I'd sure like some thoughts on posting practices. Multiple chapters or single ones. Regular schedule or random. Does it make a difference? My chapters tend to vary in length but seldom go more than 3000-4000 words so a single chapter feels kind of slim pickings. Any thoughts?
This is my opinion which is not supported by fact.
To get more readers, don't post the entire story at once. Post by chapter or chapters.
I keep the postings on sort of a regular schedule, but vary from it. I don't know if it's true, but I post on different days of the week thinking I might find a new reader.
As to chapter length, I typically write short chapters. 3000–4000 words for me is long. The most recent chapter I posted was only 1,090 words. My next will be 1,905. However, I will post the two chapters after that at the same time because one is quite short (1,377 and 854 words).
As to chapter length, I typically write short chapters. 3000–4000 words for me is long. The most recent chapter I posted was only 1,090 words. My next will be 1,905. However, I will post the two chapters after that at the same time because one is quite short (1,377 and 854 words).
Seems like your chapter lengths have shrunk over the years (mine have too, but my chapter lengths tend to vary from 3,000 to 7,000 word, but like you, dropping to 1,500 on occasion.
But like Switch, I find posting frequently and on a regular date make sense, as your readers will know which days to check for new stories, while the protracted posting gives more readers a chance to discover the story.
If I can I also like to post cliff-hangers on either Thursday or Friday, so readers have the entire weekend to imagine how the story's likely to end (generating additional interest, rather than serving as a tease).
Finally, several of us are independent publishers, and post the full story to Bookapy before posting, so that impatient fans can purchase and download the story. Though honestly, most readers will read the entire story on SOL and then purchase the story to help encourage writers to continue. Most don't do this, but it's a growing trend.
@Mark S. Elias
Chapter lengths also vary between SOL authors and published authors. For published authors, each chapter is as long as it needs to be, while SOL authors (by and large) tend to cater to SOL readers' preference for longer stories, though many will bundle shorter stories to ensure readers don't feel cheated by shorter chapters.
Chapter lengths also vary between SOL authors and published authors.
Absolutely. That's why I was saying there isn't a black and white set of rules regarding how to post, when to post, how long to write, etc. It's all about what particular story you are telling and the best way to tell it. I tend to like "longer" chapters, but it's not necessarily a word count. I get frustrated when, as a reader, I get into a story and suddenly I go through a stretch where it's "On Monday I did this. On Tuesday I did this. On Wednesday I did this."
Shorter chapters are fine as long as I (as a reader) feel like something happened. It doesn't have to be a huge "action" either. I just need to feel like I accomplished something as a reader.
You're going to get a LOT of different opinions with this question. I will only tell you my PERSONAL preferences (as I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong thing to do).
I do agree with Switch Blayde by saying don't post the story all at once, but that also depends on how long your story is. If your story is only a few chapters then I suggest releasing it all at once as shorter stories like that can really annoy readers when they are posted in spurts like that. Longer stories you can get away with.
As far as chapter length, this is another thing that will vary. 3000-4000 words for me (as both a reader and a author) is short. It's hard to really get into a chapter when it's 3000 words. It's not impossible just difficult. Especially when you are posting one chapter at a time. There are stories that I'm reading on SOL now that I LOVE but I get so frustrated because the chapters are so short.
I've spoken to 2 different well respected editors on SOL and both of them say 4000-6000 words per chapter is what you want to strive for.
Those are just my personal preferences and not anything that is set in stone.
There are stories that I'm reading on SOL now that I LOVE but I get so frustrated because the chapters are so short.
The thing is, I write as if the entire novel/story is available so if the reader wants to "turn the page" and start the next chapter, they're free to do so. The problem is when the next chapter isn't available yet on SOL. But, as I said, I don't take that into account when writing (I do sometimes when posting).
My genre of preference is thrillers. Traditionally chapters in published thrillers are typically 2–4 pages in paperback. I don't know how that translates to number of words, but it's not many.
My genre of preference is thrillers. Traditionally published thrillers are typically 2–4 pages in paperback.
I just looked at one kindle book I have from Amazon, traditionally published in the genre that has made up most of my reading for the last decade or so, 352 pages as published in mass market paperback form. 26 chapters.
That makes around 13 pages per chapter even allowing for front and back material.
Based on file size, for the e-book it comes to around 99kw*. at 26 chapters, that's just under 4kw per chapter
*kw=KiloWord=1000 words.
I have a David Baldacci novel I haven't started yet. It's hard cover with 417 pages and 81 chapters. That's about 5 pages per chapter.
I have another novel I haven't started yet by Michael Connelly. I don't think it's a thriller. It's also hard cover with 422 pages and 55 chapters. That's a little more than 7.6 pages per chapter. The last chapter, by the way, is less than a page and a half.
Depends what you're trying to accomplish.
To get the most exposure, posting every 48 hours will keep you on the recent updates list constantly. (note: there's a different list for paid/unpaid accounts. the free accounts get the last 48 hours, and the majority of readers use free accounts)
However, short chapters tend to irritate readers, at least the ones who are willing to read a story as it's released, rather than waiting for it to be posted in its entirety.
To get the most exposure, posting every 48 hours will keep you on the recent updates list constantly
Generally, the idea isn't to post for the most consecutive days, but to stretch out the posting time because many readers do NOT check SOL every single day, nor even every other week. So you're maximizing readers, not reads.
So you're maximizing readers, not reads.
Well, yes. That was the expectation of what was being looked for. Presumably, a writer wants eyeballs on the story.
How many separate times someone looks at the story is meaningless, really. Unless the writer is a complete asshat who wants to inflict maximum waiting on readers, that is.
Also, your "not everyone checks SOL every day" actually gives a reason to do as I suggest. Stories are only on the recent update page for 48 hours(for most readers) so only by posting every 48 hours can you ensure that EVERY reader who checks the 'recent update' list WILL see the story listed. Update once a week, and only people who log in in the 48 hours following that will see the story, so you're losing potential readers because they'd never see the story on that list.
Anyone who follows my story (10 Pound Bag) knows what I'm doing right now. I publish a chapter a day at least 1000 words per chapter. If the chapter needs more it'll be longer but if it's shorter than I publish it with another chapter.
My story is queued up for ten days of publishing at this point and I'm aiming to have thirty days at a minimum.
Some readers complain and others say they like having a quick read each day.
I like it because as a first time author it gets me firmly entrenched in the habit of writing every day.
Just my two cents.
-Emmeran
I am not an author, my opinion probably is worth what you paid for it. However with the addition of Bookapy to the SOL system you may want to give the impatient reader an incentive to buy the complete story there. Obviously if the story isn't complete you can't post it on Bookapy, but that may give you an incentive to complete the story before you begin posting it, and work with Management (LaZeez) to get it on Bookapy first or simultaneously with the story being posted. I believe this system has worked for other authors here.
I'd sure like some thoughts on posting practices.
That gets into the question of whether or not you've actually completed the book before you begin posting it or not, or if you're just making this up as you go along.
And if you're making this up as you go along, do you have enough of a buffer built up of completed chapters so that if you have a Real Life (tm) issue, you're covered.
The third thing to keep in mind is whether or not you plan on selling copies of your completed work on Bookapy, or some other sites. You obviously have to make sure the book is complete before doing that, but you also want to maximize the time people can see here and decide whether or not it's worth it to them to purchase, when they eventually will get the whole thing for free.
Lastly, even though we all ultimately write for ourselves, you also need to pay attention to the feedback, either votes, comments, or emails you get from those people who DO read your story.
What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the next person. Not only do I write in the seat of my pants mode, but I don't have something completely finished and polished before I start posting here. Also, on here, size matters. You put out chapters that are under a couple of thousand words, posting ever week may not be enough. Depending upon how much detail you put into the story, a chapter of four thousand words should be fine for a weekly post.
Then you get someone like me that's a complete jackass, and writes chapters with an average word length in excess of thirteen thousand words, with thirty chapter novels on here of four hundred twenty five thousand words. I'm posting every TWO weeks right now, but I've finally about got my fifteen chapter buffer built up.
I wouldn't necessarily say this is a 'best practice', but here's what's working for me.
My chapters are, on average, just under 4000 words. 3000 is about the minimum and I've gone up to around 5500.
I post 4x a week - one chapter each, on Monday and Wednesday mornings and Friday and Saturday evenings. I started with a block of four chapters. Occasionally I'll post a 'bonus' chapter, either to add to a short chapter or because there's an artificial cliffhanger caused by drama in the story, and I'd rather not make people wait for the outcome.
Regular schedule is great for readers because they know what to expect. Obviously readers would love it if I'd just post the whole thing, but since I've picked up over half of my editing and proofreading team during posting, the work as posted now is better than it would be had I posted it all at once at first. Plus, the wait for the second book would've been painful.
thanks, everyone for all your thoughts as a reader and I've been hanging around here since 2000 or so I like the certainty of a regular schedule.
I like the certainty of a regular schedule.
In that case, as several people on here have mentioned already, I advise you to wait to post it until you have the entire story written. There are a lot of reasons for this, but two of the most important (in my opinion) are:
1) Consistency - You can post on the same time and same day without having to worry about real life causing delays in your work. Readers can lose momentum if you break their habits.
2) Tell YOUR Story - As writers we have a certain story that we want to tell. When you write the whole story first and THEN post it you tell YOUR story. By posting as you write we have a tendency to stray from our original story by listening to what readers say. Listening to readers can be a good thing but it can also hurt your story because readers don't see the BIG picture. They have a very limited view of the story.
I write the entire story before I start to post it. I use chapters and sub-chapters where each of them is as long as needed to suit the content of that chapter or sub-chapter. When I post to SoL I go through and group chapter and sub-chapters together in what I call Posting Parts with an aim of them being around 10,000 words each, but will vary so as to not split a sub-chapter or chapter, so they can vary a lot. I also include a Table of Content when posting to SoL. and the cover art image.
I use a schedule of a new part being posted every other day until the story is finished. If I'm posting 2 stories at the same time I tend to have them on alternate days.
Like CW I also post the full story to Bookapy, but I usually submit the story to both at the same time.
I don't think there really is a "best practice" when it comes to posting chapters or whole stories. It really depends on what you consider important. If you want your story to be among the Top 20 (out of 50) in downloads every week, post a new chapter two or three times a week (or if you want to go crazy post a new one every day), lol.
I'm currently posting a serialized novel (under a different pen name) and am currently posting once a week. I may eventually start posting twice a week.
Obviously, we want to provide readers a lot of content, but most of us lead busy lives (or have health limitations, etc.) and are not professional writers. If authors want to serialize their novels, great. If they want to post them in one fell swoop (like the recent wonderful TonySpencer Archer series), then wonderful!
How authors post their stories is really a matter of personal preference. To attempt to declare a set of "best practices" for this subject is really pretty silly, if not presumptuous. So, my advice is don't worry. It's really up to you and what you have the time and inclination to do.
Edit: I will suggest that if you promise readers to post on a particular schedule, then do your best to ensure that you keep to that schedule. Nothing ticks readers off more than leaving them hanging for long periods of time (or worse, leaving your story "incomplete and inactive").
No, there'd actually be numerous "best practices" based on what the author is going for.
For example - I remember the flame wars where writers insisted the reason for posting at specific times was due to trying to stay on the "top score/downloads" lists, with 'proof' that their stories suffered a dropoff in downloads when they dropped off those lists (not realizing they dropped off the 48hour recent update list most readers get). The point being, some want maximum score, some want maximum page views (I guess Laz maybe remunerates some of them that way, or maybe they get ad revenue from product placement?) or maybe authors want to maximize sales of completed stories to readers fed up with waiting, so they want to stretch out the posting process as much as possible. Maybe they want to build a fanbase. Maybe they want the most readers possible. The point is, different motives call for different best practices.
(I guess Laz maybe remunerates some of them that way, or maybe they get ad revenue from product placement?)
The only benefit provided to authors is free 'premium' access once sufficient text has been posted (adjusted by score).
Authors who make their works available on Bookapy do earn money.
The only benefit provided to authors is free 'premium' access once sufficient text has been posted (adjusted by score).
I tossed in that possibility as a way of explaining why, for example, Crumbly would want to maximize story download counts as opposed to maximizing readers.
I tossed in that possibility as a way of explaining why, for example, Crumbly would want to maximize story download counts as opposed to maximizing readers.
My goal is maximum readers, within a limited scope of time, but as you noted any measurement of 'readership' is suspect, so I've learned watching the numbers accrue is ultimately a losing proposition. As long as you delay the story enough for readers to notice it over a couple of months, the other details aren't meaningful.
Obviously, for readers like me, the only important 'list' page to get on is the "Top Recently Completed Serials", but for those willing to read in installments, the most important list for getting noticed (and I believe it was Switch who had the statistics to back up that the first 48 hours after posting updates had the vast majority of reads, with massive dropoff afterward) is the 48 hour 'Recent Updates' list that free accounts see. So for best results, 31+ chapters posted every 48 hours gives two solid months on that list. Most readers will log in at least once every other month.
Most readers will log in at least once every other month.
My guess is most readers either log in regularly (like daily,weekly,weekends) or very irregular, just when they feel like it and then download a full story (maybe over a few days with a free membership).
Might be interesting for Lazeez to get some statistics about that. Might lead to some policy changes to get more paid memberships.
Personally, I visit SOL every day, often stay logged in over multiple days or weeks, depending on what (virtual) machine I'm working on at the time.
maybe over a few days with a free membership
Free memberships are limited in the number of stories they can download. There's no limit on chapters, if the chapters are all in one story (or at least all in the maximum number of stories per day).
Free memberships are limited in the number of stories they can download. There's no limit on chapters, if the chapters are all in one story (or at least all in the maximum number of stories per day).
Ah, CRS, didn't remember that from before I started with a premium membership :D
If you can keep reading the same story without reaching the limit that might also be a cause for irregular login with a free membership: just waiting for a story to be finished or well on the way so you can keep reading the same story without running into the limit.
Not sure. But I'm betting it's one reason many dislike short chaoters - 10 (now more) stories per day could take a while even with only a sijgle chapter each, so long as each chapter is 9-15k words long. But 2000 word chapters take no time to read...
Not sure. But I'm betting it's one reason many dislike short chaoters - 10 (now more) stories per day could take a while even with only a sijgle chapter each, so long as each chapter is 9-15k words long. But 2000 word chapters take no time to read...
True, but for those not willing to pay it's what they have got to deal with.
it's one reason many dislike short chaoters - 10 (now more) stories per day could take a while even with only a sijgle chapter each, so long as each chapter is 9-15k words long. But 2000 word chapters take no time to read...
Those people shouldn't read an in-progress story that has short chapters. They should wait until it's completely posted.
Those people shouldn't read an in-progress story that has short chapters. They should wait until it's completely posted.
Don't forget that downloading of complete stories is restricted to Premiere Members. Thus what we, as long-standing authors, can do is often different than what the typical reader can.
Those people shouldn't read an in-progress story that has short chapters. They should wait until it's completely posted.
True. However, if a story has 'hooked' them, and the writer uses continual cliffhangers...
But it's also why they'll abandon such stories if the chapters are short from the beginning.
Personally, I don't care much about chapter length, since I do wait for completed stories.
Not sure. But I'm betting it's one reason many dislike short chaoters - 10 (now more) stories per day could take a while even with only a sijgle chapter each, so long as each chapter is 9-15k words long. But 2000 word chapters take no time to read...
You've got it backwards, putting the proverbial cart before the horse (which after all, is exactly where the engine goes in modern cars). It isn't that readers will (or even can read an endless amount of chapters on any given day to leads to long stories getting favored treatment. Rather it's because readers can only download a few stories that they want those stories to last a LONG time.
Lazeez has eased the amount of stories which can be downloaded each day, as his bandwidth has increased and after the pandemic hit, but there' still a daily limit (on chapter, not just stories), and with everyone sitting at home, looking for anything to keep themselves entertained, there's a correlating increasing in demand.
While reader are often happy with a quick stroke story, they prefer both longer 'content' stories and the longer sex stories, where the protagonist manages to bed a new woman (or at least a new combination) every single chapter.
A key thing to remember about chapter sizes and posting schedules, is that few SOL readers will read an entire story at a time, as most stories are intended to be written. Instead, the majority of SOL readers will read a single chapter at a time from the Recent Updates list, but they expect those chapters to be long enough to keep them occupied, and detailed enough to make for a fulfilling read.
The assumption is that these readers have otherwise busy lives, and will dedicate a small portion of their day to reading stories on SOL, but want that limited window of time each day to be fulfilling. It's long been recognized that most readers come to SOL for the sex stories, but eventually turn to the more complete and better quality (i.e. plot or character based) over the abundant stroke stories, which quickly begin to all sound the same.
Thus SOL has a particular set of expectations, which feeds the demand for 600+ chapter ongoing and seemingly never-ending stories. That's partially why anyone writing short stories will rarely ever cross the 'magic' 7 score threshold. Yet, for those of us who still fondly remember curling up with a good book at night, those trends run counter to our narrative flows.
My goal is maximum readers, within a limited scope of time,
Which is very different to my goal in writing. I've two goals with my stories:
1. Write something I'd enjoy readings, and
2. Make it something others will enjoy reading.
Of course, in the process I sometimes end up with a story some people don't like due to their personal opinions on the content or style of the story.
The surprising thing is that, even with the negative comments I get on some of the more politically contentious issues, the most vitriolic are from people who are seriously wedded to the concept of there being only one valid story writing style. For some it's to do with the tense used, for others it's the point of view used, and others it's to do with the variant of English - as in colloquial vs formal English. Since I can't please everyone I settle for pleasing myself and those who like what I write.
My goal is maximum readers, within a limited scope of time,
Which is very different to my goal in writing. I've two goals with my stories:
I think that's apples and oranges. Crumbly's listed goals pertain to posting and yours to writing.
Which is very different to my goal in writing. I've two goals with my stories:
1. Write something I'd enjoy readings, and
2. Make it something others will enjoy reading.
Sorry, but you missed the context. My goal in posting schedules is to reach the most potential readers, NOT the most readers in any given category.
Like you, I write the kind of stories that I personally want to read, and I seek to make them enjoyable. But I have a particular aim in the postings. Thus I'm not aiming at how frequently I post (which often generates higher scores per week), but in keeping my story up for longer so those SOL readers who only visit occasionally can also find my stories.
But I'm beginning to suspect that I'm caught in a time loop. My idea of the 'occasional' SOL reader has largely been preempted by the Covid reader, who's looking to fill up their entire day with something to do, so it's either watching entire seasons of shows on multiple channels, or reading LONG stories/chapters on SOL. In that case, maximizing the daily reads would be optimal.
As for style discrepancies, that's long been a generational issue, as older readers (as most SOL readers are), prefer 3rd person stories (as books used to emphasize) while younger readers prefer the more immersive 1st person stories, which are more reflective of the online blog posts of their generations. The fact that the current mainstream publishers also prefers the 1st person stories put those older readers in the proverbial dog house.
For the record: Person isn't all that fixed. There was first person a long time ago.
However, fucking up the tense was only really done in avante-garde type shite that wasn't meant for readers as much as for English majors.
A first-person, present-tense narration is reminiscent of nothing more than a pretentious asshat livestreaming his pathetic existence while delivering play-by-play commentary.
I'm currently posting a serialized novel (under a different pen name) and am currently posting once a week. I may eventually start posting twice a week.
While you're correct about posting influencing your scores, I typically post according to how soon my next story is expected to be ready. If it's already published and ready to post, then I'll post twice a week, otherwise I'll post once a week, to give me more time to complete the awaiting story. Of course, sometimes there is no waiting story. However, stretching out a completed and already published story indefinitely is asking to trouble.
Wow, I'm glad I posed the question. I'm getting all sorts of good info on readers. I can't remember a time when I wasn't a paid premium member and I guess I assumed that the price of membership was so cheap that most readers were paid members. all of your explanations give a much better picture of the way things are here.
I can't remember a time when I wasn't a paid premium member and I guess I assumed that the price of membership was so cheap that most readers were paid members.
Don't I wish. Less than 1% of the site's users are paying members. There are more premier level authors than paying members.
Don't I wish. Less than 1% of the site's users are paying members. There are more premier level authors than paying members.
Which reminds me, all you Premiere authors who want to keep the site afloat and continually improving need to step up, at least occasionally, and become paying members to keep the home we've adopted humming happily.
I guess it's time I got off my ass and put my own money where my ass sits most days!
Don't I wish. Less than 1% of the site's users are paying members. There are more premier level authors than paying members.
That is way less than I expected. Maybe these Covid times are not the right moment but in the near future you should review some policies that make a free membership a little less attractive and thus make a membership more interesting. Maybe add a 'limited' membership that is a little cheaper for those who can't afford a full premium membership. I don't know all the possibilities but it is in all our interest that the site keeps comfortably going.
Ideally, given the unlimited 'complete story' downloads, utilizing a variety of online formats, you'd think more readers would enter into a one to three month membership, and get enough stories to last for the rest of the year (or at least grab all the 'retired' stories that aren't accessible anymore).
While that's decidedly less that full support, it would still boost Lazeez's bottom line significantly, but it never seems to happen.
Update: Good thing you reminded me, Keet, as I haven't contributed to the site since 2017, though I traditionally pay for a full year at a time $79USD, so doing so every three years is a reasonable period, IMPO, but I was overdue.
@Switch Blayde
With Bookapy, Lazeez may be earning money on those free SOL memberships.
While it's true that Bookapy has significantly strengthened SOL's financial reserves, it's still a relatively small number of SOL readers. The key is the amount he pockets from each book (in ease case, mess than Amazon or any other Independent site like SW), though your 'loss leader' giveaways don't help Lazeez at all (i.e. it's his loss, too, which is probably why he's got a 'maintenance fee' associated with each 'sale'.
in the near future you should review some policies that make a free membership a little less attractive
With Bookapy, Lazeez may be earning money on those free SOL memberships. My Bookapy sales can't only be from the less than 1% paying SOL members. Lazeez earns money on every sale. And there are authors on Bookapy doing much better than me.
Sometimes an author will give away the first novel in a series to get people to buy the other novels. Like a loss leader.
With Bookapy, Lazeez may be earning money on those free SOL memberships. My Bookapy sales can't only be from the less than 1% paying SOL members. Lazeez earns money on every sale. And there are authors on Bookapy doing much better than me.
Could be, I didn't take Bookapy into account. The point is that 1% is a way too low number in itself. I don't mean it should be 20% or something like that, but 1% is a number that says that there's something wrong with the balance between free and premium memberships.
1% is a number that says that there's something wrong with the balance between free and premium memberships.
At a guess, Laz is counting free premium memberships as free, rather than premium. But still, I'd wager that even with those moved to premium from free, free accounts would be in the high nineties for percentage.
At a guess, Laz is counting free premium memberships as free, rather than premium. But still, I'd wager that even with those moved to premium from free, free accounts would be in the high nineties for percentage.
Personally I wouldn't consider the free premium account for authors free. It's both an acknowledgement for their support to the site as well a piece of their toolset for writing their stories and posting them to SOL. In a way it's a small payment for their efforts, and well deserved too. Still that leaves the balance way off. Just as an example:
At the end of March 2020, Spotify had 286 million monthly active users, including 130 million premium subscribers and 156 million ad-supported (i.e. free) listeners.
(https://musically.com/2020/02/19/spotify-apple-how-many-users-big-music-streaming-services/)
Don't count ad-supported, nobody wants ads. But the balance of premium subscribers to the total is way better.
And that's the point. Laz isn't a total asshole. If he was, and made the site practically unusable to free members... yeah, he'd probably get up to 40-50% paid accounts.
And that's the point. Laz isn't a total asshole. If he was, and made the site practically unusable to free members... yeah, he'd probably get up to 40-50% paid accounts.
Probably mostly by loosing non-paying members.
Yes, there would be some increase in the raw number of paid accounts, but a much larger number of free users would just go elsewhere.
I dunno. If SOL members had constant ads attacking them (that adblockers couldn't get rid of) they'd probably be willing to spend $3-4/month to get a ad-free version. Just like many apps do. It's not like there's any viable competition right now...
But yeah, there'd also be probably at least a 10% decline in total readership.
But yeah, there'd also be probably at least a 10% decline in total readership.
Probably closer to 30%-50% decline in total readership.
I dunno. If SOL members had constant ads attacking them (that adblockers couldn't get rid of) they'd probably be willing to spend $3-4/month to get a ad-free version.
I've had a paid membership for decades for other reasons.
But over obnoxious, unblockable adds, I'd go away before paying $0.50/month.
But over obnoxious, unblockable adds, I'd go away before paying $0.50/month.
No you wouldn't. You put up with me.
:)
No you wouldn't. You put up with me.
You aren't that obnoxious. And you are amusing more often than the grinning dick is.
you are amusing more often than the grinning dick is.
Could you set the bar any lower?
You might. Thing is, there's a big segment of society that really despises advertising and is actually willing to pay to avoid it.
People are more prone to paying to avoid ads than they are to pay just to keep something available.
And that's the point. Laz isn't a total asshole. If he was, and made the site practically unusable to free members... yeah, he'd probably get up to 40-50% paid accounts.
It doesn't have to be 40-50%. From a commercial/economic point of view 1% is too low. Even if that 1% paid for all costs ten times over the percentage itself means a certain level of instability. In short: if you have few you can't loose any and survive. It's been a long time since I earned my diploma's for it but this was one of several key points that marketing strategies needed to handle.
Not saying it's that bad with SOL, apparently not, since it seems to go well for a long time now and Bookapy adding to the resources doesn't hurt either.
Hard to see how he could make it cheaper. Jesus you don't have to be a lotto winner to afford five or six bucks a month. There are some first-class stories posted here.