~~ "She has so many aliases, you'd think she was a spy!" ~~

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Can you help?


I’m looking at putting my 23,000-word romantic erotic novella “In Her Hands” up on Kindle, Scribd, Smashwords, etc., as an e-book and POD. I’d like your help sussing out a couple of details.

“In Her Hands” is about female sculptor Sarabeth Delaney, who meets her muse in the flesh: male model and budding photographer Michael Steele. As you might expect, sparks fly and steaminess ensues. An excerpt from the novella was a finalist in the Brava Novella Contest a few years back.


Question #1  Which photograph do you think would make a better cover? (Note, while both photos are a little sexy, neither is graphic and I would think they're SFW unless you work in a really uptight place.)




Questions #2  What is the most you’d be willing to pay for the novella? (This question doesn’t assume you will buy it, although I’d be thrilled if you did. I’m just getting idea of what you think is a fair price for a novella by me. (Note: 23,000 words is about one-quarter the length of an average novel.)

A. $0.99

B. $1.99

C. $2.99

D. More than $2.99


Question #2a  Would it make any difference if the cost was rounded up to an even number ($1, $2, etc.)?


Edited to add:


1. You don't need to create an account in Blogger to respond; you can leave an anonymous comment and sign your name (if you wish).


2. FWIW, the first picture is a pretty decent depiction of the first scene of the novella.  ;-)


Thank you!

21 comments:

JP "Thomas" Andrews said...

I like the second photo better for a romance. I found the first one a little disturbing, but not particularly racy.

As for price, I'd be willing to pay $2 for a novella by an author I didn't know much about, more for someone I was a fan of.

Anonymous said...

Option B is better, I think.

I'd pay 2.99 for a novella that length.

Don't round up, it's a psychological thing! Let me know when it's up, I want it.
Sarah

Anonymous said...

Truly, I don't care for either shot, but if I were to choose, I would go with choice "A". It speaks more to the character and isn't the stereotypical cover images you see on *LOTS* of bodice rippers. However, I wish there was something just a tad softer about the image of the hands and clay. It's not coming to me right now.

I would easily pay $1.99 or $2.99 for a quarter book depending on whether or not I like the description. Also, rounding up is bad. The .99 image is psychological and goes a long way to getting folks to buy.

Hope that helps.

Ghislaine

Anonymous said...

I like the first photo better, because it's different, but it's not very romantic. I would pay $2-3. Probably a little more. No, it wouldn't really make a difference if the price was rounded up. - Cristeane

Anonymous said...

I liked option B for the photo, the clay shot didn'd anything for me. I'd pay $2.99 for a novella.

Anonymous said...

Question 1: Photo Option B
Question 2 & 2a: $1.99/$2 the round numbers make no difference to me anymore.

Steve

D. L. King said...

I'd go with the second pic for a cover, although I'm not that fond of it. It's more eye catching for the genre, though. Perhaps if you had a male model standing behind the clay, just slightly out of focus, the first might work better. (Yeah, yeah, everyone's a critic...)

$2.99 is a fine price. Don't round it up. People seem to think they're getting a deal if the price is "under" the next dollar amount.

Anonymous said...

I like A because it's different. OTOH, B screams romance. If you're selling it where people know it's erotica, then A. Also, you can use a font that says "romance."

I'd pay $1.99. Don't care if it's rounded.

Anonymous said...

Have to admit neither of the pictures would catch my eye to buy a book. So would have had to heard about it first and knew it was a real good read. Sorry. If I had to choose I'd pick the first one. Although it needs a softness to it or something.
I would pay more than $2.99 and rounding would not matter.
Have to admit I do like hard cover better than soft. As it's easier to carry when traveling and to share later. Keeps better.

Dayle A. Dermatis said...

Wow, lots of great answers so far! Thank you all!

A couple of follow-up questions/comments....

* The rounding up isn't always true, although admittedly people prefer the rounded up if they're paying cash w/no added tax. I was just curious there.

* It's true the first image isn't romantic, but it's erotic in the context of the story. It's a really tough choice here for me--the first is different and fits the story, the second is more generic and is less likely to stand out.

* I'm stuck with free images, BTW; I can't afford to pay for a photographer. So, DL, I wish I could go for the image you're talking about, because I love it! :-)

* To Anonymous who didn't sign: This will be available for download, and possibly print-on-demand. If POD, it'll be in paperback; I don't think they even offer a hardcover option, and it would be a pretty skinny book.

Anonymous said...

Both have me giggling, but that may be the wine, the fact that I finished 2 chapters today and am within 1 - 2 chapters of finishing this novel, and the fact that I know my DEFINITELY male Muse would adore it. As much as I am all slurpy over B I would say A is closer to the theme.
$1.99, and no, rounding up makes it easier to balance my accounts.

Morgaine

Tanya Hanson said...

I like OPtion B with the awesome abs. And I'd pay up to $4 for a novella.

Good luck! oxoxxo

Miz Angell said...

I like the second one better. And I think $2.99 is a fair price. :D (Sorry keeping it short - not awake yet)

TeresaNoelleRoberts said...

I think A's a better photograph, but B would sell better for an erotic romance even if it's a bit cliched. I've paid $3 or more for a novella, but you might get more impulse sales at the $2 price point.

I like it when prices are rounded up, as it seems more honest, but I'm probably a minority. We already know my brain works oddly!

I'll be curious to know how the experiment goes.

Christine said...

I've got clay and a camera, you've got hands. When do you want to shoot a new pic?

So, I say a modified photo of A, and 2.99. Don't round.

joan said...

I like A. The hands are graceful. Hands in B have a clawlike feel -- long and bony.

No clue on price.

Gerald M. Weinberg said...

Neither A nor B would prevent me from buying the book. And I like round numbers. They seem more honest. If I want the book, $5 would seem reasonable. I sell most of my eBooks at that price (but listed as $4.99 because I think most people like that.

Sarah/Enid said...

I like the 2nd picture better.

Could you put a wash on it in Photoshop or a similar program to dim down the colors? Right now it's very stark and not terribly sexy--sort of semi-medical, semi-chick-lit. If you could marble it WITH some clay stock photos to give it a swirling, in-progress-sculpture kind of look, that would be great.

I'd pay $1.99-2.99 for a book that length.

No, don't round.

Good luck!

Russ said...

Hi, Dayle:

I don't get A so I have to say B. I agree with everyone who said rounding up is better. I think this is more honest to the reader. I detest the 1.99 or 2.99 thing. The price is somewhat subjective because it depends what you're trying to do. If you're trying to attract new readers then maybe free or a dollar might be the way to go, if you're trying to reach your established audience then maybe you want to go with the $3.00 to $5.00 price but no more than that for a novella.

My 2 cents. I'd love to hear how this turns out.

Anonymous said...

If I had to choose, I'd definitely go with B because it fits the genre. Erotic Romance must have an erotic cover. I understand your dilemma with wanting to match the story and going with free photos. You might consider combining the images, with the hot abs in the background kind of misty and the clay in the foreground. In that way, you serve both the need to match genre expectations while being unique. If you need help working on the cover, give me a shout.

Anonymous said...

Oops, forgot to talk about price. I don't buy novellas unless I like the author already. So, if I were to take a chance on someone I didn't know I wouldn't pay more than $1.99. If I knew the author AND loved the blurb, I would go up to $3.99.