Comments on: How giving ebooks away for free increases print book sales http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/ All Things Literature & Writing Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:59:07 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Stephen Furrer http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-433 Stephen Furrer Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:34:49 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-433 I'm jumping into the discussion late but here are a few thoughts from someone who has not purchased a paper book in over two years.My best experience with E-Books has been with Baen Books.(www.baen.com) they have a large library of titles for purchase but,also many free downloads are available. Eric Flint wrote an excellent editorial about how free can be very profitable.You can find it on their WebScription page under Free Library. As we go more in the direction of digital entertainment this may be the model to get things started. I’m jumping into the discussion late but here are a few thoughts from someone who has not purchased a paper book in over two years.My best experience with E-Books has been with Baen Books.(www.baen.com) they have a large library of titles for purchase but,also many free downloads are available. Eric Flint wrote an excellent editorial about how free can be very profitable.You can find it on their WebScription page under Free Library. As we go more in the direction of digital entertainment this may be the model to get things started.

]]> By: Zoe Winters http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-395 Zoe Winters Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:04:05 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-395 Hey Bill, while I won't argue with you that free ebooks can be a good strategy, I will say it's very different from a second hand book. Yes, an author doesn't profit from a book sold through a used bookstore, but in order for that book to even BE in a used bookstore,SOMEONE had to purchase it first. With free ebooks, no one ever has to buy anything ever. *If* we ever got to a point where ebooks were the primary delivery system and people are used to "free" it could crush publishing and cause authors to make even less than they do now. (Even most NY pubbed authors still have to have a second full time or part time job in order to support themselves. Which is pretty sad. Most authors make poverty level wages.) <abbr><em>Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..<a href="http://zoewinters.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/deadlines/" rel="nofollow">Deadlines</a></abbr></em> Hey Bill, while I won’t argue with you that free ebooks can be a good strategy, I will say it’s very different from a second hand book. Yes, an author doesn’t profit from a book sold through a used bookstore, but in order for that book to even BE in a used bookstore,SOMEONE had to purchase it first.

With free ebooks, no one ever has to buy anything ever. *If* we ever got to a point where ebooks were the primary delivery system and people are used to “free” it could crush publishing and cause authors to make even less than they do now. (Even most NY pubbed authors still have to have a second full time or part time job in order to support themselves. Which is pretty sad. Most authors make poverty level wages.)

Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..Deadlines

]]> By: Bill Ectric http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-394 Bill Ectric Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:24:40 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-394 This is very exciting territory! When I think about the number of books I've borrowed, or picked up for 25 cents at a second-hand thrift store (it's how I first read Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Frank Herbert, and others) I realize that the authors did not profit directly from my reading of these books, but somehow, obviously, things worked out okay for those authors. I did eventually purchase other books they wrote. And people made movies based on their books. So, yeah, making free texts available seems to be a good idea for writers and publishers. This is very exciting territory! When I think about the number of books I’ve borrowed, or picked up for 25 cents at a second-hand thrift store (it’s how I first read Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Frank Herbert, and others) I realize that the authors did not profit directly from my reading of these books, but somehow, obviously, things worked out okay for those authors. I did eventually purchase other books they wrote. And people made movies based on their books. So, yeah, making free texts available seems to be a good idea for writers and publishers.

]]> By: Jen C http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-391 Jen C Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:27:22 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-391 By the way, I think this article was excellent. Very informative and helpful. I agree completely that giving away your publications electronically is truly a wonderful idea for up-and-coming authors. I began writing because I love to write. I love to create characters and stories and watch them play themselves out across my pages. It's amazing to see where the imagination takes us. It's wonderful to read a book and become immersed in it. Based on my foundations of writing, I have no problem whatsoever giving away my books for free for a time. I want people to enjoy my writing as I have enjoyed so many other's writings. And being "free" makes the books that much more enjoyable. By the way, I think this article was excellent. Very informative and helpful. I agree completely that giving away your publications electronically is truly a wonderful idea for up-and-coming authors.
I began writing because I love to write. I love to create characters and stories and watch them play themselves out across my pages. It’s amazing to see where the imagination takes us. It’s wonderful to read a book and become immersed in it.
Based on my foundations of writing, I have no problem whatsoever giving away my books for free for a time. I want people to enjoy my writing as I have enjoyed so many other’s writings. And being “free” makes the books that much more enjoyable.

]]> By: Jen C http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-390 Jen C Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:21:24 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-390 I believe that, just like anything that has progressed through the years (such as cell phones, like Susan mentioned earlier), people will eventually adapt along with the progression of the industries. Let's say that, E-books and online materials become the Norm, versus paper books. Given that situation, with the non-availability of paperbooks, people will be forced to use E-books. Where they once paid for paper books, they will now have those funds available to pay for E-books. Most ebooks will probably not be free, but it will be a gradual transition, something that people will easily get used to. And new generations will see that "paying for ebooks" is routine and expected. Zoe commented that she expected E-books to be the norm in ~20 years, if it were to happen at all. That's actually quite a long time for an industry to evolve. (in my opinion). In 20 years, we would have a whole new generation and the older generation would have plenty of time to watch the changes. Surely we will see many people upset, but that's how the world goes, right? Not everyone likes the new president, but he's there and that's that. Not everyone votes the same way on current issues such as gun control, abortioin, etc. We can't please everyone, but the industries will follow where they can make the most profit. We, as authors, should make the most of the current situation and use free ebooks to get our names out there. If we should ever rise high enough to have our names recognized in any bookstore we want, then we won't have any problems getting a few bucks or more for our books we choose to publish electronically. Our names will hold a value that people (most) won't gripe about paying for. I believe that, just like anything that has progressed through the years (such as cell phones, like Susan mentioned earlier), people will eventually adapt along with the progression of the industries.
Let’s say that, E-books and online materials become the Norm, versus paper books. Given that situation, with the non-availability of paperbooks, people will be forced to use E-books. Where they once paid for paper books, they will now have those funds available to pay for E-books. Most ebooks will probably not be free, but it will be a gradual transition, something that people will easily get used to. And new generations will see that “paying for ebooks” is routine and expected.
Zoe commented that she expected E-books to be the norm in ~20 years, if it were to happen at all. That’s actually quite a long time for an industry to evolve. (in my opinion). In 20 years, we would have a whole new generation and the older generation would have plenty of time to watch the changes.
Surely we will see many people upset, but that’s how the world goes, right? Not everyone likes the new president, but he’s there and that’s that. Not everyone votes the same way on current issues such as gun control, abortioin, etc.
We can’t please everyone, but the industries will follow where they can make the most profit.
We, as authors, should make the most of the current situation and use free ebooks to get our names out there. If we should ever rise high enough to have our names recognized in any bookstore we want, then we won’t have any problems getting a few bucks or more for our books we choose to publish electronically. Our names will hold a value that people (most) won’t gripe about paying for.

]]> By: Liz Fielding http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-389 Liz Fielding Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:27:51 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-389 Harlequin are giving away one of my books for free and I noticed an uplift in sales at Amazon, which seems v. odd. But as someone once said, I'll try anything once except incest and country dancing. Harlequin are giving away one of my books for free and I noticed an uplift in sales at Amazon, which seems v. odd. But as someone once said, I’ll try anything once except incest and country dancing.

]]> By: Zoe Winters http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-374 Zoe Winters Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:37:13 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-374 Hi Susan, those are good points, but it still disenfranchises E-only authors completely. But you make a good point about content license. Right now I'm in the middle of my own experiment of free and the point is to get as much exposure as possible before I release my first print release, but at the same time, you lose so much control of everything. Like right now my novella is free. It's fully copyright protected, but it has a creative commons license attached so people can share it as long as they attribute back to me. And now I have the bizarre situation of people sharing my book in one of the same places I'm sharing it... Scrib'd. And for an anal retentive stats tracking queen I'm like... noooo just send them to me, lol. But... I SHOULD be more focused on the awesomeness that someone took the time to repost. It feels almost like "retweeting." But it certainly stirs up some weird emotions about the exercise. <abbr><em>Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..<a href="http://zoewinters.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/coolness/" rel="nofollow">Coolness!</a></abbr></em> Hi Susan, those are good points, but it still disenfranchises E-only authors completely.

But you make a good point about content license.

Right now I’m in the middle of my own experiment of free and the point is to get as much exposure as possible before I release my first print release, but at the same time, you lose so much control of everything.

Like right now my novella is free. It’s fully copyright protected, but it has a creative commons license attached so people can share it as long as they attribute back to me.

And now I have the bizarre situation of people sharing my book in one of the same places I’m sharing it… Scrib’d.

And for an anal retentive stats tracking queen I’m like… noooo just send them to me, lol. But… I SHOULD be more focused on the awesomeness that someone took the time to repost.

It feels almost like “retweeting.”

But it certainly stirs up some weird emotions about the exercise.

Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..Coolness!

]]> By: Susan http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-373 Susan Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:28:51 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-373 @zoe winters - You bring up a good point that people get used to a culture of free and it's hard to break them of the habit. When cell phones first came out, everybody gave away free phones with the signing of a contract. My dad worked for Motorola and I remember him telling me that Motorola was having a hard time with getting the cell companies to have customers pay for their phones. The cell companies had created a culture of free, and even today most of them have some sort of free phone with contract and customers would rather lock themselves into a 2-year contract than buy an unsubsidized phone. But, these eBooks are being given away in addition to buying a tangible copy. It is almost like the publishers are saying people can access the content in anyway they want, either in print or as an eBook. With this, I would be more concerned that publishers are moving to a "content license" model over a culture of free model. @zoe winters – You bring up a good point that people get used to a culture of free and it’s hard to break them of the habit.

When cell phones first came out, everybody gave away free phones with the signing of a contract. My dad worked for Motorola and I remember him telling me that Motorola was having a hard time with getting the cell companies to have customers pay for their phones. The cell companies had created a culture of free, and even today most of them have some sort of free phone with contract and customers would rather lock themselves into a 2-year contract than buy an unsubsidized phone.

But, these eBooks are being given away in addition to buying a tangible copy. It is almost like the publishers are saying people can access the content in anyway they want, either in print or as an eBook. With this, I would be more concerned that publishers are moving to a “content license” model over a culture of free model.

]]> By: Zoe Winters http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Zoe Winters Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:44:25 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-372 Yes, but if something begins to be accepted culturally as "free" then later down the road the consumer feels cheated when you ask him to pay for it, and ends up trying to steal it. I'm not sure whether or not ebooks would ever replace print books, but with the newer ebook readers I can see a future that way in maybe 20 years. It seems like a shaky bet to offer it totally free as standard practice. I have a free ebook out right now, so that may make me sound insane. But the diff is, I don't plan to offer all my E free. Otherwise I set up that expectation and cut off a profit center. And also what about authors who are only e-book authors? If a culture becomes set up where a lot or most E you can get for free, there won't be enough people who want to "support the author" who will seek out ebook authors who are only published that way and therefore can't give it away for free or else they are working for free. I just see it as a system that if embraced too wholesale cuts out current ebook authors and screws us all over down the road at some point. I know you don't have all the answers, and I'm not asking you to have them, but I think this is something we should all consider as a potential flaw in the idea of free as a policy. <abbr><em>Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..<a href="http://zoewinters.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/author-interview-is-up-at-alternative-read-com/" rel="nofollow">Author Interview is up at alternative-read.com</a></abbr></em> Yes, but if something begins to be accepted culturally as “free” then later down the road the consumer feels cheated when you ask him to pay for it, and ends up trying to steal it.

I’m not sure whether or not ebooks would ever replace print books, but with the newer ebook readers I can see a future that way in maybe 20 years. It seems like a shaky bet to offer it totally free as standard practice. I have a free ebook out right now, so that may make me sound insane. But the diff is, I don’t plan to offer all my E free. Otherwise I set up that expectation and cut off a profit center.

And also what about authors who are only e-book authors? If a culture becomes set up where a lot or most E you can get for free, there won’t be enough people who want to “support the author” who will seek out ebook authors who are only published that way and therefore can’t give it away for free or else they are working for free.

I just see it as a system that if embraced too wholesale cuts out current ebook authors and screws us all over down the road at some point.

I know you don’t have all the answers, and I’m not asking you to have them, but I think this is something we should all consider as a potential flaw in the idea of free as a policy.

Zoe Winters’s latest blog post..Author Interview is up at alternative-read.com

]]> By: Brad Vertrees http://www.bradsreader.com/2009/05/how-giving-ebooks-away-for-free-increases-print-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Brad Vertrees Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:38:47 +0000 http://www.bradsreader.com/?p=840#comment-371 Hi Zoe! You ask some excellent questions. And unfortunately, I don't have all the answers. I can't see print books leaving us anytime soon. They'll be around for a while. And I think that right now ebooks are a alternative/compliment to print books, not a replacement for them. As far as your concern about free ebooks becoming the "norm" and no one will want to pay for them down the road - it's too early to tell how ebooks will shape the future of publishing. Using myself as an example, I know there are plenty of free ebooks out there, but a majority of the ebooks I own I paid for. Why? Because I like supporting the authors (especially the indie ones). Thank you for your comment and I apologize I can't provide better answers to your questions. The world of ebooks is rapidly changing and I don't think anyone knows for sure how this will all play out. -Brad Hi Zoe!

You ask some excellent questions. And unfortunately, I don’t have all the answers.

I can’t see print books leaving us anytime soon. They’ll be around for a while. And I think that right now ebooks are a alternative/compliment to print books, not a replacement for them.

As far as your concern about free ebooks becoming the “norm” and no one will want to pay for them down the road – it’s too early to tell how ebooks will shape the future of publishing.

Using myself as an example, I know there are plenty of free ebooks out there, but a majority of the ebooks I own I paid for. Why? Because I like supporting the authors (especially the indie ones).

Thank you for your comment and I apologize I can’t provide better answers to your questions. The world of ebooks is rapidly changing and I don’t think anyone knows for sure how this will all play out.

-Brad

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