The Price of eBooks

Back in February I stumbled across a Kindle discussion about the price of ebooks.  If you look at my blog entry titled 'What is Science fiction Part 1' you will find my report from back then.

I thought in February, and haven't changed my opinion since, that many ebooks are overpriced - I'm not talking about indie authors as such as most of us pitch our books at a pretty low price - mine range from 49 pence on Apple to 86 pence/99 cents on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble etc.  I'm talking about the established authors who have historically charged £6.99 upwards for paperback copies of their books.  Or, to be fair, their publishers have.

I can't say how much it costs to produce a printed book but my manufacturing background informs me that the cost of logging, paper production, printing, distribution etc will be a significant element on top of editing, promoting, cover production etc.  In an ebook, the manufacturing parts do not factor, however I frequently see ebook versions costing more than the physical version.

Back in February I felt I was in the minority, but now, having looked at the latest thread, it looks like the worm has turned.  Quite a lot of forumites expressed the opinion that ebooks are often way too expensive.  Why not jump on the thread and lend your thoughts?

One thing that did strike me from reading the threads, though, was that the costing and pricing elements of self publishing seems to be a mystery to many - I feel that transparency about the costs indie authors absorb and the process they go through will help ebook readers to judge and place a rational value on what they are buying, and I also feel that anyone out there with a novel or two on their hard drive may be wondering about how hard it all is.  As a result I will put some words down in my next blog based on my first year as an indie author.

I can be followed onTwitter - @RayASullivan

email me on raysullivan.novels@yahoo.com


Visit my books on Amazon (for Kindle owners) and Smashwords (for access to all other formats and access to Apple iBooks, Barnes and Noble, Sony and many other good ebookstores.

Now on WH Smith!