The Free Book Thing
I keep seeing publishers and authors offering up free backlist books and short stories. It’s an interesting promo trend. It strikes me as a possible way to hook readers with a free taste of an author’s writing. Not a guarantee and risky in some ways, but potentially a good thing. There’s also the idea of rewarding existing fans with something extra.
I’ve been thinking about this because the third novella I initially wrote for VIVA LAS BAD BOYS did not make it into the book. My editor and I decided the tone didn’t match the tone of the other two, so I wrote a whole new novella. Since that original novella has a pretty specific backdrop - a blackout at a Las Vegas casino - I can’t really put it anywhere else. Offering it up for free here is a possibility.
One of the things stopping me is laziness…well, that and time constraints. Due to both, I would’t be able to (or feel like) revising the novella before posting it. I have no idea what shape it’s in. For all I know, it could scare readers.
So…I was wondering: do you guys take advantage of these free books offers? If so, have you bought other books from the author(s) after taking advantage of the free read? Any chance the free read turned you off to the author?
September 18th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I do take advantage of free book offers if it is in a genre that I like. I have discovered many new authors this way. I like to get a “taste” of a new author before I invest money. Most of the time I end up reading more books by that author.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:48 am
You have me thinking now about whether I think less of the author if they have free books out there. I remember one mystery author that I was going to read, Chris Rogers. I had 2 of her books and went to her site to see what’s new coming out. The next book was on her blog because the publisher didnt pick it up or something. She offered like 85% of the book for free but to read the end you had to buy it as an e book. I thought that was weird. If they’re going to offer a ”free book” make it completely free, not with catches.
Tess Gerritsen’s publisher is offering her book The Surgeon for free for ebook readers on Amazon. I read that book a long time ago and it’s fantastic, so I dont think less of her for having it for free. I think readers will read it and go out and buy all her other books because she’s that good.
Phaedra Weldon has a free story on her blog featuring Zoe from her books Wraith and Spectre. It’s supposed to be read after Wraith but I didnt know about it then. I was excited to find something more to read by her since I love her books. So I didnt think less but I did wonder why it wasnt included in the books and she explained why.
So I think as long as the author kind of explains why this book is being offered for free, then people won’t think differently about them. I just dislike when authors say the publisher didn’t want this book, etc because it makes them sound like their writing isn’t up to par. So if that is the reason, I personally think it shouldnt be said and the author should just say she has a great free offer to try one of her books for free in the hopes that it will attract new readers who will want to read her latest book, etc.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I also am happy with the free book offers. It allows me to try new-to-me authors without a risk to my (limited) budget. Of course after reading the book I usually read everything else by that author! *G*
September 18th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I do take advantage of free book offers, and I don’t usually think anything of it. Or, I’ve never yet encountered one where the author said “this novella/novel wasn’t picked up so here you go” - usually I see the “this book is coming out soon so I’m offering a few free ones” or just backlist choices.
I’m an easy mark, and happy to be one.
Off the top of my head, Kresley Cole. I won her… third? Fourth? book :X it’s hard to keep track -and I’ve since bought her entire backlist - and her newest one too. This has happened a few times, but I just can’t think of the authors. OH! Oh oh oh! And Susan Lyons too. Hello. Love both their books.
Apparently my remarks that I’m a creature of marketing is true.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Oh - of course, there has been a time or two where I got a book and thought “huh” - it was ok, or i had a tough time getting into it. But, I mean, that happens. I’ll continue to try the author/genre unless the author or his or her fans throw a hissy fit (wide and varied interpretation and events here) and ruins it for me.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I heard that sales for Julia Quinn’s last book went up after it was offered for free. Apparently, fans started reading the free ebook, got interested, and went out to buy the print version.
I read some excerpts online, but I’ve never even bought an ebook. I don’t take advantage of the free offers. I don’t have a kindle, so the main deterrent for me is not wanting to read at the computer where I work all day.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I definitely take advantage of the free book offers. So far, none of the free book offers have turned me off of an author but they have definitely turned me on to a few. Just some of the contests for free books have exposed me to authors I might not otherwise have heard of. Excerpts can do that as well, though. Online excerpts have definitely helped me decide on a few books because of my book budget.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I have taken advantage of free reads before, but I think they’ve mainly been from authors I already buy. I know I’ve bought new authors because of excerpts I’ve read, though. I like the free stories that are like a reward for readers because they use characters loyal fans already know, or are an epilogue or prologue to a published book–those are fun.
I wonder if anyone has done a study to see if a free story or whole book increases sales more than excerpts. I know Tor gave away a lot of ebooks, but is it an experiment or do they know it’s actually increasing sales for those authors?
September 19th, 2008 at 3:26 am
I admit I really don’t, mainly because I have so many books already and I end up buying others I already want (i.e. from a series I’m reading). This sounds crazy because who would turn down free books, right? I have a friend who gets lots of free books and she gives many of them to me (hence the tbr pile from…hell(?)).
September 19th, 2008 at 5:47 am
I’ve taken advantage of free books before, and even found some great new authors that way. I have bought books after reading the free books. Even if I don’t like the free book, I will give the author another shot. Normally I’ll try and get a book from the library first and if I like that one, I’ll go out and buy another book by the author.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Free book offers have certainly helped me discover new authors and books I have enjoyed reading plus I have not only continued to read some of these authors’ books, but gone back and read previous books they have written. If it is a new author to me that is offering a free read I will usually go to that person’s website and learn more about them and the type of books they publish. Between book offers and blog sites offering information on new novels coming out I have had the pleasure of finding wonderful new writers and their stories..
September 19th, 2008 at 6:54 am
I love free books. They’ve helped hook me on a couple of new authors that I might not have tried otherwise, and I’ve enjoyed a couple of books that I normally wouldn’t have bought. Like another poster mentioned, don’t sell the freebie as “no one else wanted this one”….at least *pretend* that it was done as a favor to your fans. Marketing, marketing!
September 19th, 2008 at 9:31 am
HelenKay, I’ve definitely taken advantage of free offers, whether from an author directly or from her publisher (i.e., eHarlequin’s serials). If it’s an author I’ve read before, I just find it exciting to have a chance to read more of her writing. It the author’s new to me and I like it, I’ll definitely be buying more of her stuff.
Good luck deciding!
September 20th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Who doesn’t like free books. It is a nice way to try a new author and get a book from a beloved author that I had not read. There are a lot of many generous authors and publishers out there, and we readers thank you.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Who can walk away from an offer of anything free! It’s a great way to find new authors and even discover genres you hadn’t been interested in before. I’ve been hooked into getting a whole series after getting a taste of one book.