Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Nicholson
As for auditing, good luck. Many authors have long believed publishing is full of little gopher holes where their money disappears between the bookstore cash register and their royalty checks. I don't see why digital would be any better or worse, or how there would ever be the financial effort and will to audit anyone on a massive scale. You just have to fly on faith that most people will do what they say they will do.
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Although very few authors have ever exercised their right to audit and that an audit may be cost prohibitive, the mere fact that one has the right helps shore up the idea that honesty generally prevails. When the right is wholly denied, I wonder why that is the case; what is there to hide?
When I was publisher at a small press, I encouraged authors to jointly pay for an audit every couple of years. It wasn't a matter of dishonesty but one of mistakes can and do happen. But the contracts I offered included the audit right; an author did not have to negotiate for it.
Why doesn't Amazon's contract offer audit rights? Why is trust a one-way street?