09-16-2014, 07:05 PM | #1 |
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Latest Authors United letter to Amazon Board
Seeing that the Amazon/Hachette dispute and this stuff in general always generates a robust debate, placing this here seems a good fit.
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/au...n-board.html-0 Let the opinions flow. |
09-16-2014, 07:18 PM | #2 |
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A stupid letter by stupid authors. They should send a letter to Hachette telling them to sign the contract Amazon offered already and stop holding them hostage.
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09-16-2014, 07:36 PM | #3 |
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More from around the web...
NY Times - In Latest Volley Against Amazon, Hachette’s Writers Target Its Board Liked Susanna Kearsley's post in the comments area of this post... http://dearauthor.com/features/indus...ck-victorians/ Courtney Milan Dear Authors United: Stop being gross. |
09-16-2014, 07:57 PM | #4 | |
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Why does the uniqueness of the books make them not consumer goods? Two uniquely different books are still interchangeable; I can either buy a Discworld book, or a Dresden Files book, a Percy Jackson book, an Alex Verus book, a Simon R. Green book... They all provide the same entertainment. OK, once I buy one book I will want to buy all the other books in the series... but then a series is a unique but interchangeable product, because there is still nothing to say any one series/author is more of a must-read than any other. |
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09-16-2014, 10:48 PM | #5 | |
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Amazon must stock and sell all books at whatever price the publisher dictates because books are special.*
*Except books don't need to be sold at a price dictated by the publisher. In fact, the authors don't seem to want their books to be sold at the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Quote:
Last edited by bgalbrecht; 09-16-2014 at 10:58 PM. |
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09-16-2014, 11:44 PM | #6 |
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1- Read this.
http://jenrasmussen.com/authors-unit...azon-a-primer/ 2- Go read a book. Or watch TV. Or whatever. Not much left to say after that. |
09-17-2014, 12:09 AM | #7 | |
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I hadn't seen the Milan piece. She nailed it, as usual for her. Yes, those boys think they are very precious and everybody else is disposable. Less polite but more detailed fisking: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/0...se-united.html |
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09-17-2014, 12:26 AM | #8 | ||
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http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/0...se-united.html
Quote:
Quote:
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09-17-2014, 03:20 AM | #9 |
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The signatories should cringe in embarrasment at having signed this steaming pile of garbage. I can only think that whoever conceived this as a strategy is almost totally out of touch with the real world. Perhaps they need a good PR firm to come up with some less ridiculous arguments and an approach which garners sympathy rather then ridicule.
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09-17-2014, 07:08 AM | #10 | |||
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It seems that the only thing worse than stupidity is self-absorption. From the original letter: Quote:
It has been pointed out that they aren't even close: http://www.thepassivevoice.com/09/20...comment-250758 Quote:
Last edited by fjtorres; 09-17-2014 at 07:21 AM. |
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09-17-2014, 07:20 AM | #11 |
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It's fairly humorous how when you (that's a generic you, btw) disagree with the authors, then it's a steaming pile of garbage, yet if an author posts something that you agree with, then it's Right On, Dude!
If you are going to do the appeal to authority, then you can't have it both ways. You either respect the right of authors to have an informed opinion on the matter, or they are just another Joe whose only value is that they agree or disagree with your personal belief. I would also point out that the author's main point, that books are not simply gross product is fairly obvious true, otherwise you wouldn't have best selling authors such as J.K. Rowlings, Stephen King, etc. Simply dismissing it out of hand as a steaming pile of garbage doesn't make it untrue, no matter how strongly you may personally feel about it. |
09-17-2014, 07:26 AM | #12 |
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It (the contents of the letter) doesn't need to be true/untrue to be rude, insensitive and utterly dismissive of anyone who makes their living in industries other than their special snowflake one.
Last edited by DiapDealer; 09-17-2014 at 07:30 AM. |
09-17-2014, 07:30 AM | #13 | |
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Shari |
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09-17-2014, 11:01 AM | #14 | |
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The letter from the authors though, just made me sad. I can't believe a group of authors thought this was the best argument in their quiver, and that this was the best way to present it. |
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09-17-2014, 11:04 AM | #15 | |
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...and fell short. |
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