About fifteen or more years ago, I heard that the novel was dead.
I assumed it meant that people weren't reading (a reasonable assumption with all the attention deficit problems).
Then Oprah's Book Club and JK Rowling happened. A revival was staged.
Now I realize that the novel is dying.
Why?
Because people are willing to pay 99 cents, or $1.99, or maybe $2.99 for an electronic book. It doesn't matter that the book is maybe 10,000 words (or anywhere from 5,000 to - and here's a stretch - 40,000 words). So, they are not reading novels. They are reading short stories or, at best, novellas. I purchased some of these to check it out.
I thought about separating my story into 3 novellas (it is about 100,000 words), but the book had a life of its own. As most writers will tell you, the story itself is sometimes in charge. Furthermore, I am writing 2 sequels and a sister novel. Oy.
And, here's the real kicker. People say, "Oh, you should 'sell' your book for free." Why? Because other writers do this.
So, to my fellow writers, I have two questions:
1) What other job are you willing to do for free? Are you willing to wait tables for free? Cut hair for free? Provide legal representation or psychotherapy for free? What about pick up trash, deliver mail, or fix the plumbing at a customer's house - for free? Maybe you're a realtor, and you choose to forgo your commission, just for kicks.
2) Do you hope to make a living as a writer, or is writing just a side hobby? I think there might be a lot of people who fall into the latter category, and unfortunately it affects all of us. Believe me, I understand the marketing strategy: give away the first, so people will buy the second and the third. Still, it doesn't always work that way. Does it cheapen our art and devalue our media in the meantime?
Solutions?
1) Write a short story (under 10,000 words) to give out for free or 99 cents. If people like your writing, maybe they will buy your novellas and novels. I am in the process of writing shorter stories, maybe a couple of novellas myself. I love writing, so this part (unlike marketing) is not difficult for me.
2) Stick to your guns. Enter contests, take book tours, seek a publicist and/or agent, and charge for your work. Have patience. If it has merit, the book will probably sell at some point. At 100,000 words, my novel is actually a bargain compared to much shorter stories selling for less. Maybe we can start a trend to determine price per word, like labels in grocery stores give you price per ounce.
3) Remind people that they pay about $5 for a coffee. (I recently paid $6 for a small latte and realized, Damn, I could have bought my novel.) What we choose to prioritize - and spend money on - reflects our cultural and personal values.
This all said, Amazon is giving away my book for free for people who have "kindle unlimited." I'm not sure what this means to me as the writer. But, that's a whole other blog...
Thoughts on free or not for free?
