joseph kwashie
po box jt 25 jamestown
accra/ghana
tel> +233 21 6561418
thanks

So any reader I get is an add-on and a bad review from the white “romance’ site isn’t really going to penetrate my core readership.

There’s an upside to not being a part of the ‘romance’ genre! I feel as if I’m cheating ;-).

The challenge is getting these ‘romance’ readers to read my work, period. Mr. Right Now isn’t my best effort, but some will see something they like and might become a regular reader, where they never, ever would have before. If they dislike my work, it isn’t like I’m losing a core reader of my genre.

More traditional romance readers would like my free holiday novella, The Choice, better. I think it’s a better effort than Mr. Right Now and still has a slight paranormal (and historical too) touch.

http://monicajackson.com/TheChoice.pdf

I belong to a Yahoo group that has weekly giveaways of ebooks from authors who offer them in exchange for a chance to “promo” the book there. In the last couple of years, I’ve added a number of new-to-me authors because of the freebies I won there!

Of course, as a few others have already mentioned, the flipside is also true. There are a few that went on my never-buy list after a freebie, too. However, it’s unlikely I would have bought the book in the first place. So it didn’t cost them a sale, just the possibility of future ones, if I’d liked it.

I think for option 1, only if the trusted reviewers will talk about it honestly.

Absolutely — if you are an author who can handle reader honesty. The Passion reference you made is a great case in point, because discussion did create a lot of buzz and sales for that book. But Valdez also turned some readers off because she was so persistent in responding to comments about her book on AAR and elsewhere. I think an author who gives away books has to be tolerant of critical reviews and reader feedback, or the strategy can backfire — even, IMO, if the book is a great read.

They’re probably afraid of it backfiring with a negative review.

Well, I got a less than favorable one from this very site, although I don’t think they got the book for free. And, you have that chance no matter if the person pays for it or not. It is part of being an author that I think a few people have a hard time getting used to. The majority of my upcoming ebook releases are with a publisher who handles all reviews, but I tend to give them away for blog days, loop days and sometimes I just get on my own chat group and give away a choice. Heck, I had a cover dissed on Smart Bitches and got soooo many hits from it. Seriously, publicity, good or bad, will bring recognition. But you do need to be careful because there are people who will use it as a tool to get back at authors. That hasn’t happened to me but I have seen it happen to other people. So, as an author, I would read over the site, make sure most of the reviews were fair and balanced, and then decide from there. And it costs you very little. No shipping, and the amount of money you have to put out to offer up the book is minimal.
JMHO

I have the fortune that I review a lot and can choose ebooks that appeal to me – this way I found a number of new authors I never would have tried otherwise. Regular novels from ebook publishers are sometimes so high priced (~7$) that I really regret it when they turn out to be a total flop (Bobby Michaels: Dar and Gregg anyone? a nice gay romance novel until it turned disgusting in the “hygienic” area). So free giveaways are a fantastic way to get to know a new author, and when I like her books I don’t mind spending good money on new releases.

And I agree, giving away books is probably the best promotion an author can do. I give away all the allotted copies for each of my titles and I put free reads up on my site, too. To distribute a free ebook copy of a print book you’d have to have the publisher’s support and permission and I think Baen is unique in their approach.

I think PBW’s free ebook challenge was a great thing for readers and authors alike. I’m still reading my way through the list and I’ve already bought a few books as a result of being introduced to these authors’ work for free.

1)limit distribution of pre-release books to those very few readers the author trusts, or 2) distribute very widely to account for both positive and less than positive feedback from those readers.

I think for option 1, only if the trusted reviewers will talk about it honestly. I’m also of the opinion that ANY discussion about a book is good (how many people bought Passion because of those negative comments, or the discussion surrounding it?) but I also think that readers in blogland are savvy — and that if only glowing reviews from a few friends are posted, it looks suspicious. I expect that some people will hate it or think it’s only “meh” and I’d love to see those reviews as well — because I’m well aware that one reader’s “meh” is another’s “woot!” (See: The Smoke Thief.)

And if I could, I’d be giving out free copies like mad — and the PDFs I have given out, it was because of Monica Jackson’s attempt to do the same: getting the word out there. And some people will buy it anyway, so it’s the people who might not try it because 1) I’m a new author and 2) price and/or 3) on the fence that I’d want to suck in with free copies.

I also still have a bit of the fanfic mentality, in that need to get a story out and share it, and damn the money. (But then practicality takes over, which is why I signed a contract in the first place.)

It is, however, a great argument for placing a free story/novella on the site for readers to download and get a sense of writing style. I might have to do that soon.

I’ve given away a few, will give away lots more, and have no problem with it. Readers appreciate it, and it gets my work out there to people who may look for the next release.

I think this was part of the motivation behind PBW’s recent e-book challenge, where dozens of talented writers offered free downloads of books and stories to readers.
I’m still making my way through them, and enjoying them immensely.

I never understand authors who are unwilling to give up one ebook or even print book for promo.

They’re probably afraid of it backfiring with a negative review.

I think the key here would be to either 1)limit distribution of pre-release books to those very few readers the author trusts, or 2) distribute very widely to account for both positive and less than positive feedback from those readers. I’m definitely one of those people who believes that ANY conversation about a book is a good thing, but if an author fears negative feedback and isn’t going to be able to refrain from rebutting those negative opinions, then maybe giving away books won’t work for that author. For some more established authors, writing for the reliable fans might be enough. For an author trying to build an initial or increased readership, though, I agree with Jane that spreading one’s book around at the very least creates good will toward the author. Even if I don’t really like a free book I get, I’m way more likely to pay attention to that author’s books in the event that one comes along I might like better.

I can see where authors and/or publishers might be wary, but I would think that *in general* if someone gets a book for free and loves it, they will go buy it. Heck, if they really like it they might just go out and get it for all their friends! Maybe if someone collected evidence of these trends more publishers and authors would be willing?

…I haven’t lost any sales, I’ve just won an audience.

Finding an audience can be difficult, by doing this a reader can try an author and if you “love” what you’ve read, you’re going to buy it and future works.

ARCs are an important part of the reviewing process, PDFs can work the same way, but on a larger scale. Reaching readers is what it’s all about, because we talk, blog and pass on books we love.

Meljean’s book is a great example of this. She sent me a PDF–Meljean, thank you once again–I’ve ordered this book for myself and I’ve decided to order another for on of my BILs, an avid horror and Sci/Fi reader. Please note books ordered through my local indie bookseller–Ms. Lisle should be proud *grin*.