E-book Pricing

The battle rages over how much to pay for an e-book.  Andrew Burt at Critters.org put up a poll on e-book pricing. After taking the poll, click over to the forum which cusses and discusses e-book pricing. Each commenter does not say if he is coming from the writing side, the publishing side or reading side of the book business. I am sure there are folks who are both authors and publishers, but many comments are colored toward favoring their specific interest.

Granted there are no costs associated with printing, shipping, or returns for an e-book publisher, but the costs are there similar to a printed book version when it comes to contracting authors, artwork, editors, office expenses, internet hosting, time relinquished for promotion…yes, some small presses actually help the author network and get reviews…

In the poll Burt asks what the reader would pay for an e-book. In another section, he puts forth the idea of NOT paying for the book until after the reader actually reads it. Then, as in tipping the waitress at your favorite restaurant for good/bad service, the purchaser will pay for the book based on how much he enjoyed it. This idea boggled my mind. I wish I could pay the doctor as to how well he cured me or the electric company for how bright my lights are. Actually I would love to pay the gas stations after I used their gas for a big or small trip!

I am sure you can tell where I stand on this utopian idea. Publishers would be out of business in no time. Not because the books are bad, but because a reader will never return in three days or two weeks to pay the piper after reading a book. But it would be a great experiment to see how well this would go. Perhaps the ABC show, What Would You Do?, could try this exercise in human nature?

Tell me now, how much are you willing to pay for an e-book? Should it be close to the amount of the major publishers hardback or paperback book? Why or why not? It is interesting to get many views, but please keep them polite. Thanks.

What Makes a Great Publishing House?

How do you know what publishing house you should submit your work to? You have worked diligently to submit your best story you can write, so you need a publisher who cares about the author and is enthusiastic about the book business. You want someone who is experienced and connected to a publishing network.  You need a cheerleader on your side with editors who will gently shepherd your manuscript into a book with easy-to-read sentences/paragraphs, distinct point of view, correct grammar, and no spelling errors.

That sounds like a lot of points to check out before submitting, doesn’t it?  How do you, the author, find out about a publisher? If you find a book you like to read that is the same genre you write, try to contact the author and ask what her experience was with that publisher.  Talk to authors and  join forums such as the Writers Chatroom to see what the buzz is about a particular publisher. Preditors and Editors is a site with information on publishers.

Go to the publisher’s webpage and see the tone of the site. Cordial, friendly, or snarky and demanding? As a writer you will be able to get the feel of this publisher by checking through the site. Look at the cover art and decide if you would like your book cover to appear in their bookstore.

I believe publisher, editor, author Lea Schizas of Muse It Up Publishing sums up what a publishing house needs for a winning combination:

•  a good writer’s voice/storyteller
• an editor to partner with the writer
• a cover artist who understands each book
• readers who share in our glee and cheer us on

All the best wishes for success in submitting to a publisher. Oh yes, it’s a process with many rejections, re-writes, and lots of hope. Keep at it. Don’t give up.

I have been happy with the publishing process at Muse It Up. My mystery/horror ebook, Sunshine Boulevard, will be released March 1.