More specifically...what's a book worth to YOU, the reader?

Some writers believe that each of their works should be priced as high as the sky...because it's their art and their art is special. Their time is special. They deserve to be paid for their time. With each book sale.

I won't say that their art isn't special, because it is. I believe that each author has an audience. The trick is FINDING that audience. Plus, the audience for Sally just may be bigger than the audience for Tom. Who knows?

Some writers believe that their work should be priced in the gutter...so they can attract that many more readers. They believe that selling 6,000 is better than selling 1,000, even if selling  6,000 copies makes them the exact same profit as selling 1,000 copies would. But, with 6,000, they have 6,000 more readers and potential fans than the author that only sells 1,000.

I won't say this is faulty either, simply because we all know that when businesses have a loss leader or even a freebie, it tends to WORK. It does it's job and brings in more customers. That's the whole idea behind the promotion. If it didn't work businesses wouldn't continue doing that.

With the high priced books, obviously not everyone will spend money on their art. Especially if you're not familiar with that particular author. The majority of people that I've talked to and listened to have the same thought process with this. If you don't know an author, you're afraid to spend more than a few bucks on them. You're only willing to spend a few bucks or MORE if you know AND TRUST that author. Perfectly reasonable sounding to me. We work hard for our money...unless Uncle Sam gave it to you for free.

With gutter priced books, some people believe that undervalues the author's work and therefore undervalues the author. They believe that .99 and free books devalue books in general, lowering the actual value of every other author out there. But, I figure, if that were true, we wouldn't have James Patterson, Stephen King, Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts, etc on the top of the best-seller lists. Those books sure aren't .99 or free.

See, the idea with this idea is, if you give your book away for free, your book makes another author's book worth less. So, if they feel they should get 4.99 per copy, suddenly, because yours is free, they can now only get 2.99 per copy.

I kinda think that those that are willing to pay for quality, will pay regardless of how many free books are out there. I kinda also think that those that aren't willing to pay for anything, wouldn't pay regardless, even if there were no free or cheap books out there.

But, what do I know?

Either way, if the work sells, you WILL make a lot of money. Either way, there are legitimate reasons that will scare away some readers.

So, as a reader, how much is a book worth to YOU?
 
Well, technically, not the mouth attached to my own body, but nevertheless.

Readers always say they want a peak into the writer's life.

Well, let me tell ya. That peak can be pretty boring. I mean...sticking in headphones, cranking the music, putting fingers to keyboard, and typing away to paint with words that pictures that are going through my mind. Taking a break for the potty or to eat, then back to fingers pounding keys. Yes, it's so entirely utterly amazingly glamorous. Ahem.

Ok, ok. I do happen to have a quick story I can share today about my writer's life.

Took two of my kids walking today. Been trying to do that some since the weather is nice enough, now. Took them around my complex as I have a few times. Today, walking around one corner, we saw another child. Cool. Maybe a new friend for my two year old girl.

My little girl just watched this new child. Watched with much interest. So, that mom and I start talking. Her name is Karen. She introduces me to her mom, whom she lives with. Before long we're talking about tattoos and a local artist that people confuse me with. That takes us to writing. This leads them to tell me that her mom is published in a local publication back home.

Then, my blabber mouth tries to change the subject. No, not the mouth on my own body. My blabber mouth is my 7 year old son. It's an affectionate name, really. Thing is, he'll tell a total stranger all about our entire family. What we do, where we go, who is in our family, etc. Every detail. So he tries, as is his custom. The subject gets abruptly changed...back to writing, haha. Not by me, mind you. I'm listening. After all, if I so much as tried to interrupt my lovely blabber mouth, he would go right back to his story. I've tried, haha.

So, back to writing we go.

And then...voila! Mr. Blabber Mouth takes off again. He desperately wants to change the subject. After all, daddy's writing is boring. Haha! Not really. It's just that he doesn't understand it yet. So, attention needs to be focused back on him. Not daddy. That's cool with daddy, though. He start unleashing some more details.

And, voila! Yes, the subject is changed back to...writing.

Then, drum roll please, my son changes it back to what SHOULD be the gold topic of the day. HIM. Gotta love him. Actually, if it was HIM that was the topic, I would be delighted with it. But when it's family details to a stranger. Eh, not so much.

So, two opposing forces battle between talking about....well, themselves. A 7 year old continues his power play and an adult continues her power play, seeing who has the biggest will or most staying power, or....something like that. Who will win? Hehe, my son won't give in that easy. Then again, neither should most writers. But, alas, most writers do give in that easy.

So, we end this verbal tug of war and agree that we'll see each other outside again soon, since the weather is nice.

Yes, a glimpse into a writer's life.

It's all glamorous and glitzy and, well...braggarty. Or something like that. Especially when it's not you bragging.

What's your glamorous life like? Gotta more glitzy than mine :)