The Suspense of It All! discussion

What price range do you spend on ebooks? Is there a price below which you say 'This book must be trash', or above which you decline to buy based on price?
Can you give writers a 'magic number' to set our prices?

$7.99 is my max, but I rarely spend that much. Most of the time if the ebook is that high, I can find a print copy cheaper at Target. I set that price because there was a book I really wanted to read and the library didn't have it, I couldn't find it in the store, and that was its price.

I priced my first two short stories, Locked Room: A Katla KillFile and Microchip Murder: A Katla KillFile 99c, but I arranged for them to be permafree on Kobo, iTunes and amazon.com and amazon.ca. They're intended as loss leaders, i.e. they are free so people can get an idea of my writing style.

The first novel in the series, Reprobate: A Katla Novel was 4.99, but became 3.99 when Peccadillo: A Katla Novel was published at 4.99. I published my third short story, Fundamental Error: A Katla KillFile at 1.99.

The third novel, Rogue, will come out November 15th, and will be 4.99, while both Peccadillo and Reprobate will drop one dolllar in price.

Although you can read Reprobate for free if you apply for a review copy.

How much do you spend as a reader, Martyn? Do you have a maximum?

Kristi wrote: "How much do you spend as a reader, Martyn? Do you have a maximum?"
My maximum on e-books is 9.99, but most books I buy are 3.99-5.99, which I think is the sweet spot for novels.

Please don't get me started on how much I spend on European graphic novels... :)

Martyn wrote: "My maximum on e-books is 9.99, but most books I buy are 3.99-5.99, which I think is the sweet spot for novels.

Please don't get me started on how much I spend European graphic novels..."

Funny how we can justify spending much more on our passions, eh?

I have found the free books are the greatest find. Usually, I end up reading things I wouldn't normally read but in the end I enjoy them. If I get hooked, I will pay up to $3.99. If I'm paying more I want it on my bookshelf.

Thanks for that insight, Hd. So the free first book of the series, theoretically, would hook you so that you might pay $3 for each of the other books in the same series? Of course, if you weren't hooked, you wouldn't buy in on the rest of them. Sounds fair enough to me. :-)

If the ebook is written by someone I hadn't read before I'd spend up to $4.99, unless I'm very intrigued by the cover and blurb. If it's a new release by JD Robb or John Sandford I'd spend the $11.99.

Danielle wrote: "If the ebook is written by someone I hadn't read before I'd spend up to $4.99, unless I'm very intrigued by the cover and blurb. If it's a new release by JD Robb or John Sandford I'd spend the $11.99."

You are a star! How encouraging for new authors.

Kristi wrote: "Danielle wrote: "If the ebook is written by someone I hadn't read before I'd spend up to $4.99, unless I'm very intrigued by the cover and blurb. If it's a new release by JD Robb or John Sandford I..."

I just like to read and I explore other books in order to find something new. I'm about to be a new self-published author myself and I'd like to think readers would give me the same chance.

Danielle wrote: "I just like to read and I explore other books in order to find something new. I'm about to be a new self-published author myself and I'd like to think readers would give me the same chance. ..."

Where's the 'like' button when you need one?

"Like "
:)