Should Indie Authors Charge $2.99 for Short Books?

You Want to Charge $3 for 35 Pages???

I charge .99 because I am a reader as well as a writer, and I want to make my books affordable. However, I wonder if am I losing potential readers because of my price.

I really want to know what readers think on this one. If you are familiar with my work, you know I normally write novelettes (between 12,000 - 18,000 words). I personally like erotica at that length and feel comfortable charging .99. I am confident it is worth at least that much for the hot sex scenes. ;)

I have been noticing other erotica authors charging 2.99 for the same length novelettes and I am a little shocked, especially if it is part of a series. If an author charges that much for five novelettes within a series, he/she has just made the reader pay $15 bucks for what ends up being a simple novel by the end. That is a lot of money!

* For those not in the industry, an indie author makes 35% for books under 2.99 and 70% for any books sold 2.99 or higher on Amazon. There is a financial incentive for charging more.

However, I think 2.99 is too much for books under 20,000 words. Yet if you look on Amazon's erotica list right now, you will see the series Anything He Wants is doing VERY well, even though reviewers are complaining about the price of the last two novelettes.

So, my question is this:

Do you generally feel that a book is more viable if there is a higher price attached to it - no matter the length?

Let me put it more bluntly...

Do you feel a  .99 book is normally not worth reading?

Erotica is NOT Porn

When I tell people that I write erotica most answer with a snicker, "Oh, you write porn, huh?"

I take exception to that. I write erotica, it’s a different genre. Although it may share some similarities with porn, it is literature first and foremost.

In my eyes, Erotica is:

·         Literature that includes detailed erotic scenes

·         Guaranteed to excite (see, hear, feel, taste, and “experience” the couplings)

·         Created to invoke a response - whether it be romantic or sexual in tone, you should have a physical reaction to the words on the paper

·         Respectful of the reader, giving a plausible storyline that carries you to each sexual scene

·         Geared more for women although men read and write it

I am proud to be an erotica author and stand behind the stories I create. If you were to take out the sexual details, you would still have an engaging romance. It just wouldn’t be as “exciting” to read. I like the extra details that take it from entertainment to an experience.

What is Erotica?

Is it Erotica or Romance?

I have a friend and fellow writer, R.E. Butler, who recently wrote about the difference between romance and erotica, Classifying Romance and Erotica. Reading her blog made me think. I know the publisher norms for romance are that it must have a likeable heroine, a problematic romance, and no matter what there must be a HEA (Happily Ever After) or at least a HFN (Happy for Now) ending. I also tend to see romance novels as having sex throughout, but using silly or flowery words to convey it.

Now erotica is more about the sexual encounters. It may have romance, but you know that as you read it you are going to get HOT. It is not safe to read erotica around family or employers (unless it's your spouse), because you are going to get horny if it is well written. The storyline requirements for erotica is not limiting and the words used are real words spoken in the bedroom.

There have been a few short stories that I have read on Smashwords that were labeled as erotica, but in my opinion fell far from the mark. Just because you say the characters had sex does not make it erotica. If you don't take me into the mindset of the character and detail what they are seeing, doing and feeling then it is not erotica to me.

I do like romance with my erotica, so I am happy to read a storyline that sets up the characters and events. But don't leave me hanging! I recently read an erotic storyline between a police officer and an FBI agent thinking, "Oh yeah, oh yeah. This is going to be good!" The author kept hinting at this delicious and naughty scene and then did not deliver at the end. She skimmed over it and I was left panting and desperate for more. Grrr...

When I write erotica, I want you to experience what my characters are experiencing and I design it to excite you. If you read my work and it doesn't get the juices flowing, then it is not a successful story in my opinion. Now, if you don't care for my endings - hey, I'm sorry. I'm not 100% sold on HEA endings. :) Just saying...

Why This Erotica Author Loves Smashwords

I remember talking to a friend and fellow writer last year who said she was using Smashwords. I scoffed, because I wanted to be published by traditional means and I'd heard bad things about their formatting. She really liked it, so the company name stuck in my head.

Publishing with Smashwords

Well, after being told by publishers and agents that my stories were hybrids and not market worthy, I checked out Smashwords for myself. I thought I would get my feet wet by publishing a few short stories. The instructions Smashwords gave in their little eBook, Smashwords Style Guide, was invaluable and easy to understand. The book walked me through the process and even made me feel that I wasn't an idiot if some of it seemed confusing. I got my stories to meet Smashwords' standards so that they were eligible for premium distribution (meaning my books would go out to six online bookstores, including Barnes & Noble and Apple).

I've sold a few books on Smashwords and put up a few for free (wanted people to get a taste of my writing style). It's been exciting seeing how many people download my "sensual quickies" and getting reviews from actual customers is a thrill.

I like Mike Coker's approach to running his company. I feel supported, appreciated, and informed. A recent issue arose in the erotica arena. He sent out (and continues to send) email updates while he negotiates with PayPal.

Using Smashwords Helped Me Publish on Amazon

A fellow author from Smashwords gave me tons of information and support, suggesting that I also publish on Amazon. Because of the experienced gained by using Smashwords, I was able to work Amazon's publishing process. I would have struggled without that prior experience. Plus, I know that if my file has no errors with Smashwords' formatting, it will work for Mobi as well.

Making Money

I was surprised a month later when I looked at my statement on Smashwords (payments are made quarterly - but you can check out your ongoing totals) and found that I was making money from B&N. The next month’s statement showed that Apple was also providing sells.

I finally understood the power Smashwords affords me as a new writer. I am out in the market, able to decide what price I want to sell my books for and I don't have to worry whether my books are "hybrids"or not. My success is in my hands!

Benefits to Publishing on Smashwords

By using Smashwords, I can create a clean eBook and have it distributed to the major bookstores (excluding Amazon at this time). I also am able to determine my price. On top of that, I can choose to make some books free so people are able to sample my writing and determine if this indie author is worth their reading time. Using them is a win/win for me. I LOVE Smashwords and recommend it to any indie author who wants to control his/her own success.

FYI - I am an indie author of erotica who started publishing with Smashwords in December 2011.