By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I realized some time back that I get a lot of requests to do things for free. I’m frequently asked to donate books to charities and to speak at libraries, schools, and conferences for free. I’m asked to beta test software. Asked to give an opinion, help with a blurb, and have my brain picked.
A little over a year ago, I realized that some things figured into my business philosophy or manifesto. Some things didn’t.Continue reading
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Free book promos aren’t for everyone. Some writers are passionate about receiving payment for their hard work. Other writers don’t yet have enough published work to offer one of their books for free. It’s possible, also, that writers of standalones might not find as much value in a free promotion as series writers.
For me, I’ve found that free book promos do have their place. I use them often. In fact, at least one of my books is always free.
I don’t like the idea of Kindle Unlimited (KU), because I don’t like putting all my eggs in one basket. I’ve also found that anytime I cut back on any platform, I hear from readers. And I hate making readers upset.
Instead, I use Amazon’s price-matching policy to make my books free. In the past I’ve used Smashwords (a book distributor) to make my book free on other retailers (Kobo, etc.) and then Amazon has rapidly matched the price. I’m now experimenting with Draft 2 Digital (another distributor), which I’ve really enjoyed dealing with so far. You can make your book free on Nook with Draft 2 Digital, which does put pressure on Amazon to match the price quickly. Also (and I’m straying slightly off-topic here, sorry), Draft 2 Digital seems much easier to work with. More on them on their FAQ page.Continue reading
