If you’re even flirting with the idea of writing an eBook, you probably have heard about the war between Amazon and Hachette. While we feel that Amazon, like other big publishers, isn’t always the right approach (selling your eBooks on your own website allows you to keep 100% of the profits), we do believe it has brought to light some important arguments about eBook pricing.
The Cost of a Print Book
When you publish a print book, there are a number of costs that go into it, from typesetting and binding to the cost of paper and ink. That doesn’t even cover the cost of putting physical books in boxes and shipping them around the country. With gas prices as high as they are and the cost of labor what it is, it’s no wonder print books can sometimes be quite high.
The Cost of an eBook
An eBook also requires an investment, but it requires no investment that a print book does not (a tool for writing the book, be it laptop or typewriter), proofreaders, typesetters or formatters (or the time it takes you to do the formatting yourself), and a cover design. But when delivery can happen at the push of a button, cutting out ink, paper, shipping, and labor, there’s simply no comparison.
Should eBooks cost less than print books? Absolutely. Next time, we’ll explore price points and how they can affect your sales.
