Introduction
If you’ve ever hesitated before naming your price, you’re not alone.
Writers are taught to feel grateful for any income. To expect low royalties. To assume audiences won’t pay for anything beyond a book priced at $9.99 or less.
But here’s the reality: underpricing your work doesn’t serve you—or the people it could help.
Pricing is both a practical decision and a signal of value. This post is about how to set prices that respect your expertise, sustain your business, and feel congruent with the work you put into your creations.
Step 1: Understand What You’re Really Selling
You’re not just selling pages or videos. You’re selling:
Time saved
Perspective earned
Transformation created
Pricing should reflect outcomes, not just deliverables.
Ask yourself:
What problem does this solve?
What is the cost of not solving it?
What is the value of the result my work enables?
This clarity gives you confidence to stand by your price.
Step 2: Stop Using Other Authors as Your Only Benchmark
Comparing your prices to other authors is tempting—but incomplete.
Consider:
What does your experience bring that others don’t?
How niche or specialized is your knowledge?
How engaged is your audience?
How unique is your approach?
There is room in every market for premium offers, if you can articulate why they matter.
Step 3: Price Books Strategically
Books often anchor your brand and drive other revenue streams.
Print books:
Consider pricing in line with comparable titles in your genre.
Don’t race to the bottom—lower prices don’t always translate to more sales.
Ebooks:
Keep pricing flexible.
Launch at a promotional price, then adjust upward over time.
Audiobooks:
Many readers expect higher prices here.
Price to reflect the added value of narration and production.
Step 4: Set Value-Based Pricing for Courses and Digital Products
Courses, guides, and toolkits have higher perceived value because they deliver transformation.
Avoid pricing solely on length or number of videos.
Instead, ask:
How much is this solution worth to someone who needs it?
What will it save them in time, money, or frustration?
How exclusive or high-touch is the access?
Example tiers:
Self-paced course: $97–$497
Live workshop: $100–$500
Comprehensive program: $500–$2,500+
Test different price points and adjust based on engagement and conversion rates.
Step 5: Charge for Services in Alignment with Expertise
If you coach, consult, or edit, you’re selling your experience in real time.
Consider:
Hourly rates only if the scope is unpredictable.
Project rates if you have a clear deliverable.
Retainers if you provide ongoing support.
Don’t undervalue your time because you enjoy the work. Your expertise is the result of years of investment.
Step 6: Use Tiered Pricing When Possible
Offering multiple options lets people self-select.
Example:
Basic ebook: $15
Workbook + bonus materials: $49
Live workshop + workbook: $249
Tiered pricing increases overall revenue and makes higher-value offers more attractive by comparison.
Step 7: Be Transparent and Confident
People are more willing to pay when pricing is clear.
Avoid vague language or hidden fees.
State the price up front.
Explain exactly what’s included.
Confidence comes from believing your work is worth the price—and showing your audience why.
Step 8: Revisit Pricing Regularly
Pricing is not a one-time decision.
Review at least annually:
Does this still reflect the value I provide?
Has my expertise or demand increased?
Am I underpricing out of habit or fear?
Adjust without apology. The market will adapt.
Final Thought
Your work deserves to be compensated fairly.
Pricing isn’t about greed. It’s about sustainability—so you can keep creating without resentment or scarcity.
Set your prices to honor the energy, skill, and care you invest. That’s not arrogance. It’s respect.
— Sloane MacRae
