Write and Price to Value

Here's an Indie writer complaining about the low price of e-books. He's bemoaning the fact that some big-selling authors like John Locke and Amanda Hocking sell their e-books for 99 cents, and that drives the market expectations down, and doggone it, he wants more money for his book.

To which I say, "Dude, you're an Indie writer-- so charge what your books are worth!"

I mean, duh.

Sure, they sell a lot of books at that price. A lot of people like cheap crap. People stuff their e-readers with free and cheap e-books. I've got a bunch of cheap e-books, too. Haven't read them-- they're way down on the to-be-read list.

You know why? Because at that price, I expect most of them to be cheap crap-- which means they're very low priority. And I'll toss them aside, without finishing, and without a qualm if they don't measure up. I may never even get to them. Many are a waste of time.

In the Indie world, you write what you want to write, and sell at the price you want. If you decide your work isn't worth more than a cheap plastic comb, that's your choice. Me, I set my prices higher, because I write quality work that's worth more. I've spent years honing my craft, polishing the work, giving it value. And I sure as hell ain't gonna give it away for almost nothing.

Do you see good restaurants giving away nice meals at fast-food prices? I don't eat at fast-food joints-- I want a better experience and quality. Same with books-- I want something of value for the time I spend reading it.

I even bought one of those John Locke e-books at the 99 cent price, to see if he was worth even that piddly amount. You know what? He isn't. I didn't even finish the book, and won't read another by him.

So, fellow writer, put on your big-boy pants and write something of value. And put it up for sale at the price it's worth. And quityerbitchin. I don't care what crap is selling for, because I'm not writing crap. I want readers who are willing to exchange in fair trade, value for value. And I'm getting them, little by little. Fewer readers, maybe-- but they'll remember mine and want more.

Money From Writing- Me vs. John Locke

Who says there's no money to be made from writing? Just today I received the sum one of dollar for a poem I wrote, soon to be published. Say what you want, I got paid for writing. That's a dollar more than most people made today.

Now if I could make enough to offset the $300 brake job my car got today... Only 299 more poems to go...

At least "A Memory of Grief" is getting good reviews. And a co-worker showed me the Kindle he's taking with him on vacation-- loaded up with my novel!
His parting words-- "It better be good!"

And my publisher tells me I'll soon have copies available for signing. Yay!

Just read some of the blog of writer John Locke today. He's the first self-published author to sell a million copies on Kindle. So he's probably made more than me today. His blog was interesting, though, so I forgive him and am going to read his books.