Self-published authors want to know how to price their books. Traditionally published authors usually don’t determine their book’s price, to their consternation, because those publishers often shaft them in that process. So let’s take a step back and just analyze what an ebook or print book should cost a reader, irrespective of how it’s published.

For ebooks, prices are changing. There’s plenty of supply, but there’s also more demand because, in this time of pandemic, ebooks are the safest ones to buy. For fiction, I’d put a new 60-kword ebook at $3.99; $2.99 or less for older. 80 kwords and above? Anybody’s guess, but $4.99 at least, but certainly less than $7. After all, $1 bets on five NFL games costs $5. Guess which entertainment has more lasting value. By the way, those $0.99 and $1.99 prices are bad choices. Unless you’re doing a sale, readers are likely to think the book has poor quality. And authors always strive to make quality books, right?

Print books are oranges compared two ebook apples, i.e. they’re a different species. I’m tempted not to do them anymore. I didn’t for A Time Traveler’s Guide through the Multiverse. I did for Death on the Danube. Why the difference? Because the first two books in the “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” series had print versions, while Time Traveler’s Guide was a stand-alone.

Yes, I know, those marketing gurus I railed against yesterday say that ebooks have plateaued and print remains strong. More BS, and wishful thinking from the Big Five publishing conglomerates. COVID has made many experts eat their words! Yes, the Big Five artificially elevate their ebook prices to make their print versions seem the better buy, but a print version should cost more than an ebook because it takes more money to produce a print version! And readers should pay more for the print version, considering global warming (if you can’t figure that one out, you’re part of the problem).

Enough readers still live in the 19^th century and like print better, but they shouldn’t have to pay the exorbitant prices traditional publishers charge either. I suppose some authors get some kind of ego boost seeing their books in print. From the author’s point of view, though, they’re only useful for those ego boosts and book events (the latter might come back, after all, if we ever get through this pandemic). Still, self-published authors shouldn’t follow traditional publishers’ lead in pricing their print versions. I recommend pricing them at the minimum price allowed by Create Space, or whatever printing service you use. Amazon has an easy formula to use, but you need the number of pages. You’ll know that, of course, once the print book is formatted. Set your print book at that minimum allowable price and everyone will be happy. You might actually make a bit more money too (the old numbers game). Just be aware that you’ll usually sell more ebooks!

If you’re traditionally published, your publisher can screw you with a high price for print and an ebook price almost as high. Those prices can lead to poor sales numbers. And then the publisher is liable to blame it all on you, especially when bookstores start returning the unsold books. (That’s why Big Five publishers are endangered species, except for their non-fiction tell-alls and celeb books. I don’t read many Big Five books now, and a lot of authors avoid them.)

Will correct, reasonable pricing help sell books? Nope, it’s just one necessary condition. There are no sufficient conditions authors or publishers can control. Everyone’s playing the lottery, and readers are rolling the dice.

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Comments are always welcome.

Death on the Danube. Esther Brookstone and Bastiann van Coevorden are on their honeymoon cruise floating down the Danube when a mysterious passenger is murdered. Because the Danube is international waters, Interpol agent Bastiann takes over the murder investigation. This third book in the “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” series lets the reader follow more unique adventures of this crime-fighting duo full of mystery, suspense, and thrills. Come take a romantic cruise with the two sleuths. Available in all ebook formats and print (the print version is coming).

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

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