Are you more or less likely to read a free book?

[Dellaster]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Classics apart, I'm unlikely to invest precious reading time on a free or cheap book. I work on the principle (not always accurate) that cover price is likely to reflect careful manuscript selectivity on the part of a publisher and professional editorial input. It comes as no surprise to me that only about half those in this poll who download freebies actually get around to reading them. Neil

I can't speak for others, but I took the poll question to include normally-priced book releases that are free for a limited time. I wasn't really thinking of self-published amateur stuff when I voted.

In other words, would I more likely "buy" a free promotional, one that's discounted 40+%, or the same book at the normal $8.95 price? It seemed a no-brainer.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Classics apart, I'm unlikely to invest precious reading time on a free or cheap book. I work on the principle (not always accurate) that cover price is likely to reflect careful manuscript selectivity on the part of a publisher and professional editorial input. It comes as no surprise to me that only about half those in this poll who download freebies actually get around to reading them. Neil

I agree. I can afford to buy any book I want to read and have the time to read. And if I buy a book it is probably because I want to read it so therefore a bought book is much more likely to be read.

[dickon25]

I'm definitely in the 'content before price' bracket. I download free books if they look interesting and I will read them all, in time! I've discovered several new authors whose works I've then gone on to buy - authors who I wouldn't normally have tried had the first offering not been free. Having said that, some of the free books have been particularly dire in their formatting (especially the early pdf's) which has made me shelve the book instantly!
It's very true what someone said earlier about intrinsic value, but it would be a great shame if new authors were intimidated from providing free product because they thought readers would think it valueless.

I find that I read books I've purchased almost as soon as they hit the reader - probably because I've made an effort to find that particular book, but also because I feel I need to read it in case there's a technical glitch and it disappears!!

[Elvira]

I'm not proud to report this, but I think I never download free books.. I skip right over them in lists unless it is a famous book like Pride and Prejudice. I don't know why exactly this is...when I see a price, even if it is under a dollar, I am more inclined to download.

[dickon25]

Hmm. Both neilmarr and elvira admit to completely ignoring free ebooks. Both of them are publishers.
So.......only books which have a publisher are worth reading? No wonder new authors find it so tough!

[ASparrow]

Originally Posted by dickon25

Hmm. Both neilmarr and elvira admit to completely ignoring free ebooks. Both of them are publishers.
So.......only books which have a publisher are worth reading? No wonder new authors find it so tough!

I read free books, because I understand that there are many reasons for an author to make a book available to readers for free and only some have anything to do with perceptions of quality.

If someone refuses to read free books out of some imagined principle that all such books are not worthy of attention, then that's just silly.

It's their loss. They're missing some great writing.

[KarenH]

I pick up a lot of "freebies". Most of the time they are books that I wouldn't pay for, but there has to be some interest there - I don't download something for no other reason than because it's free. A perfect example is the recent Amazon offering of most of the Lemony Snicket books. I've been mildly curious about them but not enough to buy any, but since they were free I downloaded them and will at some point read one of them. If I like it I'll read more, and if I don't I'm not out anything but the time spent reading one book.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by dickon25

Hmm. Both neilmarr and elvira admit to completely ignoring free ebooks. Both of them are publishers.
So.......only books which have a publisher are worth reading? No wonder new authors find it so tough!

No, Elvira, at least, simply said the book had to have a price. That doesn't mean "has to have a publisher". And an author who releases her own work is a publisher.
______
Dennis

[tompe]

Originally Posted by dickon25

Hmm. Both neilmarr and elvira admit to completely ignoring free ebooks. Both of them are publishers.
So.......only books which have a publisher are worth reading? No wonder new authors find it so tough!

This is a fallacy. The opinion that the probability that something that has not passed a filtering mechanism is not worth reading is very high or at least much higher than for a book that has passed a filtering mechanism does not lead to the opinion that all book that have not passed a filtering mechanism is not worth reading.

I want to maximize that chance that a book I start to read is good so I use filtering mechanisms that have worked for me before.

[dickon25]

No, Elvira, at least, simply said the book had to have a price. That doesn't mean "has to have a publisher". And an author who releases her own work is a publisher.

I take your point and agree with you. But in this context 'free' is taken to mean a new, self-publishing author trying to get their work read, usually because they've been unable to attract the attention of one of the big publishing houses. I don't think we're referring to Dan Brown or JK Rowling offering a freebie as a Christmas treat. The point is that new authors face a massive uphill struggle when even the small indie publishers don't read their stuff because it's free and they therefore think, often erroneously, that it can't be any good.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by dickon25

No, Elvira, at least, simply said the book had to have a price. That doesn't mean "has to have a publisher". And an author who releases her own work is a publisher.

I take your point and agree with you. But in this context 'free' is taken to mean a new, self-publishing author trying to get their work read, usually because they've been unable to attract the attention of one of the big publishing houses. I don't think we're referring to Dan Brown or JK Rowling offering a freebie as a Christmas treat. The point is that new authors face a massive uphill struggle when even the small indie publishers don't read their stuff because it's free and they therefore think, often erroneously, that it can't be any good.

Indie publishers can't read stuff that isn't submitted to them.

And an author who chooses to self-publish may not have submitted to any publisher.

There are a fair number of self-published authors who just like to write, and want their stuff to be read. They aren't in it for the money, and are perfectly happy to give it away.

A publisher - even an independent - does have to care about the money.
______
Dennis

[Kirtai]

I'm more likely to read free books by unknown authors because I'm more likely to get them. It's a matter of convenience; if I see a free book that looks vaguely interesting I'll grab it, if I have to pay then that requires more thought and possibly more work (registering with sites, digging out credit card info, etc) which I might just not bother with.

Of course, if it's an author I already know I like then that's different.

[dreams]

It's beginning to sound as if it is a different decision based on whether it is a "new" indie author or a "new" author with an established publisher.

I'll be the first to admit that I do have a different thought process between the two above. I'm more likely to try a free or low priced book (under $3) from a "new" indie author and less willing to try a $5 -10 book from a "new" author with a indie or established major publisher.

Once the price becomes more than free (or above $2) I am much more selective and less willing to try an indie author. (this = possible less visibility for the author in download / purchase rankings which = possible less visibility to potential customers).

New author books from established or indie publishers, I try to make sure that people with my same reading tastes like the book, before I consider purchasing above $3. (So, I'm much less willing to take a chance.)

I would think that indie authors trying to get a following would promote the heck out of a free first book (Boyd Morrison ), even if it means thousands of downloads and few actual written reviews, just to establish a following and have their name recognized.

If I come across an indie author name I recognize, I automatically stop and check out the book. There are many authors on MR that I regularly get their books just to support them (several purchased and not read yet).

[lib2b]

I like to have a lot of choices when it come time to start a new book, so I have loaded up my Nook with quite a backlog of books - many free, some purchased.

I don't just download anything that's free - I do like to be on the lookout for things like limited time free downloads from authors I like, even if it's a book I already read (for example, the current free download of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely), free downloads from authors I've been meaning to try out (for example Kelly Link's short story collections), or free downloads that are a genre that I am interested in or just generally seem like a book I might enjoy. Also classics that are public domain that I have already read and loved or that I have been meaning to read.

Something that impacts my purchasing decisions that isn't on this poll is the presence of DRM. If the book has DRM, it needs to be cheap or free, if it doesn't, I'm willing to pay more if it's something I'm really interested in reading.

In terms of what I actually read, if I downloaded it, I'm interested in reading it; it may take me awhile to get around to it because if I see something I'm interested in that's free or on sale, I download it in case the price goes up in the future.

[Vintage Season]

Originally Posted by dickon25

Hmm. Both neilmarr and elvira admit to completely ignoring free ebooks.

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

No, Elvira, at least, simply said the book had to have a price.

My logic is simply that, as a relatively unknown author, it is in my best interest to promote the wider dissemination of my writing and allow readers to evaluate my worth prior to attempting any sort of book deal. How can I hope to hook people with something at full price if they have no clue what sort of quality I can be expected to deliver?

Free samples accomplish that dissemination, and a "sample" is more likely to be devoured if it is a self-contained morsel than if it is merely a bit of crust.

Anyone who hasn't bothered to grab a copy of "We Don't Plummet Out of the Sky Anymore" because it doesn't have a price is welcome to send $12.99 per download, to show that I do indeed value it as a creative work. Barring that, my current "price" is an honest review... and it's the same price for the story, whether you like it or not.

- M.