[leebase]

I'm sure we all agree that we'd love for all the backlist books come out in ebook form. Every book by all our favorite authors. Who doesn't want this?

However, I'm sure we are going to disagree quite a bit on what comes next.

What incentive are we to offer the publishers to spend the time and money clearing the rights issues, cover art issues, and prepping of multiple formats of these books?

These books have been out for a long time. The used paperbacks are found in garage sales for a nickel. Can you imagine the hue and cry of a backlist book that came out at a new book price? I can already hear it now....how dare those publishers charge more than the cost of the used version of the book already out.

We know that the darknet exists and is churning out these books anyway. And yet, that does not get nearly the exposure that properly released legitimate copies of these ebooks.

Consider too that the existence of readily available ebooks of back list titles will be competing with the new books the publisher is trying to sell. Why go through all the effort to put out a product that you must price low only to see that become a competitor to your products you are pricing high?

Yes, like all the rest of you, when I read a new book from a new author, I frequently then want to go back and read all of their back list. That's money on the table the publishers are leaving by not putting out the back list.

But that money has to be enough to overcome the competition to sales of the new and more profitable books.

If we truly wish the publishers to make the backlists available, we need to be willing to pay enough to make it worth the publisher's time and money.

Lee