Should traditionally published authors quit the big-5?
Look at the screen grab and see if the same thought occurs to you?
Jim Butcher is one of my favourite authors, so I was eager to see his latest Dresden book. His publisher is asking for $17.23 for the Kindle version – a “$10 saving”.
To drum up interest, they put out the first 7 or so books out at $1.99.
What strikes me is he has a huge following, can demand high prices … but likely makes less money than if he self-published at this point.
If I was Mr Butcher
(which I am far from being)
Contracts and motivation aside, consider this scenario:
- Jim uses his fame and connections to grow a list.
- He uses this list to promote his self-published works (perhaps alongside traditional).
- His customers respond at $17 price point so he can charge at $9.99 and probably make the same or similar per purchase.
- Most of his fans, like myself, are addicts. I would totally subscribe rather wait and see.
- Membership model would make Jim more money, with more predictability, and he wouldn’t have to care much what happened to the publishing industry or Amazon.
Thoughts?