It is ironic that folk seem to place a higher value on something that they've paid for than if that same item were 'FREE'. Many independent authors give away some or all of their work 'FREE' in order to publicise their writing. Most do not expect to become rich or famous, (though we can all dream), but hope that some if not all of their readers will enjoy reading what they have spent many hours, days, weeks, sometimes years, writing. Being able to publish e-books via a platform such as Smashwords or Amazon has given hundreds of aspiring writers the opportunity, hitherto denied them, to present their work to a wider audience and many will give away their books, or some of them, 'FREE' in order to be recognised.
Initially it is gratifying simply to see one's work published at all. Seeing the 'FREE' downloads accumulate is the second small gratification. What the author really wants, though, is feedback.
Feedback for an author normally means Reviews.
Now it is a strange fact that people who download books for 'FREE' are much less likely to do the author the courtesy of posting a Review than those who have paid for the book. Reviews reward the good author with positive feedback and inform if there are things that can be improved. They also help other readers judge whether a book is likely to be of interest to them. Of course we all want to have good reviews, and there is never a reason to post a destructive or insulting review, but all honest, constructive reviews are welcomed.
So, Barnaby's thought for the day is 'Posting reviews of an e-book you have just read is easy.' Just go to the place that you downloaded the book from and you will find a button marked Review. The rest is up to you.
Happy posting!
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