An author offers a free e-book with the terms “if you liked it buy the print copy” would you buy it?

Posted Tuesday, July 27, 2010 by admin


Would you actually buy the print copy and support the author, or just take the freebie and run? I heard Stephen King tried a buy as you read program online and he got ripped off by hundreds of freebie readers.
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Posted in Books & Authors

14 Comments on "An author offers a free e-book with the terms “if you liked it buy the print copy” would you buy it?"

  • accord_moving said on Jul 28th, 2010 at 7:35 AM:

    I would definitly buy the copy.

  • Rockcat said on Jul 28th, 2010 at 12:08 PM:

    Hell no – paper wastes trees.

  • tieia said on Jul 30th, 2010 at 4:58 PM:

    It’s a nice concept, but I don’t think that folks are honest enough to do that.

  • Beth said on Aug 2nd, 2010 at 7:43 PM:

    I’d like to say that I would since it seems to be the appropriate thing to do, however if I read the whole e-book I’d have to say that most likely I would not buy the hard copy.

  • Bluealt said on Aug 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 PM:

    Probably not.

  • Randy Marsh said on Aug 4th, 2010 at 7:28 PM:

    Probably not… I rarely pay for shareware and that sort of stuff, although I have when it was really, really good. So after reading the e-book I probably would not buy it in paper back, unless it was really, really good.

  • bickeo said on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:09 PM:

    well if the book was sooooOoOo good that i had to have it in my collection then i’d buy it. But if it wasn’t all that, then i would ‘take the freebie and run’ as you say. :) does that make me cheap? Yes? Okay

  • juresco said on Aug 9th, 2010 at 2:15 AM:

    Well, for me if the e-book is with me already and complete already, then why should i still buy the print when i can also read it using my computer?

  • alexia said on Aug 12th, 2010 at 12:40 PM:

    its a risk a author takes. but if it helps them sell the book then they should. I like reading and if i start to like a story i would buy the book instead of reading it off the internet. the authors should like do part of the book. instead of the whole book so if the readers want to know the ending they got to buy the whole book.

  • ouoray said on Aug 15th, 2010 at 11:10 PM:

    How often will you read the same book? No need to add to your alredy over-cluttered garage.

  • yep said on Aug 18th, 2010 at 5:58 PM:

    Definitely buy the book

  • roxy0144 said on Aug 19th, 2010 at 1:30 PM:

    i think its like movies. i agree with the one answer that said if it was really really out of this world awesome that most would add it to their collection..
    you dont buy movies on video if u saw them in the movies and they were just so-so.
    i believe people would more than likely not feel the need to buy the print version of the book that they just read for free online..
    however.. it is a good idea if you want to put yourself out there if you are planning to release a second book print only. you will have built up a fan base who will be eager to read the author again , and pay money.

  • H. Hornblower said on Aug 21st, 2010 at 6:39 PM:

    If I liked it enough to add to my library, yes. If I just though it was a good read, but not something I would read again, or reference at least, then no.

    To those who say paper kills trees, it is a trade-off. Ask my friend Guy Montag if he thinks having a book to hold in your hand is worth a few acres of replenish-able trees.

  • Chris said on Aug 22nd, 2010 at 2:58 PM:

    I’d be inclined to buy because I love books and would want to have it on hand. I do think that e-books are difficult. Who wants to read an entire book looking at your computer monitor–very hard on the eyes.

    I would think posting a few chapters, to get the reader hooked, then sell them on the print copy

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