Weighing The Costs

The publishing world has been evolving for a few years now. It's exciting and full of uknown possibilities.

Recently Huffington Post published an interesting article on how e-books are making print books more valuable.

Zondervan has also opened a new digital publishing venture. No advance but their e-books will be affordable and their royalties are comparable to other e-publishers.

What I would pay for a hardcover (which I very rarely buy) and an e-book is radically different. How much would you pay for an e-book?
With the advent of e-readers, is e-publishing more of a realistic publishing opportunity in your opinion?

Comments

Terri Tiffany said…
Still I won't buy an ebook. So it would not matter to me.
November 12, 2012 at 7:09 AM
Jennifer Shirk said…
I never buy hardcover--unless it's a gift. But yes, what i want to pay for ebook is radically different.
I won't pay $9.99 or higher for ebook.
Actually, I really like to keep my ebook price to $5.99 and under.
November 12, 2012 at 7:48 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Terri!!! You're stubborn. LOL!

Jennifer, same with me. I really prefer 1.99-3.99 for e-books too.
November 12, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Sandra Orchard said…
I only buy an Ebook if the price is radically lower...like free. :) I've bought a couple of writing craft books as Ebooks, because it allowed me to get them immediately, but I'm sorry I did. I make much more use of non-fic books on my shelf that I can quickly thumb through for info. As for signing with a non-advance paying Epublisher, at that point I'd want to know that the publisher is investing well in editing and advertising or you'd probably do just as well to self pub.
November 12, 2012 at 8:32 AM
Stina said…
This is a tricky question. I do buy hardback books, but I order them online so they are 20% cheaper than the listed price. I've been buying a lot of ebooks lately. But they are self published New Adult books with great reviews, and they only cost $3.99. Why would I want to buy a $9.99 ebook when I can get a great one for only $3.99????

Of course now I'm learning to snap them up quickly because the best selling SP NA books are being bought by traditional publishers, who up upping the price to #9.99. :P
November 12, 2012 at 8:32 AM
Janet Smart said…
I don't have a kindle and I'm not really into ebooks yet, but I have down loaded a few to my computer. I like a book I can take with me and read wherever I'm at. I admit, I am frugal and would not pay a lot for an ebook.
November 12, 2012 at 8:42 AM
Loree Huebner said…
I have paid $13.99 for an ebook. I wanted the convenience of it on my kindle. I've paid as little as $1.99.
November 12, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Karen Lange said…
The most I would pay for an ebook (fiction) is about 5 dollars. Any more than that and I might as well buy the paperback. My husband and I were just talking about this last night. For most books, we still prefer a hard copy, especially for study or writing craft books. Traditional books are more easily lent out, too.
November 12, 2012 at 9:45 AM
Gabrielle Meyer said…
I usually pay anywhere from Free to $8.99 for an e-book, depending on how much I like the author, but there have been many times when I wish I had a paperback to loan out to friends - and once in a while, I'll go and buy a paperback, although I already have an e-book, for that very reason. I'm still a die-hard fan of paperbacks and if I get published, I would like to pursue both avenues.
November 12, 2012 at 10:00 AM
Linda Kage said…
I one time paid $9.99 for an ebook. But my max is usually $7.99. I download a lot of the free ones on Amazon though, and am reading a bit more of a variety lately because of it!!

I'm addicted to reading everything on my iPad. It almost feels funny to read a normal book anymore.
November 12, 2012 at 10:07 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Very true, Sandra. That advance does give them a stake in how the book does.

Stina, I KNOW! For me, that's too high for an e-book. I like the free ones too, btw. It's a great way to get a taste of someone's writing.
November 12, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Janet, me too. I always, always have a book with me. Surprisingly, I've enjoyed some books on my iPhone too. Never thought that would happen! lol

Yikes, Loree!!! LOL I hope it was awesome and well worth the price. :-)
November 12, 2012 at 10:09 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Me too, Karen. I love lending books. My Nook has a LendMe feature for some books so my sister and I can share books through that.

Gabrielle, I'm with you. If I e-published, I'd want a way to make my book available in print too.
November 12, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Linda!! You're ahead of the game. No wonder you write YA. I have a feeling a lot of the generations after me will be reading on their iPads or whatnot.
November 12, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Erica Vetsch said…
For me, ebooks need to be under 10 bucks (except for the new Michael Connoly, which is coming out soon, and which I will pay more than 10 bucks for. :D )

I buy hardbacks, but only a couple a year, because I have all the books by a particular author or two and I'm adding their newest release.

November 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Lindsay Harrel said…
I don't understand why ebooks are the same price as or barely cheaper than print books. If they were cheaper, I'd be more tempted to buy them. But when they're the same price, I buy the print book because they're easier to loan out and share.
November 12, 2012 at 10:20 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Erica, you're hilarious!!!

Exactly, Lindsay. I think publishers are doing themselves a disservice and missing a huge market when they overprice e-books.
November 12, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Julie Jarnagin said…
I rarely buy hardback or paperback books anymore. It just makes more sense to have an ebook I can read on my phone and my kindle. I'll pay up to 9.99 for a book, if I really want it.
November 12, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Sherrinda Ketchersid said…
I don't buy hardcovers, but I do buy ebooks...but they have to be under $5. I do get alot free. :)
November 12, 2012 at 8:06 PM
Brandi Boddie said…
I love ebooks, but I'm reluctant to pay more than $8.00 for one. I have spent more on a reference book, but that was only in the case of the book being unavailable in stores. I won't purchase hardcover unless it's a nonfiction book that I will refer to again and again.
November 12, 2012 at 9:47 PM
pol said…
I will not go to ebooks, I want to hold a book and read it-am a senior citizen and guess that might be why I am set on this. I dont buy the hardbooks except on occasions. I do lot of paperback ones -used to belong to club but now just get them mostly when I see a sale.

Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
November 13, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Nancy said…
I would pay up to $30 for a truly great hardcover book. I don't have anything to put an e-book on so would not know for sure what I'd pay.
November 13, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Julie Dao said…
I'll pay a lot of money for a real book. Somehow I think it's more worthwhile to spend more on an actual volume that looks pretty on the shelf, as opposed to a book that's hidden away on an e-reader. But that's just me!
November 14, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Georgiana Daniels said…
Books that I know I'll want to pass on to my kids I buy in physical copy. Books that I consider brain candy I put on my Nook. I do think it creates more opportunities for authors. Exciting times!
November 14, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Sarah Forgrave said…
Interesting about Zondervan. I hadn't heard about that yet. As for e-books, I usually scour the sales prices, but if it's an author I love, I'll pay full price (not usually over $9.99 though).
November 15, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Anonymous said…
I also found it interesting about Zondervan. I do believe e-books are exciting for both authors and readers. The only hard copy books a buy now are ones I know I want to share, or my book club books. And I usually buy e-books that are 5.99 or less. If more, I wait until they go on sale.
November 15, 2012 at 1:19 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Julie, I agree.

Sherrinda, it's horrible but I love free books too!

Brandi, I'm not sure I'd pay more either.
November 15, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Paula, it's true we get used to a certain way of reading. I think paperbacks are very comfortable.

Nancy, wow!!! That is really interesting to hear. Thank you for sharing.

I think I agree, Julie. The premise of the article (I think) is that physical books have an intrinsic value due to them being "real" or solid.
November 15, 2012 at 7:20 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Georgiana!!! Brain candy??? *grin* I reject that label. lol

Thanks for chiming in, Sarah!

Lynn, good point!
November 15, 2012 at 7:21 PM
ACe said…
Hi Jessica, I have just started a blog called Authors Blogs and yours are the first featured. I hope this is OK. I'm a reader of books (there I said it!) and I just thought it would be interesting to collect authors blogs together to maybe help them reach a different/wider audience.
November 17, 2012 at 1:41 AM
Brenda Kay Ledford said…
Jessica,
I just found you blog. It's awesome!
I don't know about e-books. They may well be the trend of the future. I still like to hold a book and read it, but times are changing in publishing. Great blog!
November 17, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Susan J. Reinhardt said…
I almost never purchase hardcover books. They're way too expensive. I've spent up to $2.99 for an ebook, but often get freebies.

November 18, 2012 at 7:51 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi ACE,
I'd love to come visit but I couldn't click on your blogger name. It says your profile isn't enabled for the public. But thank you for putting my blog on there. I think it's an awesome idea! ;-)
November 18, 2012 at 10:59 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Brenda,
Thank you so much for visiting! :-) I love holding a book too but am finding that sometimes my imagination is so involved with a story that I'm not even aware I'm reading it on a Nook. :-)

Susan, so do I!
November 18, 2012 at 11:00 PM
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