Quote:
Originally Posted by Patricia Ryan
Kumbabjorn, I must respectfully (sincerely, because I know you have the authors' interests at heart) disagree with the notion that readers owe us anything. Yes, word of mouth is critical, and we love it when a reader review shows up somewhere. But I believe the reader's obligation is to pay for (rather than steal) the book, period. Our job as writers is to entertain. If we do that job really well, our readers may want to recommend our books to others, in which case our audience will grow organically. But to expect that, after they've gone to the trouble and expense of aquiring your book in the first place, strikes me as a bit much.
Pat
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My point, albeit not eloquently expressed, was that if an author provides a new book for free, either for a time span, but more likely a limited number of downloads,
and as a proviso has stated that shis (is that gender neutral enough?) intention is to receive reader input on the material, then I can decide if I want to download it and provide that input, or pass on the offer.
To me it is a little like being a beta tester of new software. You get to test it before anyone else, with warts and all, and hopefully your discoveries will help make it a better product. Hence, I see the author's free download offer as a second draft, on the brink of being publishable, but in dire need of some extra eyes to kill of those last beloved darlings that need to go.
However, if I paid for the pleasure of reading the text, then I totally agree, I have absolutely no other obligation than to myself and my delectable interest in the text. Even to the extent that the book after five pages or so may find itself the dogged victim of the digital dustbin.