More wood on the fire...

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by dsvick

You should be able to get the Ebook of everything as well, in fact through webscriptions you can get the eBook before the pBook (if they offer it in a webscription).

Except they don't offer an author's full catalog online (unless the author chooses to, it seems). So for example, I got hooked on Spider Robinson through Webscriptions, but to actually read the whole Callahan series, I need to buy 3/4ths of that series in print. The only eBooks from that series available in eBook form right now are the two books focusing on Callahan's wife.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by dsvick

And the Honorverse!!

Mission of Honor - Now available as a $15 E-ARC!!!

Buy your copy now! Get Addicted! Become a Baen Crack Whore!

Derek

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by dsvick

I for one would love to know if this is really the case, is Baen's combination of the free library and webscriptions actually successful? Everyone keeps pointing to them as the bright shining light of how things should be done, but is it really a viable model for more than the admittedly niche market Baen is in?

Personally, I fall right into there market, so whether it is successful or not I hope they keep it up.

Baen's claim to currently get 10-15 percent of their entire revenue from e-books, piracy and all. Eric Flint wrote a long series of articles, describing his personal experience with increased mid-list sales due to free e-books.

From everything I've heard, they are profitable, but are limited on the paper side by a limited number of slots per month through Tor/MacMillian.

One of these days, they may try an e-book only route....

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What evidence do you have for that?

Intelligence?

[dsvick]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Mission of Honor - Now available as a $15 E-ARC!!!

Buy your copy now! Get Addicted! Become a Baen Crack Whore!

Derek

I'm being patient and going for the July webscription http://www.webscription.net/p-1194-w...scription.aspx

[guyanonymous]

As they say, "The first one's free..."

[Pardoz]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

Unfortunately I saw a whole catalog of Baen books on torrent in one download file

It was quite possibly legit - hell, they link to sites hosting torrents of their CDs direct from their front page.

[guyanonymous]

http://us.macmillan.com/splash/publishers/index.html
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/pub...ng-groups.aspx
http://www.harpercollins.com/footer/companyProfile.aspx (right hand side)

A nice convenient list of the publishers that are tied to each of the uberpublishers.

I'm not clear on this. Does, for example, HarperCollins own all of the smaller publishing houses? Or do they operate independently and will they be setting their own pricing?

If each of the "big 3" listed above owns the publishers listed on their pages, then I seriously question where competition has gone. Especially when the "big 3" are working hand-in-hand (with Apple and each other?) to price-fix? And if they do own them all, then I'll be avoiding a lot of books in the future.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by guyanonymous

http://us.macmillan.com/splash/publishers/index.html
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/pub...ng-groups.aspx
http://www.harpercollins.com/footer/companyProfile.aspx (right hand side)

A nice convenient list of the publishers that are tied to each of the uberpublishers.

I'm not clear on this. Does, for example, HarperCollins own all of the smaller publishing houses? Or do they operate independently and will they be setting their own pricing?

If each of the "big 3" listed above owns the publishers listed on their pages, then I seriously question where competition has gone. Especially when the "big 3" are working hand-in-hand (with Apple and each other?) to price-fix? And if they do own them all, then I'll be avoiding a lot of books in the future.

Three things the 'Big 3' publishers should do well to remember:

1. Public Libraries - I know *my* taxes go to support mine!
2. High-resolution webcams - I just got my latest one which has a *base* resolution of 5MP and can capture 20MP (interpolated).
3. Netbooks - I've got one.

What does this mean? Well, with the judicious modification of a cardboard box, a small sheet of matte-finish plexiglas, a bit of freeware and the above three items I can create my own ebooks for my own reading pleasure - and it isn't all that hard.

So many people who have computers *have* most of the tools needed to create their own - takes a couple of days. If the 'Big 3' keep jacking us customers around, well, we already own a share of those bestsellers sitting in the library...

I've got NO problem with a $10 ebook price on new and bestsellers.

Derek

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

First, that you don't *like* the titles and authors in the Baen's stable does *NOT* mean these titles are 'less valuable'.

Second, after the sales of various titles reach a certain minimum, (there probably are other criteria affecting the move) they can be moved to Baen's Free Library, where they are available in most major ebook formats for immediate, no-DRM, *NO-COST* download. There they reside and act as marketing tools for newer books by the authors.

I *get* that you don't like Baen and that you don't like their marketing model, but don't presume to claim that your dislike means it doesn't work!

Derek

I *get* that you dont understand what devils advocate means!

I love Baens books, specially the honour harrington series and many others. The reason they are less valuable is that they are worth less, thats why Baen sell them for less. It certainly doesnt mean they arent as good!

I was however making the point that Baen are not a company selling AAA author titles that would sell in Hardback at $25 each so they are making the right decision marketing wise for THEM.

That does not mean that if macmillan were to follow the same marketing strategy as Baen that they would be succesful, also im fairly confident that macmillan male more money than Baen, so it could be argued quite sensibly that macmillans way works better!

Again where did I say I dont like Baen? or their marketing?

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by stustaff

I *get* that you dont understand what devils advocate means!

I love Baens books, specially the honour harrington series and many others. The reason they are less valuable is that they are worth less, thats why Baen sell them for less. It certainly doesnt mean they arent as good!

I was however making the point that Baen are not a company selling AAA author titles that would sell in Hardback at $25 each so they are making the right decision marketing wise for THEM.

That does not mean that if macmillan were to follow the same marketing strategy as Baen that they would be succesful, also im fairly confident that macmillan male more money than Baen, so it could be argued quite sensibly that macmillans way works better!

Again where did I say I dont like Baen? or their marketing?

I dunno, let's just guess I derived this view from your statement of Baen's work being 'less valuable', 'worth less'...

For me, I've read many-many books from both MacM and Baen and proportionately, I find I like Baen titles more often than MacM titles. (Granted, Baen has a more limited stable of authors, but the *QUALITY* shines through for a far higher percentage of their titles!)

Massive revenues generated doesn't make MacM a 'success' if they have to acknowledge that a far higher percentage of their offerings don't 'earn' enough...

Even so, you say you like Baen, I'm a-goin' to accept that as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

If MacM is such a 'success' then why does it feel it has to gouge more money from it's customers to break even??? Hmmm???

And I'd figure that a 50% increase in ebook prices translates to an automatic 50% increase in authors' royalties on those titles, yes? What's that you say, it doesn't? I'm shocked!

Derek

[guyanonymous]

Competition amongst 100 publishing houses would just be so much more positive for the industry (consumer, evolution toward a better business model, the authors, etc) than with just 6 majors.

[stustaff]

Derek my imaginary future childs first drawing of him and his daddy will be worth less than a crumpled £10 note it will be less valuable.

Now to me it will be absolutely amazing and worth more than any money.

when I say Baens books are worth less and less valuable im saying that because they ARE, its not an opinion its a fact, Baen books sell for less than Macmillan books.

Macmillan wabt to protect their profits, they DO (I believe) turn over and make more profit than Baen, that means from a business/shareholder point of view they ARE more succesful.

Whilst I agree it is about money Macmillan pricing their books at $15 tells us that they believe they are worth that(or they want to destroy ebook market ) Baen KNOW their books would not sell as well at $15 and that at $6 they will make more money! AND see an increase in the print books they sell.

Its a GREAT model for Baen! not for Macmillan.

[guyanonymous]

How does Baen deal with their pbooks? Are they their own printer? Do they print-on-demand when the orders come in? Do they print and warehouse and then deliver when orders arrive?

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by stustaff

Derek my imaginary future childs first drawing of him and his daddy will be worth less than a crumpled £10 note it will be less valuable.

Now to me it will be absolutely amazing and worth more than any money.

when I say Baens books are worth less and less valuable im saying that because they ARE, its not an opinion its a fact, Baen books sell for less than Macmillan books.

Macmillan wabt to protect their profits, they DO (I believe) turn over and make more profit than Baen, that means from a business/shareholder point of view they ARE more succesful.

Whilst I agree it is about money Macmillan pricing their books at $15 tells us that they believe they are worth that(or they want to destroy ebook market ) Baen KNOW their books would not sell as well at $15 and that at $6 they will make more money! AND see an increase in the print books they sell.

Its a GREAT model for Baen! not for Macmillan.

No. No. No. No. No!

They are *priced* less - mostly because they are released in mmpb format rather than tpb or hc, although the hc versions are just as pricey as MacM's - but they are *NOT* less 'valuable'. Value is NOT tightly linked to retail price!

Derek