WHEN FREE E-BOOKS GO BAD by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)
Have you ever noticed that as soon as something's given away for free, it seems to spur people to react in ways they'd probably wouldn't if they'd paid good money for the product? It's like they suddenly have a... what's a good word to describe this? Maybe a sense of entitlement? By that I mean that even if it was a freebie, if the product doesn't live up to their expectations, they feel compelled to bad-mouth it to the world.
Since I'm an author, it's not a stretch to guess the products I'm referring to here are books. Specifically, eBooks. And even more specifically, eBooks that, for whatever reason, the authors have decided to make into "loss leaders" by offering them to readers via various e-tailers for free.
From my experience, authors usually select a "loss leader" (often the first book in a series) in the hope of encouraging readers to try other books from the same author. We're told offering a free book to potential readers is a good marketing ploy....
Or is it?
What I'm seeing more and more on forums and writing loops lately leads me to believe that offering that book you've slaved over for months--or maybe years--for free can backfire in a big way. I've seen many comments suggesting that if readers pay say, $4.99 for an ebook and then don't like it for whatever reason, they won't go to the trouble of leaving a less-than-complimentary online review. They'll just shrug and take it on the chin. But once a book is offered free, for some reason it becomes a whole 'nother story.
It's like as soon as some people (Wild Readers excluded of course!) see that $0.00 price-tag, they go mad "buying" the kind of stories they'd never usually look at in a million years, in genres they actively loathe with a passion that should only be reserved for consuming chocolate or your favorite alcoholic tipple. And then for some reason I can't yet fathom, these people get totally POed when they don't like what they've "bought", even though it cost them nothing.
Books that have garnered glowing reviews--and by that I mean genuine reviews from genuine readers who were moved enough by a story to log in and leave reviews because they loved the book--suddenly get a slew of 1-star reviews and somewhat scathing comments that'd make even my dead straight hair curl. It's almost as though some people feel its their duty to pull the book apart in a very public manner, and tell the world how much they hated it, solely because they got it for free.
Free books also seem to attract far more than their fair share of the kind of frustrating comments that make it blazingly clear the reader didn't take any notice whatsoever of the blurb and/or the genre of the book. For example, complaining about graphic sex in the story when it's clearly stated in the blurb etc that it's an erotic romance or erotica. Complaining the story is too short, when it's clearly stated to be a novella or short story AND the word count is clearly stated, too. Complaining about the lack of a HEA in what's clearly a series with a three-book arc. Or how about this one--my favorite WTF moment discussed recently on a loop--a reader complaining she bought an incomplete story that cuts off after chapter two... when the "incomplete story" was actually the excerpt from the next book in the series included at the end of the original (and totally complete) story. The mind boggles.
But the thing that floors me the most is hearing about readers on forums talking about how ALL self-published books blow chunks, and they shouldn't be allowed to exist. (They're a lot less polite than that, BTW.) Their solution? They make a point of "buying" free books and returning them as some kind of message to the authors about how much their self-published books suck.
Wow. That takes dedication. Who's got time to do that? Not me. And hey, it was, you know, FREE. So really, what's the big deal?
I appreciate reading honest reviews--everyone's allowed their own opinion. And so long as the reviews aren't all complaining about poor formatting and loads of spelling mistakes and grammar errors throughout, a 1-star review isn't a deal breaker for me. It's not going to stop me from buying a book I like the look of. And I don't know 'bout you, but honestly, if it turns out an eBook I've bought isn't to my taste, then that's tough. I figure I should have read the blurb and the product info page more carefully, perhaps perused the reviews, or even *gasp* used that handy dandy Look Inside the book feature to read a chunk of the book before buying. Okay, yeah: I admit I've got that whole caveat emptor thing going on *g*
Bottom line? For me, doesn't matter if I paid for the eBook or if it's a freebie. If it's not to my taste, the only action I tend to take is to delete the eBook from my eReader and move right on to the next one.
But that's me. And here's the thing: I'm considering making one of my published books a "loss leader". So I'm eager as all heck to get an insight into readers' minds when it comes to free eBooks. And you and I both know I'm such a Speshul Snowflake that I cringe at the prospect of 1-star reviews and people who don't usually read my genre tearing my books apart online because they didn't check out the product page properly and the story didn't meet their expectation. And the mere thought of all those soul-destroying returns just makes me want to howl. (I've only had two returns on Amazon to date, and each time I was gutted.)
- So tell me Wild Readers, what do you think about free books in general?
- Have you ever returned a free book?
- Have you ever written a review for a free book offered as a loss leader?
- Have you ever gone on to buy more books from that author?
- Would you bother writing a review for a free book you took a chance on, and ultimately disliked?
- Am I worrying about nothing, and is this entire post utter nonsense? (A distinct possibility considering I'm still detoxing after all that chocolate I scoffed over Easter *cough* amine challenge *cough*)
Thanking you in advance for your always insightful comments,
Maree
14 comments:
Maree - Personally I don't assume free e-books are crap. I often download free titles - though, just as with free "dead tree" books, it may take me a long time, up to and including forever, to actually read them. I know Samhain frequently makes one title by an author free for a limited time (usually 2 weeks) as a loss leader, and they've found this tactic to be very profitable.
I will say, however, that I was HORRIBLY offended by a free e-book that had a ton of typos and grammar mistakes (at least one on virtually every page). I resented getting such a shoddy, unprofessional product, even for free, and I'll never again respect the author the same way I did before I downloaded that book.
I also don't think it's reasonable to be offended when someone returns one of your books. Haven't you ever returned something to a store? Even with due diligence, a person can make a mistake about whether a particular product meets their needs.
Just my opinion, and worth what you paid for it. ;-)
Thanks for the insight, Gail. Especially about limiting the free period.
And I'm with you: I never assume free eBooks are crap--in fact I've discovered some awesome new-to-me authors that way. I've also found a few I'll not read again because of poor formatting, and numerous spelling and grammatical errors that made reading a chore rather than a pleasure. If I'd paid good money for those books, I think I'd have to return them. Depends on the price, I guess. Hmmm. What would my price limit be for returning a poorly edited/formatted book I couldn't finish? Anything over $1.99? $2.99? Tricky. I guess I'll know when it happens!
As a reader, I admit I applaud being able to return an eBook I've accidentally bought--that One Click on Amazon is scary to accidentally click! But as an author, I'm worried when I hear of people on forums who are deliberately buying books, reading them, and then returning them within the seven-day period--and working their way through entire series. Seems to me if this becomes more prevalent, Amazon might have to consider limiting the number of returns a customer can have within a specified period. It's a tough one. I don't think there's an easy answer that'll keep both parties happy, either.
Wow, seems the layers of people's 'dark sides' just get deeper and deeper. I have never returned a book, hard copy or digital, because as far as I'm concerned if it was a mistake to buy it, it was MY mistake. Not the author's.
I'm afraid it's a fact of life that some people get a kick out of putting others down *shrug*, part of the human equation I suppose. And for sensitive 'Snowflakes' learning to thicken your hide is easier said than done.
I agree with your point regarding Amazon having to keep an eye on ratings, Maree. Reviews can all too easily be skewed if deluged by those on a mission to prove reading is not something that comes naturally.
I get reviews of all kinds on my freebie, including the dreaded one-star ones. They are usually from people who loathe my genre, but felt mysteriously compelled to read my book - to exercise their hate muscle, perhaps. These 'reviews' take the form of ill-spelt, one-line messages with several typos included for good measure - almost like kisses on the bottom of a letter from one's maiden aunt. At first I was upset. But more recently, I have come to understand these delightful little messages of ill-will. They serve a purpose at both ends. The 'reviewer' gets an ego boost out of telling the world how much they despise romance and how squeamish they are about sex, and I get more readers. And amongst those readers, I find my fans, and they are the people I REALLY write for. Wonderful post, Maree, very thought-provoking.
There's a sad sub-culture of those who want to kick down the indie authors, particularly those who are doing well for themselves. I like to imagine they're frustrated authors who never found their way to "the end," much less invested the time to figure out how to publish, edit and format their own stories. :)
Granted, there's a fair amount of crap out there, but that's also true for traditionally published free books.
If someone chose to "return" my free book, I'd try not to take it personally. Some people are just wired that way.
Thanks for the comments, ladies--appreciate it heaps!
Sandy, so far I've only ever returned paper books that have had missing pages, because that, I can't overlook :)
I guess it's the ease with which electronic books can be returned that is a wee bit of a concern for me--but only because I'm aware of customers abusing the system (and even coaching other people in forums on how to do it.) And doubtless there'll be many more returns of my pubbed eBooks in my future, so I'll be sure to add another few layers to my skin *g*
I still can't fathom what drives people to download free books and then, if they don't like the book (and I'm not meaning because of shoddy formatting and editing, and poor grammar) to go to all the trouble of leaving a snarky review. It takes so much time to find your password, login, think of what to say and type it up. I'd rather start another book.
Still, I suppose any publicity is good publicity, and a slew of snarky reviews may well attract curious readers who will go on to appreciate our stories. And at least then, no one can accuse the author of soliciting reviews from friends because they're all 4 or 5-star reviews, right? (I'm trying to look on the positive side *g*)
Cody, that comment of yours about "kisses from maiden aunts" cracked me up. I hope I can be as sanguine about the 1-stars I'm bound to get in the future. I'll try and treat it as a rite of passage.
And Liane, yeah, that really is so true. One of my writing loops today had a post about a buyer for a bookstore telling another employee who she knew had just self-published her own book (award winner, glowing reviews) that "all self-published books are crap". As a buyer, she, of all people, should be well aware that there's a lot of traditionally published crap out there, too. So to make such a sweeping statement is just plain announcing your ignorance IMHO.
I really wish there wasn't such an "us" and "them" mentality--especially since many of "us" are choosing the self-publishing route because it suits us, not because we "can't get published any other way". But then, I remember the same issues surrounding eBooks vs print.
I love getting free books usually I try to stick with the genre I like but sometimes the blurb or excerpt sound so good in another genre I will try it too. I've never thought about giving one I couldn't get into or didn't like a bad review or just bad mouth it because I feel lucky I got it for free. Yes I've got some books I didn't like but I got some I fell in love with too. I've also found new authors that I've I love from them. One author that I got a free book from was Carol Lynne and I fell in love with her Cattle Valley Series it's m/m books and I had never really read that kind of books now a lot of what I read is m/m. I would never return a free book if I don't like them I just delete them from my computer or Kindle same as I would one that I bought. Personally I think these days people just like to bitch about everything and I just ignore most of it.
Sherry -- your comment gives me hope. That's exactly the sort of response I'd hope a reader might have if I offer a book for free. And that's exactly why I like to check out free books--to try something that sounds interesting, but might be a little different to my usual tastes. The sad thing is, when it costs me NZD$20 and upward for a mass-market paperback, I can't afford to take too many punts. I usually end up buying what I know will be a sure thing. Hence why I'm embracing Kindle freebies in the hope of finding new must-buy authors :)
Hi Maree,
This maybe a bit long winded ... but remember ... YOU ASKED! LOL
Well guilty as charged LOL but in a good way. I love to get a hold of an occasional free-read (although I do not go searching) usually they come up as offers to certain sites I visit and am loyal too. So I do not feel guilty at all for grabbing a freebie. :)
I've had my Gen3 e-reader long before Kindle was available in Australia. In that time I've bought stacks of e-books, way back from the very early days. I will dmit there were very few *freebies* then!
And yes, some have been dribble,but most have been great... and many have made me go back to the author and buy more.
What I do like, is I get to target a new writer I may not have tried before. Hidden in the thousands of icons of all genres are hundreds and hundreds of books that I scroll over, because I do not like the blurb the title, the authors name, hey for me it can be sometimes I simply do not like the cover. (nasty - but there it is)...
But it is an opportunity to suss out a new author.
I have several of your books Maree, (love your work BTW - the Demons ) and it came about because at an RWAust conf I won one of your freebies. So does it work? I guess only the author can make that call.
As for reviewers:
I AM guilty of not being a regular reviewer though,(maybe I should -but too busy working writing and reading LOL )personally I actually do not go by a review on a book. Word of mouth or self-searching, blogs, credited write ups. I love to read excerpts, cause I'll know in the first paragraph or so if I am going to bond with the writer.
As for e-books bought/free that I didn't wholly enjoy, I just add them to my *ehhh* pile.
Actually there are not that many of them out of the hundreds I own.
As an unpubbed writer, I read where a publishing company asked that you will need to submit a *MS* that will be your *free work*... whether it is a glimpse of your series or a stand alone short.
So I kinda have one put away for that ... ha ha ha
Can't understand why online reviewers make it their hobby to lay-low someone who worked hard to give them a few hours rec time for no $$$ - maybe they don't eat enough prunes! And you can bet your life mugging someone's MS is not a one off - I believe they more than likely have a life style that is Ingrained that way.
What did we learn... "if you can't say anything nice. .... "
Okay stepping down now :)
I can't imagine the point of "returning" a free read. If you don't like it, just delete it!
I admit, as an author myself, I am hyper-aware of the impact of a negative review. So I do as my mother taught me, and only say something if I have something nice to say :-)
Maryde-- thank you for your long and thoughtful response! Makes a lot of sense to me, and I'm pretty much feeling the same way as you about it all.
I think freebies are a great promotional tool, and it's such a huge bonus to find a new-to-me author that I love. I have been known to buy cheapie ebooks on sale, read them, and love them so much I'll go right out and buy the paperbacks for my keeper shelf *g* And I'm thrilled you enjoyed my giveaway--that's so cool to know! Thank you!
Deborah -- Yep. The whole keep mum if you don't have something nice to say works for me. I don't write reviews if I can't say something glowing about the book, solely because I'm an author, and know how completely gutting it is to get a bad review. So I think it's really important to embrace reader reviews, as often readers are far less critical than we authors. If it's a damn good story, they'll forgive a lot, whereas I may not be, simply because I'm an author and have my editing hat on. That said, by "review" I'm talking about useful, thoughtful, thought-provoking reviews, not rambling diatribes or "This book sucks. This writer is crap. Boy I hate paranormals--and romances, especially" variety :)
Actually, I've just had one of my books go free for a day on All Romance eBooks, and woke up this morning to a wonderful email from someone who'd downloaded a free copy and wanted to tell me how much she loved it... and was off to buy the next book in the series. So all in all, that's been a positive experience so far. Might have to put on my big-girl knickers and put a loss-leader out there permanently.
I recently put a couple of self-published books up for free on Kindle to try to raise some awareness for my 2 trade published books, and I think you are right about people feeling a sense of entitlement with free books that don't necessarily feel with books they've paid for (you'd think it would be the other way around!). I've received one bad review for a short story which has left me quaking in my boots as I wait for more to roll in. I recently blogged about the nasty culture that seems to be developing on Amazon, especially towards indie authors, if anyone is interested.
http://francenecarroll13.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/indies-are-people-too.html
Wow, I've never returned a book - free or paid for. I also don't leave reviews for books I don't like especially if they aren't my usual genre. After all, I've readbooks that were on the best sellers lists that I didn't like. Just my taste, usually. I'm in awe of those who can self pub - it's one learning curve I haven't tried yet.
This was a great, great post. I'm so glad you left the comments open and have allowed me to comment on this. You voiced all of my fears. For some reason -and I hate to call names but- AMAZON ebook customers are NOTORIOUS for this. I mean, they are horrible in general. The worst I've ever seen. I saw a blog post left by writer Zoe winters and this woman argued with her over an 80 page novella priced at 89 CENTS. Listen to me now:
This "customer" made her way BACK to that author's ebook page and took the time to write that 89 CENTS was too much for that and that it should've been FREE because it was short.
She complained about having spent 89 CENTS. What can you get for 89 cents? Not just on Amazon but in the world? Here was the link to the 1 star & argument that insued after Amazon cutomer "BUCH LIEBENDE MUTTER" (1 star review,
2nd review down)left her review. CHECK IT OUT:
http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Blood-Lust-novella-ebook/product-reviews/B001M5TE1I/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0
Anyway, this is just one of hundreds of authors I've seen bashed and humiliated on Amazon Kindle. I'm afraid to put my stuff up there.^^I'll put it up on Smashwords, B&N, and Apple as ebooks and then print only on Amazon.
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