How to Make Money When Your Book is Free

It sounds backwards.

If your book is free, how do you make money?

That’s the question I asked too.

Because everything I was told as an author was simple:

Write a book. Sell the book. Make money.

But that model wasn’t working.

So I tried something different.

And it turns out, free doesn’t mean worthless.

Free can actually make you more money.

Why free books get more readers

Most people will not pay for a book from an unknown author.

That is just reality.

But they will try something free.

No friction. No risk.

When I made my book free:

• more people clicked

• more people read

• more people shared

The difference was not small. It was massive.

The old model depends on sales

Traditional publishing works like this:

• You price your book

• You hope people buy

• You earn a percentage per sale

If no one buys, you earn nothing.

Even if:

• 1,000 people see your book

• 500 are interested

If only 10 buy, you only get paid for those 10.

That is the bottleneck.

The new model pays you for attention

Instead of asking: “How do I sell more books?”

Ask: “How do I make money from people reading my book?”

That is where everything changes.

Because reading is easy. Buying is hard.

How you actually make money with free books

This is where platforms like Faba Books come in.

Instead of charging readers, you monetize attention.

Here is how it works:

• Your book is free, so more people read it

• Ads are placed every five to ten pages

• You earn from engagement

So even if someone never pays a dollar, you still make money from their read.

Introducing ePMR, Earnings Per 1000 Reads

This is the key metric behind the model used on Faba Books.

ePMR tells you how much you earn per 1,000 readers.

Just like:

• YouTube pays per 1,000 views

• Blogs earn per 1,000 visits

Now books can earn per 1,000 reads.

That means your income is tied to audience size, not conversions.

Real example of how this works

Using the Faba Books revenue calculator here.

• A 200 page book

• Around 20 ad placements

Can generate:

• ~ $294.40 ePMR

• ~ $426.88 per month

Disclaimer, this example assumes a U.S. based book with a U.S. audience, 5,000 monthly readers, and a 29% engagement rate. Results vary. Higher engagement rates can significantly increase revenue.

Why this works better than selling

Selling depends on decisions.

Reading depends on curiosity.

People hesitate to spend money. They do not hesitate to click something free.

So when your book is free:

• your audience grows faster

• your reach expands

• your earning potential increases

Free is not the loss, it is the strategy

Most authors think:

“If I give my book away, I lose money.”

But the reality is:

If no one buys your book, you already made nothing.

Free gives you:

• exposure

• readership

• momentum

And with the right system like Faba Books that attention turns into income.

The biggest mindset shift

Stop thinking like this:

“How much can I charge for my book?”

Start thinking like this:

“How many people can I get to read my book?”

Because:

• more readers = more growth

• more growth = more revenue

Final thoughts on How to Make Money When Your Book is Free

Free books are not a downgrade.

They are a different strategy.

One that removes friction, increases reach, and unlocks new ways to earn.

If more people can access your book, more people will read it.

And with platforms like Faba Books more readers finally means more income.