Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
I never said they should be. I asked whether this was a bad time for writers now.
Are you suggesting that some form of offshoring will heavily impact authors? I could see it impacting publishers more than authors, myself: Cheaper labor put to the effort of scanning, proofing and/or editing books; ebook sites not challenged by copyright or geographic restrictions (even if it's just because they are operating outside of other countries' jurisdictions); etc.
If you're asking whether or not anyone should care if authors are having an easy or hard time... I think the suggestion that people don't care what happens to that profession goes a long way towards answering my original question.
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Your definition of whether it's a good time or a bad time to be an author seems predicated on whether or not you can make a reasonable amount of money writing.
We are in a structural deflation in the highly developed countries. This deflation is the result of computer/telecommunication technology. Many, many professions are finding their earnings power badly weakened by this deflation. Much of the current economic malaise is due to this structural deflation. Writers and publishers are being hit as well.
The "pie" in the writing business is shrinking. The author may be enabled to get a greater piece of the "pie" at the expense of the publisher, but that does not stop the shrinkage.
You seem to want laws to stop the shrinkage. Question, why is stopping the shrinkage for writers more important than accountants, engineers, and computer programmers. (Or paralegals and non-partner lawyers)?
(Widespread piracy has been created by technology, not by people's lack of morality. They were just as (im)moral in the 1950's, they just didn't have the technology to do anything with...)