I refuse to buy a book, paper or Kindle if the Kindle price is more than $5, which I think is also too high. I’ve even seen books where the Kindle price is higher than the paperback price ($22!).

I get it, I want to make money from my writing, but a Kindle has no overhead beyond the pittance of a minor download fee (which is why you don’t get 100% of the cost of a Kindle book as royalty; that and Amazon takes a small slice, as is their right).

Consider: In traditional publishing you make about 25 cents if you’re lucky. With self-publishing and micro-publishing (like Prevail Press) you get around $2.50 in royalty on a $10 book, and the same for a $3.99 Kindle book.

The truth is, I want readers. I want readers to buy my book at a reasonable price and enjoy them. I don’t want to gouge them! That’s why Prevail Press books are between $9.97 for 200 or so page books, and $12.97 for 300 pages or more. Kindles are always $3.97. That’s still a generous royalty to my authors and customers shouldn’t feel ripped off at that price.

How did I get there? Simple. Back when regular paperback books were on thin paper, they were $6 to $7.

The paperbacks from Amazon are on thicker paper and quality covers (they used to curl, they don’t anymore).  I like the idea of giving authors around 100 times the royalty of a traditional publisher. There’s a happy medium for readers and writers. I admit, I have had authors who balk at these prices. I stand firm, though, as a promise to our readers.

Does anyone want to talk me out of it? As a reader, do you mind high price Kindles or paperbacks?

Some have suggested that readers will value an expensive book more. I’m not wired that way, but am I unique (I am a cheapskate, so I may not be the best judge). I’ve set up Prevail Press to my beliefs about what a writer and a reader want. Am I wrong?

I really want to know.