Quote:
Originally Posted by rhadin
I am always hesitant to buy an ebook from an indie author because so many of them are poorly edited (if edited at all). Consequently, it has been my practice to look for free books by an author, "buy" them, and if I like the author and find the book at least moderately well-edited, actually buy other books by the author. I did this with VydorScope's books (although I still have to buy the newest release) and just yesterday with a series by Melissa McPhail. I haven't even quite finished the free book from her when I bought the second book in the series.
The same has been true with numerous other indie authors: Shayne Parkinson, LJ Sellers, Rebecca Forster, Tracy Falbe, Michael Hicks, and Vicki Tyley to name a few. In each case I read their free book and immediately purchased everything else they had published. I would not have bought any of their books in the absence of the free book to start.
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I'm similar I guess. I'm a bit of a hoarder so I'm also guilty of the download and not read - BIG TIME.
However, I do have an indie review blog so if an author can get onto my schedule (which admittedly is pretty difficult), the book will at least get read by me. I won't claim a massive readership because that would be a blatant lie. But I have been known to discuss indie books I've liked elsewhere, refer to them in group challenges in GoodReads, post reviews in Amazon and GoodReads and also, I will tend to purchase a book given to me if I like it enough. If I think it's good and fitting, I'll often buy multiple copies as gifts.
Having said all of that, without very reasonable copy editing, the work won't get much air time from me. I won't go to a huge effort to spread bad press - but I won't do anything to promote either. I appreciate that it's quite difficult for an self-pub to get decent copy editing, but I think I end up doing more harm than good helping the distribution of poorly edited works.
I've always wanted to try and post links to decent editing and cover art/illustration services on my site to help out indie authors looking for those services, but I wouldn't know a good editor if I tripped over one - and I wouldn't want to advertise sub-standard services.