increase their reading habits, if what I've read on kindleboards is any indication. And, I've not piled up lots of unread ebooks, though I've obtained (and deleted) lots of samples of books I won't go on to buy. <br /><br />I guess I don't know what the value of a typical ebook is, if there is such a thing. But, as with anything I buy, I'll only buy it if it seems like a good value at the time! <br /><br />As for 1.99 or 2.99 ebooks: I'd much rather read one of them working out on a treadmill than a similarly priced typical ragazine one finds in one's gym (for free). The Kindle is great for treadmill reading.Esthernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-74337957358730176942010-03-12T21:36:09.043-06:002010-03-12T21:36:09.043-06:00My doctor recommended three books for me to read a...My doctor recommended three books for me to read about health and nutrition -- books that will help me deal with an ongoing condition.<br /><br />I went out to Kindle to buy those books today, and the cost would be over $50 (for the three). If they were in the $5 to $6 range (each) it would have been easy to 1-click and buy all of them.<br /><br />This high cost (added to my copay to see my doctor) drives me to the library. I'll order them through inter-library loan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-39774677233466719862010-03-12T20:32:32.963-06:002010-03-12T20:32:32.963-06:00If ebooks were cheaper, I would certainly buy and ...If ebooks were cheaper, I would certainly buy and read a lot more, for several reasons.<br /><br />One is that ebooks are much more convenient to read at odd moments, when standing in line, riding the bus, in the doctor's waiting room. I would read at those times a lot more if I could afford to buy the all the books I want to read at those times. <br /><br />Further more, there are a lot of other things that I do with my time that I would give up to read more books, if I could conveniently and cheaply acquire those books.<br /><br />And, of course, as others have pointed out, if I could afford it, I would really like to buy more books than I can easily read, just so that I have the right book at the right time when I feel like reading.The Daring Novelisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676188266569869059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-29130507125336013532010-03-12T19:35:34.819-06:002010-03-12T19:35:34.819-06:00"Your whole argument is based on a faulty ass..."Your whole argument is based on a faulty assumption that the collective amount of reading (and the corresponding amount of book buying) will increase if books get cheaper.<br /><br />If that's true at all, it's only to a negligible extent. The reader who has time to read 4 books a month isn't going to magically start consuming 16 books simply because books become cheaper."<br /><br />A portion of your assumption is faulty and based only on time, not money. I read a lot, but I can't afford new book prices (sorry, I would prefer to eat). So, that means the library and the second-hand store. That means none of my reading time is equating money in the author's pocket. Another downside is that I have to settle for whatever the library or second-hand store has on-hand, not necessarily the type of books I would prefer to read.<br /><br />I would also like to add that I like paying for books. I like owning books. I like that money going to the person creating that content. Perhaps that has something to do with being a writer myself, but I do appreciate the time and effort that goes into creating that content.<br /><br />Back to the subject, though, if I can suddenly buy the books I want with the meager budget I have, money is going to the author. Money that would not have been going there before. I would say that's a big win for the author!<br /><br />In cases like mine, the book buying WILL go up and in a way the author truly benefits.<br /><br />$5 book budget at $8+ a book = no money to the authors. (library, here I come!)<br /><br />$5 book budget at $1-3 a book = Money being spent on books.<br /><br />WIN!J.A. Marlowhttp://jamarlow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-66428104690009414332010-03-12T16:11:22.976-06:002010-03-12T16:11:22.976-06:00Joe, I'm not entirely convinced re: ad-support...<i>Joe, I'm not entirely convinced re: ad-supported books.</i><br /><br />Good. I'm concerned someone will be able to figure out what I've figured out and run with it.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1082056653377696032010-03-12T15:48:59.443-06:002010-03-12T15:48:59.443-06:00Joe, I'm not entirely convinced re: ad-support...Joe, I'm not entirely convinced re: ad-supported books. Why? Advertising rates online have dropped like a rock, some sites sell remnant ad inventory for mere pennies.<br /><br />Why? It's pretty simple. With the Sunday New York Times as an example, the advertising department can charge a premium for those ad pages, because there's scarcity built in. They're not going to print a newspaper filled with 1,000 ads. So if you're one of 25-30 advertisers, that ad real estate has value.<br /><br />However, the Internet tossed that model out the window. Now, there is no scarcity. Anyone, anywhere, can throw up a web page, and sell ads against it. Sure, if you're a newbie blogger with two readers, you won't make as much as Gizmodo or some other well-read online pub. But the barriers to entry are so low, a determined person who can write well, can go head-to-head online with the NY Times' sports columnist or technology columnist, etc.<br /><br />There's a great book that discusses how the advent of the Internet changed the fundamentals of advertising and media companies forever - The Chaos Scenario by Bob Garfield - http://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Scenario-Bob-Garfield/dp/0984065105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268430182&sr=8-1Jeff Rutherfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13434290826298060966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-80347833888460395992010-03-12T15:42:24.177-06:002010-03-12T15:42:24.177-06:00Also, with the argument that people won't read...Also, with the argument that people won't read more because of cheap books, you're underestimating the evolution of books on handheld devices like Apple's pending iPad. <br /><br />You're going to see a lot of traditional books - converted to eBooks - sell. But, I also think you're going to see a new type of interactive book. It's going to happen first with cookbooks - you read the recipe on your iPad, then click an image of the recipe, and a video pops up showing you how to make the dish.<br /><br />It's going to get very interesting when writers start developing novels that include audio and video. Sure, what I've just described may be repellant to many of the people reading this who have hundreds or thousands of books.<br /><br />But, my 6 year old son and 2 year old son are going to grow up with these gadgets and narrative and story is going to expand beyond the text - and they'll think it's perfectly natural. Will there continue to be traditional short stories and novels - absolutely for hundreds of years to come.<br /><br />But you'll also see new types of interactive narratives.Jeff Rutherfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13434290826298060966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-33749715397208599482010-03-12T14:22:13.523-06:002010-03-12T14:22:13.523-06:00Joe wrote:
But here are a few names of authors who...Joe wrote:<br /><b>But here are a few names of authors who are selling well, but don't have as big (or any) name recognition.<br /><br />John Rector, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Colorado-Sequence-ebook/dp/B002AVVQGE" rel="nofollow">Stacey Cochran</a>, Eric Christopherson, Gary Hansen, Debbi Mack, K.A. Thompson, Brandon Massey, Keith Knapp, Dave Dykema, David R Williams, Marshall Thornton, Boyd Morrison, Rebecca Lerwill, and on and on.</b><br /><br />If I include the freebie <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kiribati-Test-ebook/dp/B003035QO4" rel="nofollow">The Kiribati Test</a>, I've had somewhere in the neighborhood of 25,000-30,000 eBook sales since last May.<br /><br />I think I'll totally believe all of this matters, once and for all, if it translates into a book contract and/or movie deal as it has for a growing number of authors.Stacey Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14128613653591282474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90420341508438020022010-03-12T12:47:17.523-06:002010-03-12T12:47:17.523-06:00Look at all the free books being downloaded at Sma...Look at all the free books being downloaded at Smashwords. What if a few advertisements were downloaded with each book, and the author would get a cut; Smashwords could keep the rest as extra revenue. I've got a free book there that's averaging 35 downloads per day. It's had almost 2000 downloads in 2 months. Even if I only got 10 cents per download, that would be great. Lots of exposure and some extra money, too.Rex Kuslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629682795065138786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-5248729800000748562010-03-12T11:47:22.536-06:002010-03-12T11:47:22.536-06:00@ Anon - I own about 5000 books, and several thous...@ Anon - I own about 5000 books, and several thousand DVDs. I've read and watched at least half, but not nearly all. And I still buy more books and DVDs, even though I haven't gotten to all the ones I already have.<br /><br />I believe people will buy more ebooks if the price is low. It's human nature.<br /><br />But I also believe people will read more.<br /><br />Someone who reads ten books per year isn't necessarily a "ten book per year for life" reader. Habits and tastes fluctuate.<br /><br />As ebooks become easier to download, and more universal, I foresee people using their handheld gadgets to read more simply because it's convenient and less demanding than other gadget-related media, such as surfing the net or playing games.<br /><br />I read on my iPhone all the time, and my reading has increased because of it. Most Kindlers note the same thing. Make it cheap and easy and instant, and more people will read more ebooks.<br /><br />But that's not even the argument here. Neither of us can truly predict the buying and reading habits of people five years from now.<br /><br />However, based on my observations, experiments, and experience, I' 100% sure I'd sell more ebooks and make more money if my Hyperion ebooks were less expensive. In fact, Amazon is bearing out this point. Within the last week, they dropped the prices on Bloody Mary and Rusty Nail. Guess what? The ranking went way up on those titles.<br /><br />But $5 is still a far cry from $2.<br /><br />@ Rex - I've done the math on ad funded ebooks. With fifteen ads per ebook, I'd be making more money than I am currently selling for $1.99.JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-82854653335771893762010-03-12T11:24:22.207-06:002010-03-12T11:24:22.207-06:00"The amount of books a reader can consume is ..."The amount of books a reader can consume is a function of available time, which is related to the person's lifestyle, work demands, family demands, etc. Those things don't change."<br /><br />The baby boomers are retiring in large numbers, and they are reading. Lifestyles and demographics DO change, and the trend is skewing toward more reading, not less. The internet is also changing reading habits. I read more now than I did 10 years ago -- newspapers, blogs, forums -- all online, but it is reading. I wouldn't have read a JA Konrath blog 10 years ago . . . never dreamed there'd be such a thing. But here I am.<br /><br />"The overall collective amount of book buying will probably not go dramatically up even if the prices go dramatically down. "<br /><br />I find that I'm buying more books than ever on the Kindle store, especially from indies at the 99 cent to $2.99 prices. I can purchase a book for less than it costs to drive to the public library. In fact, the public library is getting less of my business because the $1.99 books (such as Konrath's) have become impulse buys for me. That's less than half a Starbucks coffee, and not worth my time to try to find it at the library for free.<br /><br />And I don't even have to read the whole book to get my money's worth at this price. I just finished half a book (the writer has two story arcs, and the first one ended mid-book so I quit right there because I was satisfied with that story line's conclusion. I was not so interested in the rest of it). Pretty cool, huh? I got a taste of that author and I don't feel guilty about not finishing the whole enchilada.<br /><br />I'm more likely to buy a short story anthology for $1.99 and just read 3 of the stories vs. the entire 10. What the heck, it was cheap! I'm also more likely to buy a 99 cent book and skim (speed read) to get the essence of the story. I wouldn't do that with a 9.99 book (at 9.99 it better be first-rate, and every word has to be golden).<br /><br />"All that will happen if book prices are reduced overall is that sellers will collectively take home less money overall.". <br /><br />It's not the price that matters -- it's volume (greater sales at $1.99 than $9.99) and what you keep (70% vs. the 25% from a big publisher contract). Authors can do very well with this new system if they put out a quality product. High volume at a low price (with much higher % royalty) is a winning formula for the independent <i>authors.</i> <br /><br />Note Konrath's experience (my own experience, with fewer books, corroborates what he is showing).<br /><br />Anna MurrayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com