The dreaded science of Mathematics again raises it's ugly head as Dean Wesley Smith makes the case for the $4.99 Indie Novel. Click here to read Dean's post. (No that link doesn't work any more, it just goes to Dean's blog.)
Good GAD! The Indie roof may fall in. The culture of the 'Dollar Dreadful' has become entrenched - so I doubt even DWS's persuasive voice can be heard above the din.
I think he's got a heck of a point.
Add up the cost of rent, electricity, internet and add the day-to-day cost of living - $.35 an e-book just doesn't cut it for anyone except a hobby writer.
Even for a hobby writer - cover art and a copy editor can set you back $300 to $500 per book. Sell a couple thousand books at $0.99 to break even? Maybe you don't mind. But for the low-end that's not a lot of payback at $.35 royalty.
You know something is wrong when you see a $.99 book for sale and cringe inside, and it's not even your book.
To be comfortable in my own skin, I've got 'Let's Do Lunch' for sale at $3.99 and 'Swallow the Moon' is $3.99 therefore 'Impressive Bravado' a short story is $.99 or free.
These prices are fair in the Real World.
In the Indie Ghettos these prices are very high. At this point you have to ask yourself - to whom am I marketing this e-book?
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Oh, sadly, two or even 3 years later, the Dollar Dreadful still rules in Indie Book-land.
It's a micro-business, after all.
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