Longer free samples in ebooks

[MisterOJ]

Pulling this out of another, completely unrelated thread because I find it very interesting.

Hey, Luke. I've succumbed to the hype and pre-ordered my copy.

I notice that the Epic Free Sample is 300 pages long, while the actual book is just 464 pages. Was this your idea, or your publisher's? Either way, it strikes me as an excellent idea (especially for a debut novel).

It was my publisher's idea. I admit I arched an eyebrow when I was told: It takes gumption to give away the first two-thirds of a novel won at auction in a large six-figure sum. But the times they are a-changin' - and if a man ain't willing to stand and be judged on what he's written he doesn't deserve success.

I love the idea of a huge sample like that.

I have to say that for most books, when I download a free chapter or two, that usually does nothing to help me decide whether I want to buy the book or not. I think it takes a lot more than just a couple chapters to decide if you really like a book or not. In fact, there have only been a couple times that a sample has convinced me to buy a book. If I am given more content with which to make up my mind, I think the end result would be getting more into a story and buying it more often than not.

What about the rest of you? Are the small samples given out for ebooks now enough to help you make your decision? Would longer samples make you more likely to buy a book? Or less likely?

[kcf]

I'm probably an anomaly, but free samples usually don't do much for me. Free books (such as the first in a series) do work, but I'm typically not one for samples. Too busy for that.

[3CityApache]

I agree with kcf, I rarely read any free samples at all, usualy waiting for some friends or boards recommendations instead of reading a sample. However in the situation like mentioned above, where some two thirds of the entire book is given as a free sample, I might reconsider it I guess. The question is how much is enough though. 10 percent of the book is probably not enough. Just as 20-25 percent. But one third? 40 percent? Half the book? Not easy to decide. But I guess if "not less than one third of the book" would become a standard, it might be more encouraging to read samples than what we have today.

[SkynJay]

Love the idea. Free samples do nothing for me when only a chapter long. I would be much more likely to buy at the halfway point. Something like this could really hook a reader i believe.

[Spockydog]

This should be the default setting for e-book samples.

Practically, it makes zero difference to the publisher whether the sample is the first two chapters, or the first two acts. Or at least, it shouldn’t. If the publisher is confident in the quality of their output, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be the latter.

Head of Zeus clearly believe that readers of this extended sample will be impressed enough to pay to see how the story ends.

Good luck to all concerned.

[Procrastimancer]

These days, I usually don't read samples because I have limited funds and tend to know what I'm buying. I think I may have read two or three samples since I bought my Nook a couple years ago. However, back when Eos still existed, they offered samples of I think a hundred to two hundred pages and I ended up buying Sandman Slim (Richard Kadrey) and The Child Thief (Brom) based on those.

[Eponine]

I often read samples of books that I'm pretty sure I want to read - I put them on my Kindle as placeholders rather than buying 10 books and storing them unread for a long time. One or two chapters is enough to know whether I want to keep reading or not - there's only a handful of books where I thought it was something I wanted to read, read the sample, hated it and deleted it.

Actually, now that I think about it, even though the examples are few in both cases, there are more books where I'd have read 75% and decided I'd gotten enough out of it than books where the first chapter didn't interest me but I got hooked after 300 pages and had to know the ending. There are a few books that I've plowed through even though I wanted to quit, simply because I don't like to quit a book I've started, but I sure as hell wouldn't have paid for the book and finished if I'd had an easy out.

[Gertrude]

Interesting idea and I like it. Samples have only ever decided a purchase for me negatively. A first chapter hasn't wowed me into something I've already been considering, but they have made me think 'eh, not worth it'. I can definitely see me getting caught up in a story and either somewhat reluctantly or enthusiastically buying the book. I, too, hate to leave a book undone.

As to how much to give away, I think maybe it's a book to book decision. It would work best to break it off at a cliff-hanger type spot. If this becomes the norm, I wonder if it would affect the way authors tell their stories. They make sure to have an exciting break say halfway through with the free sample in mind.

[PaulineMRoss]

I have to say that for most books, when I download a free chapter or two, that usually does nothing to help me decide whether I want to buy the book or not. I think it takes a lot more than just a couple chapters to decide if you really like a book or not.

I read a lot of self-published books where there aren't enough reviews out there to get any real idea of whether I'd like it or not, so I depend totally on the sample in those cases. Mostly it's the negatives that get me - even one typo or grammatical error or logic issue, and that's it. Also if the concept is trite - the whole prophecy, farmboy, hidden heir to the kingdom, find the magic sword to save the world setup - that's a fail, too. On the positives, I need something to get me interested, something out of the ordinary.

But generally a 10% sample is enough. I've had a few disasters, where a really promising opening crashed and burned later, but mostly a couple of chapters is enough to decide. I agree with Gertrude that publishers ought to cut off the sample at a cliffhanger point. So often they just stop, mid-sentence, in the middle of nothing very much. It's good to know that some publishers, at least, are experimenting and being innovative. It's a clever move. Anyone who's that far through the book is probably invested enough to buy it.

[Sabby]

If the sample sizes were longer, I'd probably buy more books, but I don't think I'd like them. Most of my favorite books I knew right away I'd love them. I have kind of felt lately like I need to crack down on buying books I know are just going to be okay, but have some interesting setup. If anything I get upset with amazon because they let me buy books from my bed at 2AM. That is convenient, but the books I buy at 2AM are never winners.