Publishers are listening...

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

have there been no compliments?

You have a point. I have indeed read some superbly formatted ebooks.

On the other hand I was under the impression that that's what I paid for. I will try to be more gracious.

Regards, Alex

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

In the case of the book WillAdams mentioned, the writer has been dead for years!

Xenophon

Then there is no point even writing them down, because his surviving relatives will be using him like a cash cow just like the publishers are.

[vaughnmr]

I emailed my concerns to to all of the Agency 5 that I could reach. Not a single reply from any of them.

I will be glad when they are gone and we can move on.

[mknopp]

Yeah, the publishers are listening.

But, the only thing that will make them change is a change in the bottom line, for the worst.

From what I understand of what a publisher does, I see little need for the old guard of the publishers any more.

With the internet and companies like Amazon and Apple and Lulu allowing for easy distribution what exactly do publishing companies do for authors now?

I have heard from more than a few authors about how non-existent the so called promotion is. Yeah, there are promotions for the biggest authors, but not much for lesser knowns. Seriously, has anyone seen any ads or promotion for Tom Kratman?

As for editors, there are freelance editors and even companies offering editing services to authors in specific genres.

Artist aren't that hard to find. Go to Deviantart and browse until you find an artist whose work you like and then pay them a commission for a piece of cover art. That is assuming you don't live anywhere close to a university with an art program and a bunch of starving art students who would love to do some work.

So, what do publishers do for authors now-a-days, that a little leg work on an author's part can't also do, and put a lot more money in the author's pocket? Is it all about the up front cost? It cost money to pay an editor; it cost money to pay an artist. Do so many authors not have that sort of money that they have to sell the rights to their labor to a publisher to see it available to customers?

I am honestly asking by the way.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

If they're listening, then why can't I get someone to accept the file listing all of the errors which I found in Tor Books' ebook edition of _Space Cadet_?

get a refund as it is clearly a defective product, better yet find a class action/product liability attorney with nothing better to do and go after the publisher for knowingly selling a defective product...see, as ebooks are not sold with the same rules as print editions then no quarter should be given for selling faulty software/digital products. That is the model they wanted, right?

half-joking by extending it to the logical-absurdity of the entire ebook situation as it exists thanks to the way things are done today.

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Then there is no point even writing them down, because his surviving relatives will be using him like a cash cow just like the publishers are.

He had no children, the overly long copyrights are owned by the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust http://www.heinleinprize.com/index.htm

The Heinlein Prize is worldwide.

The Prize honors the memory of Robert A. Heinlein, a renowned American author. Both Robert and his wife Virginia were strong advocates of human advancement into space through commercial endeavors. The purpose of the Heinlein Prize is to encourage and reward progress in commercial space activities that advances their dream of humanity's future in space.

The Heinlein Prize Trust will present a substantial award to the individual or individuals who achieve practical accomplishments in the field of commercial space activities.

Winners will receive a medallion, a diploma and a monetary award. The first Heinlein Prize award has been set by the Trustees at $500,000.

The Trust has three Trustees: Art Dula, Buckner Hightower and James M. Vaughn.

Art Dula, Buckner Hightower and James M. Vaughn are the ones milking the Heinlein cash cow though at least its for a cause and not to make sure great-grandchildren can afford sports cars.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by mknopp

So, what do publishers do for authors now-a-days, that a little leg work on an author's part can't also do, and put a lot more money in the author's pocket? Is it all about the up front cost? It cost money to pay an editor; it cost money to pay an artist. Do so many authors not have that sort of money that they have to sell the rights to their labor to a publisher to see it available to customers?

I am honestly asking by the way.

I'd say yes.
It costs money to finance a print run, it takes contacts to get the books into retail outlets. Yes authors can self-publish in electronic form for very little outlay, but also for a much smaller audience than print books get.

[L.J. Sellers]

I don't know if this is a case of a publisher listening or just making a new kind of decision, but St. Martin's Press has turned down Janet Evanovich's request for $50 for her next four Stephanie Plum books. I think it's a sign that SMP is recognizing that readers will go elsewhere if they keep charging more for the same books. Which they would have to do to earn out that advance.

It will be interesting to watch how this plays out.
L.J.

[BexBits]

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

I don't know if this is a case of a publisher listening or just making a new kind of decision, but St. Martin's Press has turned down Janet Evanovich's request for $50 for her next four Stephanie Plum books. I think it's a sign that SMP is recognizing that readers will go elsewhere if they keep charging more for the same books. Which they would have to do to earn out that advance.

It will be interesting to watch how this plays out.
L.J.

Is that $50,000?

It will be interesting to watch no matter what the figure. Evanovich hasn't made a penny from me in years because I don't/can't pay that for books that give me an enjoyable 1/2 day of reading. It has to be several days of reading and worth a reread or two for me to put down serious money (serious book money, I mean. They're all cheap compared to my mortgage.) Libraries and used books are my sources for her work.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by BexBits

Is that $50,000?

Try 50 million (12.5 million per book for the next four Plum books).


She got 10 million a book (advance) in her last deal.

[BexBits]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Try 50 million (12.5 million per book for the next four Plum books).


She got 10 million a book (advance) in her last deal.

Duh. I should never post before that second cup of coffee. That's what I meant.

[JSWolf]

If publishers were listening, then we would never have eBook sourced from PDF. We we would have well formatted ePub. We would have reasonable prices. We would have greater accessibility to purchase eBooks in all the available formats. We would have a place to post comments if we find something wrong with a given eBook so it can be fixed.

We have none of this because overall they don't listen.

[GeoffC]

Is that don't listen , or


don't want to listen ?

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Is that don't listen , or


don't want to listen ?

yes...

[afa]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Try 50 million (12.5 million per book for the next four Plum books).


She got 10 million a book (advance) in her last deal.

WOAH!

That is one heck of an advance. Who the heck is Janet Evanovich and why is she getting such obscene sums? Perhaps I'm an ignoramus, but I've never even heard of her.