This week on the YA Indie Carnival, we're all discussing "your biggest suprise going Indie." This was a tough topic. I believe that as an Indie author, I am much more empowered and have creative freedom but I'm not sure if that's what's important to readers. Sometimes authors focus on the wrong issues. What suprises me the most about Indie publishing is that readers often don't know or don't care about how a novel is published. They only look for a high quality purchase at a discounted cost.
Indie authors have a wonderful opportunity to offer high quality book covers, excellent editing, and a phenomenal story at a cost that is a small fraction of a New York or traditionally published novel. That's a huge suprise to most authors. A friend gave me the suggestion of an author who happens to be NY published. I was so excited to find the author and download the book on my Kindle. What stopped me from purchasing? The price point. $7.99 for a book that was written in 2005. In fact, it was book one in a series of ten books. I just wanted to get acquainted with the author and was unwilling to pay the $7.99 that the publisher set as the price. Bummed, but I thought, "hey, here's a series of ten books and the first book is free." This was an Indie author writing in the same genre. Not only did I buy the $0.00 book but I also purchased two more books within the series for $2.99. Happy Reading! I did a little dance as a downloaded to my heart's content. I received three books for $5. I still had $3 bucks left!
As time goes on, it'll become more and more difficult for readers to differentiate between the book that was traditionally published or Indie published. In fact, the reader may not care as long as they receive the great read that they're looking for... I think this bottom line price point is a suprise for many authors, agents, and publishers who are focused on the traditonal publishing model. Traditionally published novels will soon have to justify the higher cost to the consumer and the lower royalty check to the author with a product that's far superior. It'll be hard, though, because there are some awesome Indies out there that are kicking butt.
Check out what other YA Indie authors have to say this week.
Danny Snell's Refracted Light Reviews
Patti Larsen Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, and The Diamond City Trilogy.
Courtney Cole Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
Wren Emerson Author of I Wish and a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
Laura Elliott Author of Winnemucca.
Nichole A. Williams Author of Eternal Eden, and the upcoming Fallen Eden. She is also participating in the Glassheart Chronicles.
Fisher Amelie Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
Amy Maurer Jones Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
Rachel Coles. Geek Mom. Book Reviewer Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Whistles, Beergarden, Plagues, Bees of St. John, and Mushrooms.
T. R. Graves T.R. Graves: Author of Warriors of the Cross.
Cyndi Tefft Author of Between
P.J. Hoover Author of Solstice, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis.
Heather Cashman Author of Perception.
