How Much Should A Book Cost?

YA writers and bloggers unite each week to share their thoughts on what it's like going indie in today's publishing world.

I have just released my latest novel - Unknown - so YA Indie Carnival's discussion today is quite timely. I had to ask myself this very question as I uploaded my book the other day. 

How much should this book cost? How much is it worth?

It saddens me to realize that a book's cost and worth are two very different things. When I think about all the hours I've poured into my novels and the money I've spent on editors to make sure they a quality reads, I cringe to think that I may only sell them for 99c.

But the thing is, there is no point putting in all this time and effort and publishing it online then not selling one single copy. So pricing is a very important consideration.

When it comes to pricing, I try to think like a reader. I don't mind spending up to $5 for en e-book. I'll even spend up to $8 if it's an author I really love. Now I don't know any indie authors that would price their stuff that high. Most of the authors I know price their books at either 99c or between $2.99 - $4.99, which I am always happy to pay. It's WAY cheaper than the $25+ I used to spend on paperback novels.

Personally, I would love to charge $3.99+ for all my books. They are all over 60,000 words long, they are a decent read and I feel like they are worth that much, but from a marketing stand point, I choose not to do that. I am trying to find a happy compromise. 

So - my very first book (the first of a series) is permanently free - Golden Blood. The next two books in the series are $3.99 each. Some people don't like this, but I figure I'm giving them one book for free, so they're picking up an entire trilogy for just under $8, which really isn't bad. My two stand alone novels are $3.99 each and my latest release (the first of a series) is $2.99. 

By making $2.99 my lowest price, I am able to benefit from 70% royalties on Amazon and it also gives me room to move with specials. I try to run some sort of special every couple of months on my books. I don't mind dropping the price to 99c for a short period of time. It's a great boost for my rankings. I tend to only do this with first books in a series though.

Now I don't know if I have it right. I still have much to learn about marketing, but this strategy seems to be working for now.

How about you?
What do you think books are worth?


If you'd like to find out what the other carnival goers think, you can follow the links below. 
And don't forget to check out our latest news on our YA Author Club site.

1.	Laura A. H. Elliott	2.	Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3.	T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series	4.	Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga
5.	Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog	6.	K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
7.	Gwenn Wright, author of Filter	8.	Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.
9.	Ella James	10.	Maureen Murrish
11.	YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings	12.	A Little Bit of R&R
13.	Melissa Pearl	14.	Terah Edun - YA Fantasy
15.	Heather Sutherlin - YA Fantasy

Editing - Is It Money Well Spent?

YA writers and bloggers unite each week to share their thoughts on what it's like going indie in today's publishing world.

When I published my first book in 2011, I didn't have any money. My cover designer let me pay her off over a year as I started earning money for sales and I did everything else myself...including my own editing. 

Now that I have a little cash in the bank and I have learned a few hard lessons, I can safely say, that I think you should always use an editor. I have recently paid for my first book, Golden Blood, to be proof-read by a professional. It has felt so good to republish the book without all those mistakes in it. Black Blood and Pure Blood are also being re-edited and will be re-published very soon.

I think a lack of quality editing can really tarnish a book. 

First and foremost, you need a structural edit. I use my critique readers for this - fellow authors who know what they're talking about. They really help me find all the holes in my story and ask me thought provoking questions that make my work better.

Secondly, you need a line edit. I pay a professional for this service. I have used a couple of different people and I'm not opposed to using a little variety here. Sometimes it's good to get a fresh perspective from a different set of eyes for your different projects. The lady who is working on my Elements Trilogy (Laurie Boris) is brilliant and I love working with her. She has really lifted my writing by pointing out errors and sentence structures that don't work. 

Thirdly, you need a decent proof-reader. Until recently (with my Time Spirit Trilogy), I have never paid for this service, but I think I'm going to start. I am still horrified how many mistakes get missed in spite of the fact I've read my work multiple times, plus had others read it for me. Having someone who is awesome at proofing your work can only be a good thing.

Now, I know editing is a pricey business, but I figure if I'm aiming to produce quality, I should be putting my money into the thing that will help make my work quality. In my opinion, your budget should be spent on editing, cover design and a little paid advertising. So far, those financial outlays have given me the best results.

What is your take on editing?
Have you had good or bad experiences with your work and different editors?


Check out what the other YA Indie Carnival members think on their sites, which are listed below.

You can also check out the YA Author Club for the latest updates and news on what we're all up to.

1.	Laura A. H. Elliott	2.	Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3.	T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series	4.	Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga
5.	Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog	6.	K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
7.	Gwenn Wright, author of Filter	8.	Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.
9.	Ella James	10.	Maureen Murrish
11.	YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings	12.	A Little Bit of R&R
13.	Melissa Pearl	14.	Terah Edun - YA Fantasy
15.	Heather Sutherlin - YA Fantasy

January Sale!

It's time for my monthly progress report, but to be honest, with being away on holiday, I don't have that much to share just at the moment. I am slowly finding my feet again and getting back into the swing of things.

I really needed a break and I enjoyed every moment of it. It's good to be back though.

To celebrate the start of a new year, I am having a JANUARY SALE on all my books.
Golden Blood is FREE and the rest of my books are on special at $2.99 for a limited time.

Here is my Amazon Author Page where you can purchase the books.

I hope everyone has had an amazing Christmas and is gearing up for a fantastic 2013. I know I'm excited :)

If you'd like to stay up to date with my news, please sign up for my monthly Book Updates Newsletter. This will keep you posted on all my latest book news and any specials or giveaways I have running.

I have some more exciting news brewing in February and I can't wait to share it with you. In the meantime, have an awesome start to your year everybody!!!

Guess What I'm Reading!

Golden Blood is available on Amazon and Create Space eStore. It will also be filtering down to other online distributors over the next few weeks.

E-mail address: melissapearlguyan (at) gmail (dot) com

Ready, Set, GO!!

Okay, so I uploaded my book this weekend and it's all happened very fast!

Golden Blood is now available for only $0.99 on Smashwords in multiple formats or through Amazon.

It's so amazing to see it online. A total dream come true. I've been working with these characters for three years now, so to see a cover up and people purchasing my story is such an amazing feeling.

If any of you would like to review my book, I'm happy to supply you a free copy. Just leave me a message in the comment box and I'll get in touch with you.

I know announcing this on the weekend when the blogging world takes a small breather is probably not the best strategy, but I just couldn't wait. For those of you reading this, forgive me if I do a similar post again on Monday :)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.