Quote:
Originally Posted by carld
I have to agree with heglog. I'm all for the authors, they work lots of long hours (sometimes taking years on a book) for usually not much reward. While I'd like to see a more workable DRM I don't want to see something that's going to make the writer's lot even worse. We have few enough quality authors as it is.
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I DISAGREE with Heglog's view.
First, Kudos Heglog for managing to write an entire book in 30+ hours! (I say this with great respect as I did the 2006 NaNoWriMo - and finished - and I found it to be extremely difficult to write even 50,000 words in 30 DAYS, doing that much or more in just 30 HOURS boggles my mind!)
Second, it isn't the fault of the writers or the ebook pirates for the abysmal 'wages' paid out by publishers. Nope, that rests squarely with the publishers themselves. (Okay, I'll admit the truth. I ALSO believe that part of the problem is the reading 'dumbification' of our younger generations - helped in part by TV (although that is an 'assist' not a root cause) - a 'dumbification' which puts more emphasis upon doing well in scholastic sports programs than on learning to enjoy reading.) Publishers have always short-changed authors over the value of their works. I mean, c'mon! A person spends nine months creating a novel, which, when published generates 30,000 copies in sales at $25 each (hardcover) and the author can't even earn out his/her advance of $4,000-$8,000?
Third, and the publishers continue to stomp all over their bread and butter by refusing to use the one tool that can boost sales - reasonably-priced ebooks! Oh no, mustn't offer ebooks that can generate word-of-mouth. Nope, can't even *THINK* of creating the ebook version at the same time the mass-market or hardcover version is being laid-out! (Which would save time at the back end because the publisher would not have to hire someone to go back and re-enter the manuscript, a costly effort.) This despite the fact that once an electronic version of the novel is available, there are no printing and other production costs for each and every new copy sold.
Yep. It's not the lack of DRM hurting authors, it's the publishers' intransigence.
The BEST thing for an author to do is retain all ebook rights and work through a separate publisher who understands the ebook process - such as Baen.
Derek