So, Does Amazon's Lending Program Hinder Authors or Help?

Once in a while I reprint something from my SharingwithWriters newsletter, just to remind all my visitors and subscribers of the kinds of helpful info they'll get in it! Ha!  This is from my continuing Q and A a la Ann Landers column:

 

So What Do You Think About Amazon’s Kindle Lending Program
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QUESTION:

How do you feel about the free borrowing feature offered by Amazon to their Prime members for their Kindle books? 

ANSWER:

I don't think any of us would have objected to library lending back in the days before Kindle. Yes, there are some differences--not least of which is that libraries bought the books they lent. But two of the benefits of lending programs still exist--library or Kindle.

1. They allow people who couldn't afford a book (or wouldn't spend the money) to read them. Most authors want their books read.

2. Readership--purchased or borrowed--will likely increase the buzz about a book which results in more sales. And that goes back to #1. People who can't afford a book can help create buzz, too.

There is another big advantage. If your book is available to borrow, say through Amazon's Prime program, reviewers are often just as happy accessing your book that way instead of having you send a hardcopy to them. That's a saving of time and money for the author.  Mmmm. Guess that relates to #1, too. (-:

The details of the Amazon program are at https://kdp.amazon.com/select.  Click on the link near the upper right on your KDP dashboard page.

 

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .