Co-workers, too--Not a Good Audience

I've posted before about how friends and family, with a few exceptions, seem to have an automatic expectation that they should get their books for free. Really. I've found that to be very true. Again, there were a few exceptions, but those exceptions were very few, indeed.

No, I've experienced first hand that most of my friends and relatives have zero intention to actually buy a book I wrote. And btw, I would like to say thanks to those few friends and relatives who were quick to give their support by actually buying a book or two.

But I forgot to include one other group. Co-workers. Surprisingly, they too seem to have an automatic expectation that they deserve to get books for free. At least my co-workers do. Again, there's a couple exceptions, and I would like to thank them as well. But for the most part, when I tell my co-workers about my books, they usually say they'll buy them, but they don't. Yeah, a couple of them did, but that's like two out of over forty. And these are teachers, mind you.

I can think of a couple who actually did purchase a copy one one of my books. And of the other forty who said they would, well, they didn't. Several have expressed their dismay that I would even expect them to buy a copy, that instead, I should be forthcoming in my desire to give each and every one of them a free copy of not just one, but both of my published books.

And I do have that desire to give away a copy or two for free, and I have done that. But an author, especially a new author, can't give away free copies to all of his/her friends, relatives, and co-workers! It isn't something that should be done either. I don't know about other publishers, but as an author, I get only one free book from my publishers. I do have the ability to give away an unlimited number of PDF copies, but that's it. But how does that help?

I know authors give away books to reviewers in the hope of getting an honest review that, hopefully, will be a good review and promote sales. But that's a business decision. And that is par for the course. But when it comes to friends, family, and co-workers, it comes to a point where it's just not worth it. Buy a book, for goodness sake. eBooks are only five bucks, or less, and print books only ten bucks more. What's the big deal, if you're only buying one? You can't afford that? But when an author is giving them away, the total amount exceeds 50 books, depending on how many friends, family, and co-workers you have. It could even be as many as a hundred. You do the math. It is not good business. Not at all.