tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post6111311028506745437..comments2024-03-27T01:07:03.944-04:00Comments on The Roses of Prose: Free vs 99 Cents ~ What works best to sell books? by Jannine GallantAlison Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12725250883303287946noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-89605959875767861452016-06-05T11:32:37.357-04:002016-06-05T11:32:37.357-04:00Thanks for your comments, Ally. We have our first ...Thanks for your comments, Ally. We have our first Christmas progressive novel and our first book of Christmas short stories free on our Rose of Prose website. We've actually had tons of downloads, so hopefully all those people read and enjoyed them! You're right, though. No one would bother to go to the trouble of clicking through to a website unless they were motivated to read the book!Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-32151710731056757972016-06-05T09:36:56.723-04:002016-06-05T09:36:56.723-04:00Sorry I'm late commenting, Jannine. As you wel...Sorry I'm late commenting, Jannine. As you well know, this topic is a tad personal to me. :) I agree with everything you said. And, as far as devaluing our work, even though that is a phrase I've used repeatedly, if I thought that offering book 1 in a series was a magic door to success, I would be all for it. As you mentioned, it used to be, but no more. I think free books should be used as a marketing tool, but unfortunately, if you search on Amazon for 'free book' you will get endless pages of offerings. Readers are discouraged to EVER pay for a book.<br /><br />I think my camp is, an occasional temporary freebie is fine, 99 cent books are great, and offering a freebie through a different avenue, such as downloading from your website, rather than all vendors, is a good move. At least it brings visitors to your site and if they download your book through that method, they are probably really interested.<br /><br />Yes, book bub is pretty much guaranteed success, if you can get in. So glad your publisher has gotten you there. Great article!Alicia Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003539473772776004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-25919431109678741422016-06-04T10:20:22.050-04:002016-06-04T10:20:22.050-04:00Brenda, it's frustrating when even free and sa...Brenda, it's frustrating when even free and sale books don't get noticed. All we can do is keep trying.Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-81932014235507043012016-06-04T00:05:35.821-04:002016-06-04T00:05:35.821-04:00Late reading this, but very interesting,Jannine. I...Late reading this, but very interesting,Jannine. I'm not big on free or the $.99 sale. Neither did much for me. I would love to give BookBub a try.Brenda Whitesidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162555468154752820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-67192238894560426932016-06-02T21:59:45.991-04:002016-06-02T21:59:45.991-04:00You're right, Rolynn. Reviews are necessary to...You're right, Rolynn. Reviews are necessary to get on the big sites once the book has been out for a while. Usually at least 20, and Amazon has a nasty habit of pulling them lately.Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-23181704369435821582016-06-02T20:38:56.374-04:002016-06-02T20:38:56.374-04:00No one has mentioned the 'R' word. REVIEW...No one has mentioned the 'R' word. REVIEWS. When Lie Catchers went on the 5 day free sale in 2014 (and I worked all the free and low-cost sites, mind you). I got 15,000 downloads and 60 reviews. That's why Amazon Encore took on Lie Catchers. I tried to make FAINT and FEAR LAND dance to the same tunes in 2015 and failed ... not enough downloads and zip on reviews. So you are right, this is a tough market....mainly because we can't accumulate enough reader reviews to get us to the big show. And this is why some of us are thinking we need agents and a bigger publisher, with a marketing guru who knows where the wind is blowing. For writers, this is a multi-faceted puzzle. But I know we have to slog on and help each other figure out what to do next. We can't/won't give up! Rolynn Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09504770204968969467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-76288528127850802552016-06-02T13:51:57.319-04:002016-06-02T13:51:57.319-04:00Your point is well taken, Leah. Your sale book has...Your point is well taken, Leah. Your sale book has to make them want more badly enough to actually pay the price of a designer coffee to get the next book in the series. Which speaks to a quality product. Without a great book to entice them, no amount of promoting will produce results.Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-50991622785483791212016-06-02T13:35:37.381-04:002016-06-02T13:35:37.381-04:00I'm stuck on this one, as well. I know it make...I'm stuck on this one, as well. I know it makes sense to offer no/low-cost books to readers so they can sample an author's writing. That's perfectly logical and a well-used business practice. How many times have I tried a new grocery item (or a new author) because it was on sale. <br /><br />I think the issue with books is that there is now an endless supply of those books. You have to pay Book Bub to get readers' attention, then you have to lose money on each discounted or free sale on the gamble that readers will love the book enough to start clamoring for more. Because if you didn't wow them to that point, they'll just turn to the rest of the thousands of no/low-cost books available. I think that, in general, does devalue the industry. At the same time, I know it's a moot point. <br /><br />I'm not sure where all this will lead, but it kind of depresses me when I think how readers think it's too much money to spend more than 99 cents on something that took months of hard work and multiple skilled people to produce. <br /><br />Interesting discussion though.Leah St. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11004006100786260893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-87847173164192038312016-06-02T12:04:46.239-04:002016-06-02T12:04:46.239-04:00Diane, with a pub taking 60% of what I make, I wou...Diane, with a pub taking 60% of what I make, I would hesitate to spend that kind of money on promo. Since you're self pubbed you don't have to share. I don't think I've ever heard a single author say they lost money on BookBub, but it is a risk.Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-70849192711860762562016-06-02T11:55:17.389-04:002016-06-02T11:55:17.389-04:00Writing is my business, so I have to make the best...Writing is my business, so I have to make the best decisions I can with regard to spending money to make money. I'm glad BookBub works for you. Not sure I can afford that, but it might be worth exploring. Thanks for the great information.Diane Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03754105332297068271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-84903265645166799532016-06-02T11:44:43.421-04:002016-06-02T11:44:43.421-04:00Alison, if you can get accepted by BookBub, even t...Alison, if you can get accepted by BookBub, even though it costs about $600, you're almost sure to make your money back and then some. Good luck if you go for it!<br /><br />Mac, hating promo is an epidemic. LOL I'm supposed to be promoting my current 99 cent sale, too. Maybe we could do something together? Misery loves company.Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-2778001471521746932016-06-02T10:56:56.430-04:002016-06-02T10:56:56.430-04:00Can I say, I hate promo! :-) Just saying that make...Can I say, I hate promo! :-) Just saying that makes me feel better. I totally agree with your assessment, Jannine, and remain in a quandary over this issue. I have a title on sale at $.99 at the moment, and another in July, which means I'm in promo hell, throwing the dice at the wall and hoping for that lucky combination. So far, I've only seen snake eyes. Yeah, I HATE promo. Mackenzie Crownehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14495228596521457813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-43982473531754382772016-06-02T10:37:17.427-04:002016-06-02T10:37:17.427-04:00Thanks for the very timely post, since I've be...Thanks for the very timely post, since I've been pondering this whole issue, trying to choose the best strategy for the launch of Boiling Point in the fall. I had the exact same experience as you with my free days for Unwritten Rules but, as you said, that was back in 2013. Trying it again in 2015 with my last book produced minimal results. I also had minimal sales when I put UW on a $.99 sale last September in hopes of drumming up sales for the Christmas book. Now I'll actually have a second book in a series coming out, and I'd like to be smarter with promo. From what I've heard, Book Bub is about the only thing still out there that works, but I'd have to pay for it myself, which would cut into any potential profits big time. I also have no idea if I could get accepted. What a quandry.Alison Hendersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12725250883303287946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-34351270756591935142016-06-02T10:16:19.249-04:002016-06-02T10:16:19.249-04:00Margo, I'm afraid most of us are stuck in the ...Margo, I'm afraid most of us are stuck in the can't get noticed zone with our 99 cent sales, but it's nice to know you agree with me!Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-23236435896823045162016-06-02T08:55:22.483-04:002016-06-02T08:55:22.483-04:00In the vast and winding road otherwise known as pr...In the vast and winding road otherwise known as promo, I'd say I'm right there with you on number 3. As for 1. Moral convictions certainly have their place, but not in the book market. And regarding 2. been there done that, and it was nice while it lasted, which wasn't for long. Even at the 99cent deal, where latest self pub currently resides, the competition is fierce. Bottom line, though, is a good product. Without that, you go nothing.Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.com