Quote:
Originally Posted by Latch
We've discussed this at length in various topics over the past year. I've ranted before about the greed of the publishing industry, just like the RIAA and MPAA, and how they will usher in the Napsterization of ebooks if they aren't careful.....Give people a fair price and they will buy to support their authors.
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I partly agree. But I don't think its an issue of the publishing industry being greedy. I think they are scared, and are trying to set prices that compensate for the effects of digitalization. Most locally owned bookstores in my city (pop of 300,000) have closed or are closing - as did all of the good music stores a few years ago.
Amazon and Apple are a few steps away from wiping out the publishing industry - as the middle man - by contracting with authors directly. And if JK Rolling actually does what she promised - Amazon, Kobo, etc will get caught out as the middle man - with big authors like her selling directly to their public. So we've entered a new world, and no one is sure how it will turn out yet.
I do agree that the best protection is to find the right price point for ebooks - where authors will get a fair share, and the value added by publishers, editors, etc, will also be compensated. I worry that if we can't work it out, only the mega giants like Patterson, and Rolling will be left standing, and there will be little incentive for the others to apply their trade (writers, editors, etc.)
Anyway, I don't work in the trade and don't have any inside information, but those are just my observations as I watch one small bookstore after another close. I can't believe that isn't hurting publishers, big time.