Cows, Milk, and Free Books
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” Well, that expression doesn’t really apply to free books. It refers to freebies of a more questionable nature (wink, wink), but that expression kept running through my head earlier today when I was thinking about free book promotions.
Before I launch into a long blog post about why I think free book promotions are a bad deal for everyone, I’d like to say this:
Photo courtesy of Public Domain Photos
I’m not judging anyone. I’ve done a few free book promotions myself. Some authors swear it’s had a huge impact on their book sales, and if it works for them, more power to them. We all do what we have to do to promote our books, so you won’t find judgment here.
That being said… In general, I’m not a fan of free book promotions, specifically Amazon’s Kindle (KDP Select) program where authors are able to list their book for free for five days in a ninety day period in exchange for only making their electronic books available on Amazon.
Like I said, I’ve signed my books up for KDP Select in the past just to see how they would fare. Each book was downloaded hundreds of time. A couple reviews were posted as a result. I might have even sold a book as a direct result of the promotion. Maybe. The free promo did not yield the desired results. There was no frenzy of reviews, no buzz, no boost to sales. I don’t know if the people who downloaded the books have even read them.
As a writer, my primary goal is to get my books into the hands of readers. The free promo may or may not have done that. I’m not really sure. I would also like to make a bit of money on my books. I’m not expecting to be an overnight millionaire (though that would be nice), but I do need to recoup my costs for book covers, editing, promotion, etc. It’s been my experience that the free promos have not helped me to accomplish my goals, at least not in a meaningful way.
The Problem With Freebies #1… Lack of Commitment
As a reader, I have downloaded many, many, many free books on my Kindle. Probably more than I could ever read. At the time, I have every intention of reading the book, but it’s usually put on my “Later” list. The books I DO read right away are those I agree to read for review, or those I purchase. In the past, if an author approached me and asked me to review their book on Authors to Watch, I made it a priority to follow through on that commitment. When I purchase a book, it’s usually because I’m super excited to read it. I’ve invested money in it. I’ve made a financial commitment to read the book. Even if I don’t get to it right away, it’s in the back of my mind every time I pick up my Kindle. If the book is a random freebie I happened to stumble upon, it usually ends up lost in the constantly expanding group of “Books to Read Later.” Only, later never comes.
I’m sure the readers who downloaded my freebies had every intention of reading my books. At the time. But, life gets in the way, and so do other books. The truth is, there are hundreds of free books readers can choose from. Sure, they might choose yours, but if they’re constantly downloading freebies, it’s really easy for your book to get lost in the shuffle.
The Problem With Freebies #2… Too Accessible
If readers have access to hundreds of e-books, why would they ever buy a book? Unless a book is a much-talked-about, much-advertised blockbuster novel, I doubt readers will have a burning desire to spend money when they can get free books with just the press of a button.
The Problem With Freebies #3… Free Books Cheapen Us All
Readers have always had access to free books via the library. Are library books really free? Maybe for a limited time. If you don’t return the book on time, you have to pay a fine. If you don’t return it at all, you have to pay for the value of the book. Popular books end up on waiting lists. There’s a limited supply of each book. Sometimes you have to wait. Value. Library books are valued in time and money. E-books obtained on Amazon for free with just the click of the button? Where’s the value in that?
If we strip away the value from our books, readers will begin to expect free. Any price you charge becomes a premium. Readers know they can get books for free, so they’re willing to either wait until your book is listed for free, or they’re willing to download a different book. What’s so special about your book that they’re willing to pay for it? What’s so special about any book if so many are being given away for free?
The Problem With Freebies #4… Authors Gotta Eat
Most authors write for the love of writing, but we all have to eat. We all have to work to pay our bills, feed our kids, etc. If we spend all our time writing (and giving away free books), we don’t have time to make money to take care of our needs. If we spend our time working at a paying job, we have little time to write. It takes a lot of hours to write a novel. Some of us might be willing to forgo payment for our time, but for how long? How many promising authors will give up? How many stories will go untold? How long before books are so undervalued that readers expect us to pay THEM to read our novels?
Okay, so maybe that last question is ridiculous. Or maybe not. Right now, I’m paying to be an author. I pay for my website, book covers, and other expenses. I don’t sell enough books to cover my costs. Right now, the net loss is very small and my love of writing more than makes up for the loss of income. Essentially, I am paying to write. I might not be paying the reader, but I’m paying somebody.
I don’t think it would be fair to blame my lack of income on free book promotions. After all, even if Amazon obliterated their KDP Select program thus ending all free book promotions as we know it, there is no guarantee readers would choose to pay for my book. They might choose to buy another book. But at least that would mean another author was getting paid. It would increase the value of books in general. It would change how society views authors and all the hard work that goes into crafting a novel.
It all comes back to value. How do you value the written word?
