Optimum price for your paperback self-pub

[Chris_KW]

I've currently got my 385 page, 5.25" x 8.00" debut paperback (with my priceless signature included, of course) listed for a price of $8.95. I'll have my first crate of books in the mail by Wednesday, and that is, fortunately, the release date I've been pushing.

This was done with the intent of trying to turn a small margin of profit as Lightning Source charges me $6.02 per copy, but I'm starting to wonder if this price might be a little high. While I'd like to make a total profit of $10,000.00 in 2011, I can't help but feel obscurity should be the first nemesis I send to the grave.

What does everyone list their paperback at?

 

[kcmay]

My 340-page trade paperback is $9.99 from Amazon, but I sell it for $7.99 with a CreateSpace coupon on my web site. I've had far more sales on the $2.99 ebook, though.

The fantasy novel is $13.99 because I chose expanded distribution, which requires a higher price so that the book sellers can take a cut. If someone buys through B&N, I get about 25 cents per copy. :/ I opted not to do expanded distrib for the science fiction book.

KC

 

[KatG]

I'll leave the link as a possible example of setting up a site for those looking at self-publishing, Chris, but in future, please don't do such links inviting people to check out your products.

While I'd like to make a total profit of $10,000.00 in 2011,

I would say that this is a very unrealistic goal, even if you drop the price on the book. You'd have to sell near around 4,000 copies in the year at your current price and more at a lower price, and that's very hard for self-published authors to achieve. To get to that sort of number, you're going to have to do a lot of promotion, trying to get libraries to let you give talks, buying a table at book fairs, etc., and that's going to cost you expenses that will eat into whatever income you generate. Realistically, if you sell 1,000 copies of your book in the first year, you're doing very well.

 

[Chris_KW]

Edited-----

 

[Chris_KW]

I would say that this is a very unrealistic goal

Edited----

 

[KatG]

Perhaps for the individual that has only sold books online. I've got a product that is 10x more quality than some of the crap I've pushed on the web.

If it has a price tag, I can sell it.

I was talking about print self-publishing, but I wish you good luck with it.

 

[Chris_KW]

They will buy if I don't give them a choice.

jk

 

[Red Dobbs]

My soft bound sells are different prices, depending on what company you go with, whether you have a membership or not, and if you have it shipped to your house or the store and pick up, which is usually free. I make a dollar a book and $2 on e-book. But then again, that was with the package that I bought. I do all my self promo...and I will try nearly anything legal to promote my book for free, or nearly free. My book is a 6x9, in both soft and hard.
I don't set goals, I just work hard all the time. Setting goals always leaves me upset if I don't accomplish them, and since this is all new to me, I just do what I can and try not to get descouraged when things don't go just right. I really don't know what to expect, so I just deal. I sold 18 books at my first signing, and 3 at 2 other signings...thought that I was loosing ground, then had a snowy day, and sold 0. Really thought, Oh well the weather did it. Then on Black Friday I sold 19 books. Still don't know what to expect, but I am plugging away at it any way!

 

[Chris_KW]

I like your attitude and enthusiasm. I used to get really down on myself and think the sky was falling when my products would stop selling, but I'm not sure the human mind can even fathom just how many people and markets there are in this country alone.

Just keep working and plugging away is a fine motto by my reckoning.