Thread: Ebook Piracy
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Old 12-12-2007, 12:47 AM   #26
nekokami
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I had an extended email conversation with Steve Brust's last P.A. a while back on the issue of ebooks. Brust doesn't know who has the rights. His P.A. thinks he holds the digital rights to his work, but she's not sure. His agent is slow to respond to questions like this, and much as I love Brust's writing style, I think the fact that he's over $100k in hock to the IRS attests to his organizational skills (or lack thereof). It would appear that he's operating under a "don't ask, don't tell" policy with regard to ebooks at the moment. He is aware that there are people who have scanned/swapped copies of his books. He is also aware that when he recently asked for a spot of legal/financial advice (and nothing more than advice), his enthusiastic fans set up a legal defense fund effort for him and money started pouring in, often with notes attached saying things like "I could only afford to buy your books used before, so now I'm paying you back" or "I have ebooks, which I couldn't pay you for, because there are no ebooks available legally, so I wanted to do my part to support you." Examples here: http://skzbrust.livejournal.com/68156.html

I make my living generating IP (mostly code, some writing of various sorts, one published non-fiction book so far). If I had to choose between a strictly legal business relationship with my readers and the kind of support Brust is getting in his hour of need, I know which one I'd pick. And I suspect I know which one he'd pick, as well.

Argue the legalities all you like. I feel good about being part of an author support effort that's doing more direct good than the pittance he'd probably get from legal ebook sales anyway. The CafePress shop has generated just over $100 in profit over the past three weeks, completely leaving aside the straight donations he's received. How much would he have gotten in ebook royalties this year? Plus, every shirt, mug, button, etc. has a copyright attribution letting everyone who sees it know where to find more of the same-- i.e. more books by Brust.

All I'm saying is that it's easy to forget that there are real human beings at both ends of this "legal transaction." I think the system works best when we all try to remember that, rather than demonizing faceless tight-fisted content monopolists or evil piratical thieves.
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