View Single Post
Old 11-08-2012, 09:15 AM   #91
BearMountainBooks
Maria Schneider
BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BearMountainBooks ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
BearMountainBooks's Avatar
 
Posts: 3,746
Karma: 26439330
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Austin, Texas
Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw View Post
Being social and sharing has always been an issue when selling books. Yes, people can now share their copy and read it at the same time, but exactly how much impact this has over the old serial form of sharing is really hard to tell. Most avid readers tend to have a fairly large TBR list, waiting for a copy was generally not much of a problem.

Generally I think that people sharing within their small group is usual and to be expected - and I mean this both ways. The writer should expect it to happen and the readers expect to be able to do it, but this is where DRM steps in and - in some instances - makes things awkward and annoys the reader. You may well say that that's as it should be, but remember that if you sell your ebook for a buck or two of profit you are still doing just as well when the same happened to authors selling paper books.

Large scale piracy - sharing (or selling on) to anyone/everyone around the 'net - is a different kettle of very smelly fish all together. Here it may be possible to argue that new/unknown authors could actually benefit from such distribution channels (at least they're being read/discovered). I find it less easy to argue that well known authors would receive the same benefit, I suspect there are only downsides for them. BUT I don't think that existing DRM methods make much of an impact on this form of piracy.
DRM doesn't really stop word of mouth. Several of my books have been 'recommended' on discussions where readers don't even have an e-reader. One in particular I follow has had them rec'd several times to a woman without an e-reader--but she doesn't want to buy hard copy unless she can find them very cheap. She keeps asking around now and then, but so far the used copies haven't gone under 6 dollars.

Discussion is discussion. If people like the books they talk about them or they come up because of some related discussion "books like."

I do expect some sharing in groups--that is why there is lending. My books have been lent within some of these groups (by myself as well as others.) But remarkably, the "lend once" works. When a new group member wants to read the books and they aren't available by lending, they will often buy the book.

It's the never ending lock/key/safe/burglar problem. Authors want to get paid. Readers want to read for free or as little as possible. Some restraint is required on both sides. It's more about what the reader perceives as "fair." In my groups, the ladies are actually thrilled to be able to lend once--across the internet. In the old days some of them were in online swap groups and that meant no lending without at least paying postage--and they didn't get the book back. One-time lending handled by Kindle or Nook is actually a convenience for them. Most of them are quite happy with it.

I would also like to say that I have read/started MANY, MANY series (most) and new authors (Most) without first getting a free book. Sure, I've purchased a lot of used books and I do use the library, but it is only lately with the free ebooks that I am finding authors to try for free. And it is a TIME CONSUMING method. I sample/try probably 5 to 8 books for every one that I actually bother to finish.

Last edited by BearMountainBooks; 11-08-2012 at 09:16 AM. Reason: correct a word
BearMountainBooks is offline   Reply With Quote