99¢ books & how to give zero fucks
I know what you are thinking.
M. PIERCE, YOUR BOOK IS TOP 100 ON AMAZON. QUICK, RAISE YOUR PRICE POINT!
And I want you to know that I will not be raising the price point.
Because price points speak, and this is what they say.
.99 — I don’t give a fuck.
1.99 — I sort of give a fuck, and I’d like to pay my Netflix bill with book sales.
2.99 — I WANT TO MAKE ALL THE MONEH.
2.99+ — I am out of touch with reality (or Anne Rice).
For me, of course, the .99 cent no-dignity selling-my-hard-work-and-dreams-for-basically-nothing price point is about more than “giving zero fucks.” As I’ve told a few of my wonderful readers, I am not in this for the money. Writing = no moneys. Writing = no fame. The odds of hitting it big with a self-published e-book are next to nothing, and my head would be in the wrong place if I focused on my bottom line.
The reason I am selling NIGHT OWL for .99 cents is that I want the book to be accessible. I don’t want the 1-click decision to be painful. I want the book to reach readers who will love it and who can escape into it from a reality that’s often underwhelming. So why not give it away for free? Because, writing is hard work, and I am charging a few cents in deference to the labor and time involved.
So please, enjoy the book, practically free of charge.
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Brilliant. :O)
That sound you hear is the collective sigh of all of your fangirls. You are a breath of fresh air. I still feel like I should pay more though *digs through couch cushions*.
You're totally right. I bought Night Owl because there was a bit of chatter about it on the blogs and uh...yeah, it's 99 cents. If it sucks, no big deal. Well, it didn't suck. I love authors that write because they have a story that has clawed its way out of their soul and they just need to get it out to the masses.
I was chatting with my fellow Book Whores yesterday about an author that is milking the fame of their series and basically released a pile of shit for more than $8. EIGHT. DOLLARS. She knows that there will be plenty of fans that will happily pay for her word vomit. Happy to know you're not in that camp.
I agree with Christina: Breath of fresh air!
Take it from a reader/reviewer, who has purchased thousands of ebooks.......more newbie writers should think the way you do because if they did.......they'd have sold more books. The point of the first book is to get YOUR writing/name out there and have the readers talking/blogging/noting.......what they read and who wrote it. Word of mouth/blogging; is priceless. If the writing is good......you'll take off and the second book will be sold before it's published. Anything below $2 bucks is almost giveaway. I will buy almost anything for 'giveaway' pricing - regardless of reviews and if I don't like it ........ I eat it. I don't return it. I return very few books. Anything over $2 bucks I read reviews and put off buying......at least if the reviews are mixed. I hang back and see where the story is going.......like a future book. What really gets my goat.......(hehe)......is if a first time ebook comes out and is prices above $3 bucks and isn't 'loanable' - but is self-published. Doesn't the writer realize that by pricing her first book at a more primo-price......that she's limiting how many readers she'll interest? Some (like me) won't take the chance and will hang back for a second book in hopes that the first book will go on sale for 99 cents? Honest.......I'm being honest, here. Not making it 'loanable' cuts way down on the gathering of new readership. I've seen many a new author sink their ship before it actually could sail.....when not trying to gain readership, from the 'get-go'. At 99 cents......books are not usually 'loanable'.....I believe it is above that price they can be loaned (only one time, can they be loaned). 99 cents.....is truly giveaway.I do think your marketing your skills.....perfectly. Gaining your readers initially.....the right/write way to go!
