"Free" E-books aren't free...

[alfreda89]

A real, nuts and bolts post about how e-piracy can hurt writers -- can make the difference between selling another book, and no more books at all.

(We're using this icon because e-pirates are boobs, not because there is adult content connected to the post... ;^) )

AND -- Someone in publishing explains why E-books cost so #$%@ much. When it's cheaper than this? Basically, either free labor and glossing over some of the steps, or the author/publisher is losing money on the book.

Comments

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

It's hard to do this anonymously and not have people figure out who you are (at that level) but that might do it. Since the B-list was abandoned by most publishers, the B-list has been creating a new industry on the Internet and in POD people are selling at fairs.

Probably, this is asking the book industry to give up some of their profit margin. Only something like 6% of the population reads more than two books a year. This is not as big a market as music. Could it be? Quite possibly. But I don't see commercial publishing leading the way on it.

Look at the other link. In the comments, one person thought that writers were paid by publishers while they were writing! I imagine others will try for the gold ring, but many of us will simply give up trying to publish, and write only for ourselves. And not release the material to the public.

I think, if I continue healing, I will give NYC one more try and try to write the last Allie book and one other, new book idea. But if I cannot sell them, then I have to figure out a master's that will find me work for the next 20 years. I don't feel healthy enough to keep changing careers every ten years.

However, until a famous author reveals their earning statements for both versions of a book, I don't think the book industry will be held accountable.

[mouser.livejournal.com]

It's not surprising to me that publisher have dropped B-list authors; they seem to be following in the footsteps of the recording industry of about ten-twenty years ago. They might risk publishing a few unknowns, but they are focusing on "the names" that they know sell.

Thinking about it, the movie industry also went/is going through this. It's massive change to distribution and no one wanted to do it. So when it got to the point where "the little guy" could do it on their own and actually make enough of a living at it to make it worthwhile, "the industry" ignored it/dismissed it/tried to make it illegal/etc. (Oh, and comics/webcomics.)

I know a few people that have started to make a living as "independents" but it's work and still very risky. I don't know if POD and author e-distribution is viable as a sole source or income or not yet.