Hey, Lou, why do you give your books away for free? It’s a fair question. I just released my latest book, Back on the Road, and I’m already giving it away for free. Why would I do that?
Actually, there are two reasons I give my work away for free. First, I want people to read what I have written. Sure, I hope that if they like what they read, they’ll buy future books. I’m not above making a little money from my writing. But it’s even more than that. I want people to enjoy the stories that I write. I want them to be entertained. I’ve been writing for a long time, but until recently, no one has read what I’ve written. What’s the point of that? I want my writing to be read.
The second reason is a little more selfish. My hope is that if I offer my books for free, people who take advantage of the offer will write a review. Amazon reviews are incredibly important to a newbie writer. The more reviews a book receives, the more attention Amazon pays to the book. With enough reviews, Amazon will promote a book to likely readers, and will list the book as an “also bought” when readers search for a book.
Back on the Road is available for free today and tomorrow (February 1 & 2). I encourage you to pick up a copy. I hope you enjoy it. And if you get a second, please leave a review of the book. Written reviews are great (they carry a lot of weight with Amazon), but even a simple star rating is helpful.
Happy reading!
