Hi folks,

I am going to be writing my first eBook.

I am trying to wrap my mind around the pros and cons of either going with Amazon Kindle – knowing that with the KDP program I can only sell  the eBook through Amazon – or simply making it available on my blog.

So… $2.99 vs maybe $29 or $47…?

And no, I don’t have any subscribers as we speak
My blog is a creative work.. in progress.

Just wondering what the wise move is?

Thanks!
Dr. Nicki

Hi @nicole-steinberger   

Why would you think your book would be sold on Amazon for only $2.99?

First I guess I should ask what type of book it is - 

1 – Fiction (novel length) – contemporary, mystery, action, literature, horror, historical fiction, crime – etc – this is a long list.

2 -Non-Fiction – reference, biography, parenting, business, finance, nature, ecology, psychology, how-to – etc – this is a long list too.

Are you prepared to do all the serious marketing?  Just being a book on Amazon has it’s perks.

If you are worried about price alone, become a publisher online.  Many people do this and find they get more of a break on the price of self publishing – if they are a publisher vs. an author/writer when having hard copies printed. 

Let’s say you go with Amazon.  You still need a website/blog and to advertise everywhere – Facebook, Google+, Twitter – many authors have really done well with twitter. You send everyone to Amazon to buy.

If you are doing it on your own you have the exact same scenario except you send them to your own website to buy.  

There is lot to research and know about this – just a few tips here.  But of course you said “ebook” so I’m wondering what’s it’s about.  Is it a “how to” book?  Not an ‘e-published’ book but an ebook – there is a difference.

Ebooks are usually PDF format for download – E-published books can be hard copies, paperbacks, kindle, nook, etc. 

Eileen 

Hi @nicole-steinberger —  

Go look at these Thomas Sowell books at Amazon for price comparison of Hardcover, Paperback and Kindle for each one. —  

Inside American Education

Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy

Intellectuals and Race 

The suggested Amazon price is just that – a suggestion. I used Thomas Sowell as an example as before epublishing come into force I spend as much as $50 for a Thomas Sowell book that I wanted to add to the reference library here. 

People do not mind paying for quality and Thomas Sowell is of course, an academic like you. Albeit he crosses over to “popular” for many of us. A sane voice in an otherwise nuts-o world.  Heh.

If you go for “popular” instead of “academic” your price may need to be lowered a tad – but people will pay for quality.  That Ph D behind your name actually does stand for something… more.  More worth the money.  Some people will get that. 

Eileen

Hi @nicole-steinberger —   

A little off-topic but may interest you in your quest —

Academic Hypocrisy by Thomas Sowell (of course).
This particular person has embraced “online” – unlike many of his brethren.
Eileen