Why haven't you bought Steve Jordan's e-books?

[Steve Jordan]

I'm close to a milestone in my attempts to understand--and eventually profit from--the e-book market: I am presently working on what will be the last MONTHLY e-book addition to www.SteveJordanBooks.com , due in May.

As my attention shifts to writing my next novel (which will eventually appear on the site, never fear!), I'd like to poll this forum, in order to get a better idea of how the various opinions on e-books (and my books) balance out. I think I've got the major issues covered in this poll, but if not, feel free to add to the discussion anything I missed!

In the interest of full disclosure: Since my site started in September, I have made sales, but only recently did I sell enough of the books to pay back my website costs. I've had more interest registered than actual customers (expected). And I have had a singular problem finding willing e-book reviewing sites (most reviewers are not interested in reviewing anything but paper books, period). Finally, the sales I've made with all my e-books haven't come close to the hundreds of free downloads of the Onuissance Cells in its opening weekend.

[Steve Jordan]

I'm close to a milestone in my attempts to understand--and eventually profit from--the e-book market: I am presently working on what will be the last MONTHLY e-book addition to www.SteveJordanBooks.com , due in May.

As my attention shifts to writing my next novel (which will eventually appear on the site, never fear!), I'd like to poll this forum, in order to get a better idea of how the various opinions on e-books (and my books) balance out. I think I've got the major issues covered in this poll, but if not, feel free to add to the discussion anything I missed!

In the interest of full disclosure: Since my site started in September, I have made sales, but only recently did I sell enough of the books to pay back my website costs. I've had more interest registered than actual customers (expected). And I have had a singular problem finding willing e-book reviewing sites (most reviewers are not interested in reviewing anything but paper books, period). Finally, the sales I've made with all my e-books haven't come close to the hundreds of free downloads of the Onuissance Cells in its opening weekend.

[Jorgen]

I bought them all and can recommend them warmly. No choice for faithful fans?

[Steve Jordan]

Sorry, but I was trying to find out why I don't have MORE faithful fans...

[Don't Panic!]

I've heard about you on the forums but I hadn't seen any stories in paper publications. That's part of it.

[Steve Jordan]

Are you saying you didn't see any mention of my work in paper pubs, or you didn't see printed novels?

[Don't Panic!]

I'm not that big a FAN but I do occasional buy The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

[Jon Westfall]

Congrats on writing perhaps the most self-deprecating poll I've ever seen on PPCT :mrgreen:

Why haven't I bought your eBooks? There's this little problem I have with finding time for pleasure reading. Now if you had audiobooks, then perhaps I'd be interested, but a 2 1/2 hour commute (round-trip) makes it hard to read an e-book (Unless you guys want me reading while driving). Now if I had a train that took me to work (Like some lucky people...) an e-book would be a possibility.

But the main reason? Time - I have a hard enough time reading the material I want to read in the free time I have, and have next to no time to spend discovering new material, unfortunately. Perhaps try writing your books as a serial, or releasing short stories that can be read in one sitting.

[Jorgen]

self-deprecating

That was my first thought too. However, then I remembered that we had a thread with a l-o-n-g discussion about how to marketing ebooks so I realized that this poll should be seen as a continuation.

releasing short stories that can be read in one sitting.

Then you are in luck as the short stories are free! http://www.stevejordanbooks.com/

Jorgen

[Steve Jordan]

Originally Posted by Jon Westfall

There's this little problem I have with finding time for pleasure reading.

Jon, I feel your pain. As it so happens, from Fall to Spring, when my commute involves riding to my wife's office, then taking the train the rest of the way, I have more reading time... in the summer, I motorcycle to work, and lose that time. Much of my reading time is stolen from a few minutes here and there, which is why I like e-books... I take my PPC with me most everywhere, so I can always sit and read while my wife is shopping for "one more pair of shoes"...

Originally Posted by Jon Westfall

Now if you had audiobooks, then perhaps I'd be interested...

Hmm... should I start a new months-long discussion on the creation and marketing of audiobooks?

And yeah, this is sort of a continuation of the other thread... additional fact-finding. My poll may be (a bit) self-deprecating, but I'm simply trying to reflect the popular attitudes about e-books--and e-book authors--in general, using me as an example.

[Don't Panic!]

I'll try some of those short stories.