random thoughts

How much should ebooks on Kindle cost?

~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

I know, I haven’t been writing much here lately. Interrupted by life – teaching our youngest daughter Leah how to drive, setting up Talkshoe radio shows to interview my guests, attending telecalls and webinars, doing some work here at home for a friend, and today watching Ray open his birthday present which finally arrived from Amazon – a Kindle, so he can read his science fiction ebooks on it at work during down time.

It is so much smaller than I expected, thin, light-weight, but Ray was surprised and happy with it.  (Speaking of ebooks, did you know that my ebook on prayer Walking With God is available for sale in the Kindle edition for just 99 cents? Just click here.)

Just like ebook publishing changed the face of publishing and writing, the Kindle and other ebook readers are changing it once again. One of the biggest questions is the “value” of the ebook.

There is controversy among authors regarding how to price their ebooks on Kindle. Some argue that they are charging for intellectual property, not the cost of paper. The prices of many new releases and best sellers are rising from $9.99 to $14.99 in the next few months, although many readers of ebooks oppose prices higher than $9.99. There are also a LOT of ebooks listed in the 99 cents to $4.99 range.

Douglas Preston, whose novel “Impact” reached No. 4 on The New York Times’s hardcover fiction best-seller list earlier this month, was amazed by the public’s opposition to higher prices and said, “It’s the Wal-Mart mentality, which in my view is very unhealthy for our country. It’s this notion of not wanting to pay the real price of something.”

When his publisher delayed the ebook version of his novel by four months to protect his hardback cover sales, he said it gave him pause when 50 people emailed him, saying, “I’m never buying one of your books ever again.  I’m moving on, you greedy, greedy author.”

I laughed at this. Why are authors labeled as greedy when they simply want to make an honest  living from their mental labor? I agree that while we all want a bargain, what we authors/writers are charging for is intellectual property – our time, our effort, our research, our prayers (!), etc. When I put my ebook on the Kindle, I was stupid hadn’t researched it much and thought that since 99 cents was a common price, that is what I was SUPPOSED to do. I am about to raise my price on it, though – so get the 99 cents price now while it’s still available!

What are your thoughts on ebook prices? Do you think they should cost less than the cost of a regular printed book? Why or why not? What price would you recommend for a Kindle or another Ereader ebook? Leave your comments below.

To learn more about the Kindle, click here: Kindle 3G, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 3G Works Globally, Graphite, 6″ Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology – includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers.

*Some links on this website may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I believe in and endorse myself.

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Should you self-publish or use a traditional publisher?

~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

Today there are so many more options for writers to get the messages of their heart out there: traditional publishing, self publishing, publishing on the Kindle or other E-Readers, etc. Technology is changing so fast, and with it the face of publishing books. Self-publishing is now longer viewed as negatively as it once was. (Example: Seth Godin’s best-selling, self-published books)

Below is a video by traditionally published authors Tim Ferris and Rami Sethi regarding the benefits and the drawbacks of traditional publishing and self-publishing. They both lean toward traditional publishing, and Rami used to have a negative view of self-publishing but his opinion has changed since then.

You can read a great post by Trissa Tismal by clicking here.

Some great advice she gave was, “Regardless which route you decide to take, what’s important is learning everything you can to make your book a success. In the end it’s up to you to make your book a bestseller.

I’d love to know your experiences with either traditional publishing and self-publishing, and what you think of this video. Leave your comments below.

Video – self-publishing vs. traditional publishing

PS: Do you have your copy yet of Beth’s new book on women and spiritual warfare? To learn more, click here.

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When you need rest

~ Beth ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever had a day whose hours seemed to stretch and stretch…until your “fuel tank” was running empty? It’s been one of those days – and weeks – for me. Our oldest daughter Heather (married, with kids) woke up yesterday morning with a fever and sore throat. My husband Ray started coughing today, and I am not feeling too whoopy myself with a headache and slight fever.

Today I interviewed one of the contributor writers for my new ebook, and one of the guests in the chat room wasn’t able to hear the sound, although everyone else could (she had never used Talkshoe before and didn’t know how to use it, even though I was trying to tell her how) – and I felt so bad for her! (The interview with Stephanie Buckwalter went great, though! You can listen to it here, with the interviews of the other contributor writers under “Past Episodes.”)

It’s days like these when we just need to lay our heads down in Jesus’ lap like John the Beloved disicple did. To rest. To be renewed and restored.

Just you and God. His hand upon you. You hearing His heartbeat of love for you. His strength pouring into your tired, weary body. His voice soothing your anxieties and your stress. His Spirit calming you like still waters (Psalm 23).

Take some time today to rest. Create a sacred space for God and your writing. To be still and quiet before God. To hear His voice. To write down what He’s speaking to you. Rest, child, rest. Bring your weariness, your troubles to Me, and I”ll take care of them. Set aside your urgent to-do list, and just be in My presence. Let me fill you again.

“Come with Me to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:30-31)

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