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Originally Posted by DiapDealer
I agree that would be silly, that's why I said start with a darknet copy and then modify it. As far as having the right's go... why would any business even be considering releasing a backlist title they don't already know they have to rights to? I was under the impression that was a given.
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There is no such thing as "knowing". You have to do the legal legwork. They have to review all the contracts and agreements. They have to FIND all the contracts and agreements. They have to ensure that no agreement that came later changed anything. They'll have to contact the authors or the authors estates. They'll have to commission new art or spend time ensuring they have sufficient rights on the existing art. They have to proof read, edit, prep.
And, of course, they aren't doing this for one book. They have thousands of books. They'd have to decide "we are moving our back list into ebooks" and then staff up a team of folks to tackle the work. There's office space needed, computers, supplies, utilities.
And for what? Compare the effort to do all this work verses the effort to acquire new works. Now compare the expected return on that effort. Put out a thousand old works that will sell a few handfuls each for low low prices, verses 50 new works that sell millions of copies at premium prices.
Where would YOU put your time and energy?
Lee