eBooks: Five Bucks Max

How much is an eBook worth, and why do some of them cost so much? Regarding cost, I went to the top ten paid list on Amazon and the average cost was $8.83, which I believe is high. The most expensive was $18.99 (but that was a trilogy) and the lowest $2.99.

First off, what do writers want to do? It’s simple. Connect with readers. With fiction the goal is to create a powerful emotional and entertaining experience. With non-fiction, writers provide useful information that readers can apply to their lives and careers. The flow is from author to reader. The connection is intimate, if executed correctly. There are no “middle men” getting in the way of this relationship.

The traditional publishing model is all about middle men. First, an agent facilitates a deal with a publisher, contracts are signed and the traditional machine fires up. An editor is assigned to the project, the book is placed in the development queue, cover art is produced, printers are lined up along with wholesalers, distributors and retail outlets.

Around two years later two the book finally appears on bookseller’s shelves. All of the middle men need to be paid. The agent takes a cut and the publisher takes a bigger cut, along with the 40% – 60% discounts to the wholesalers and/or distributors. The advertising budget is dealt with. The bookstore gets their cut. But wait a minute, aren’t these brick and mortar establishments going out of business (aka Borders)?

So what does a publisher also expect an author to do other than merely writing the book. They expect the author to develop a Web page and take the initiative marketing and promoting the book. This more often than not is an expense borne exclusively by the author. So why not just do it all yourself?

I’ve heard (but can’t cite the source) that a traditional publisher cannot sell an eBook on line for less than ten dollars. Why? There are no printers to pay.  Wholesalers and distributors don’t apply. Unless the author is getting more than the typical 7.5% royalty, someone is making  a lot of money for not doing much of anything.

Everything is different now.

Authors are buying their backlists and pulling out of publishing houses like they’re on fire and taking their work online to the virtual streets. Good authors. Writers are taking their destiny in their own hands and are no longer constrained by an antique business model.

I currently have two novels available on Amazon.com priced at 99 cents, The System – A Detroit Story – and Reckoning in Escobara. Both have made the Amazon top 100 list in their respective genres (thriller and action/adventure) at one time or another. People seem to like them. Could I have priced the books higher? Sure, and they’re both probably worth more than 99 cents. I priced them low for one simple reason: I want them exposed to a wide readership and am willing to forego making a profit while becoming established. My destiny as a writer is in my own hands, since I make all the decisions.

So how much is an eBook worth? Discounting the blood, sweat and tears an author experiences writing it (plus the massive time commitment), I believe an eBook should not cost over five dollars. Good work finds an audience. Good writers will stay in for the long haul. The tools are available to write and make a book available for next to nothing.  I will never, ever, charge more than five dollars for an eBook, and you can take that to the bank.