Every day, it’s another worthy cause, another natural disaster or medical research charity or airline crash that calls on the people to dig deep and help out. But with so many needs out there to be met, how are we to help them all?
Throughout the retail e-book sites, indie authors are using their words to help those in need while making a name for themselves in the online community. By offering their e-books for sale at reduced prices with all of the proceeds going to support various causes, vital funding is given to charitable organizations and much-needed publicity is available to authors.
Al Boudreau, self-published author of in Memory of Greed, is most of the way to the pledge he made to raise $1000 for the relief efforts following Japan’s tsunami and earthquake in March. All of the money raised has come from giving one hundred percent of the price of each copy sold on Amazon.com, minus the percentage that goes to the retailer, to the effort.
“It’s my little way of contributing to the greater good while furthering the indie revolution through positivity,” Boudreau remarked. The book has only been available on the website for about three months and all of the purchase price will continue to aid those affected by the disaster in Japan through the month of May, a fitting irony that is not lost on the author, considering the title of the book.
Another work available in Amazon.com’s Kindle store that will benefit a charitable organization was entirely purposeful in its approach to writing for a cause. With Love is an anthology of works written by a collection of authors and edited by professionals in the industry who were tired of feeling helpless in the face of so much want. A publishing portal was donated by Ethics Trading and the e-book was listed in the Kindle store with proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders.
New Sun Rising: Stories for Japan, another anthology of donated stories for the express purpose of reaching a wider audience for charitable giving, was organized by Frankie Sachs and sold through the website www.booksthathelp.org. Publicity for this collection was stirred up by various indie authors and through sites such as R.B. Wood’s (www.rbwood.com), which feature podcasts of information pertinent to self-published writers.
Boudreau has worked tirelessly to promote his work, and knew even before the disaster struck that he was far happier retaining control over his work and over its price, allowing him the freedom to decide where the profits would go.
“The $2.06 I make per book won’t impact me greatly, but that cost can impact the recipient through the disaster relief organization in ways we can’t imagine. I hope I’ve inspired people to purchase my book not just for the great read, but because they are enacting change with that one purchase. The reader gets a really good book, I get another book sale to my credit, but someone out there is getting a second chance.”
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
