Indie Publishing | Lesann Berry

The Price We Pay

Posted by lberry in Writing on October 5, 2011

Let me qualify right now – my perspective is not going to be popular today.

I think most writers underprice their books.

There…I said it out loud. Feel free to disagree, that makes for a better argument, but don’t expect me to change my mind. I’m willing to shovel out the big bucks for a book. Writers rejoice!

Am I the only one? Hopefully not. I’ve seen lots of promotional efforts on the internet, and I understand the many reasons WHY people do such things. The trade-offs work for some authors and readers…happy campers set up tents on both sides of the river.

That’s good when it happens, we trade smiles, pinky swear to buy the sequel and skip on down the road. Except for the read that starts out great and then stumbles through a couple potholes and maybe stalls. On a dark country road. Half a mile from the axe-murder’s house…and he’s out for a walk.

I’ve had that happen too. Some books are filled with promise and start strong, only to falter and slide off into the ditch. Bummer. Chuck it into the digital corner and start a new one. I’ve bought stinkers at the bookstore too, even when I held the weighty little block of paper in my hand and had every opportunity to inspect the interior before purchase.

As a reader, I wanted to tell anyone who’s interested, that I’m in the other camp. Mine may be the solitary voice shouting into the chasm, but I can’t be the only one willing to plunk down moola for a nice read. Call me weird but I like to support authors by purchasing their books. I don’t mind investing in people, and that’s what I feel like I’m doing every time I BUY a book. It isn’t just the words on the page, it’s the mind behind their placement. Each book has the potential to get better.

Being part of that is cool. If I want to support you as an author and read your work – I buy your words in the package provided.

There are arguments for and against the $0.00-$2.99 pricepoint, but I believe you’re worth more. I’m willing to pay. The format I select depends on how I plan to read (and re-read) the book. If I want your story, I’ll pay the same amount I would for a nice new hard-bound release.

Authors use price to create motion, notoriety, sales, and discussion. Does it work? Sure, for some. Others pursue different marketing routes. For me it’s simple. I choose to support other authors by purchasing their work.

The format I choose depends primarily on how I’ll read the work. Over the years I’ve purchased multiple copies of my favorite authors cause the paperbacks have fallen apart through re-reading. I still acquire a fair number of press books because I love the tactile pleasure of printed material.Yes, print books are more expensive to produce – which means the author gets less profit. I don’t believe the author of an ebook should receive reduced remuneration simply because it cost the writer less money to produce their finished product. Hello? Cheap much?

Fellow writers know birthing a book is a lengthy process, fraught with potholes and setbacks, and a multitude of potential complications. For the reading public who are not also writers, perhaps they’ve never considered the challenges inherent in the work. Maybe they don’t care. I’m like that at the grocery store. I don’t care why the strawberries are so expensive, just that I don’t want to pay that much, but I do. Because I want strawberry lusciousness.

Novels are filled with fruity goodness or depending on the genre, murderous badness that is worth laying down the greenbacks. Don’t be trained to expect the worst – trust that writers are doing their damned best to bring you an excellent story. You get what you sow, right?

We enjoy different POV’s, so I don’t expect everyone to share my perspective but do you differentiate pricepoint for format? What’s your preference: print v. ebook? Do you balk at paying comparable price for ebook v. printed? Let the verbiage fly.

Books, Indie Publishing, Pricing